Here’s How to Plant Your Own Grass

You don’t have to leave planting a new lawn to landscape professionals. You do need to know how to plant grass seed and how to prepare your soil, along with a few pointers on watering and fertilizing. Follow along for more tips on how to grow grass and make your lawn look great.

Seeding vs. Sodding

One of the first questions homeowners have about lawn care is whether to go with grass seed or sod. Sod is simply grass with a thin layer of soil and root system underneath that has already been grown by a nursery. There are many benefits to going with seed vs. sod. These include: 

• Grass seed is much less expensive than sod 

• You can choose from a wider range of grass varieties when going with seed 

• You’re able to choose seed that will grow in a range of conditions, such as in shade

Selecting Your Grass Seed

The first step in planting grass seed is selecting your seed type. There are warm, cool, and transitional seeds which are useful depending on your climate. You should also choose a grass seed that will grow in your location based on rainfall, whether your yard is heavily shaded, and the type of soil you have. Some grass seed comes as a blend containing seeds that thrive in various conditions. Check the seed pack to make sure the seeds meet the conditions for your area.

When to Plant Grass Seed

When to plant your seeds will depend mostly on your local climate and current weather conditions. For warmer weather grass seed, you should plant between March and September depending on the temperature. Cooler grasses should be planted between August and October. Blends that contain both can be planted during the warmer season, and the cooler weather grasses will remain dormant during the summer. Check the germination time on your seeds. A higher number means a higher volume of grass seed is expected to grow.

Removing Your Old Sod

If you need to remove some sod before planting, you’ll need a few garden hand tools like a trowel and spade to dig up the sod. You’ll also want a wheelbarrow to cart away the old sod, and a landscaping rake to smooth the area over. For larger areas, you may need a broad-spectrum herbicide to get rid of all the vegetation already growing there. If digging deep down can’t be avoided you may want to add some more top soil before seeding.

Preparing Your Soil

Once the old grass is removed, it’s time to prepare your soil. You can send samples of the soil to the soil to a lab for testing. This will tell you the pH level and other factors that affect your soil. If the pH level is too low for your type of grass you can add lime or poultry manure to bring it up. Conversely, adding sulfur can lower the pH. You can also add peat moss to boost the nutrients in clay soils, and compost to do the same for sandy soils. Once the soil is ready for grass seed, you can put down a seeding soil to start, or apply a good lawn fertilizer.

How to Seed a Lawn

First, you’ll need to measure the area you want to seed so you know how much grass seed to buy. Seed is applied in pounds per 1,000 square feet depending on the seed, so check the package for instructions. Once you have your seed volume figured out, follow the steps below: 

1. Mark out the area you want to seed with flour or chalk. 

2. Water the area thoroughly a few days before planting and allow it to dry. 

3. Rake over the area, enrich the soil, and add more soil if needed. 

4. Use a seed spreader to distribute your seeds evenly over the soil. Do half the seed in one direction and half in the other direction. 

5. Rake over the seeded soil in order to partially cover the seeds. 

6. Roll over the area with a lawn roller (empty) to give the seeds good contact with the ground and promote germination. 

7. Cover the lawn with a wheat straw mulch to help retain moisture, promote germination, and prevent the seed from being washed away. 

8. Water the area several times a day to prevent the seeds from drying out, taking care not to over-saturate.

How to Overseed Your Existing Lawn

Overseeding is a quick, cost-effective way to make your lawn look lush and green again. Some lawns might only need overseeding if drought or disease is damaging the grass. Others might need it every few years just to brighten the grass and keep it full. Some homeowners also choose to make overseeding part of their general lawn maintenance. Here’s how to do it. 

1. Cut the lawn shorter than you normally would using your lawn mower. 

2. Rake the lawn to remove loose turf, dead grass, rocks and sticks. 

3. Seed the lawn with grass seed and a spreader, following the instructions on the package. 

4. Lightly rake the seeds and then cover them with wheat straw mulch. 

5. Water the seeds regularly without overwatering.

How to Repair Bare Spots & Patchy Lawns

You can also use grass seed to fill in patchy or bare spots on your lawn. Here’s how: 

1. Prepare the areas to be filled by cutting away the existing grass or weeds. 

2. Rake the soil lightly to get it ready for grass seed. 

3. Hand-seed over the patchy or bald areas, or use a spreader for larger areas. 

4. Rake lightly and cover with wheat straw mulch to protect the seeds from washing away.

Fertilizing Tips

Fertilizing your lawn can help your grass grow thicker and lusher. Here’s some tips to follow: 

• Choose a lawn fertilizer based on your grass seed type, climate, and soil type 

• Use a spreader with the vent hopper open to spread dry fertilizer along the perimeter of your yard 

• Go across the rest of the yard back and forth, with each row overlapping the last just a little 

• You can also use liquid fertilizer by putting it in a garden sprayer 

• Clean your spreader or sprayer with water and mild soap to remove any leftover fertilizer

Watering Tips

Watering your lawn is an important step in your lawn care routine, as it allows the grass seed to germinate and your lawn to flourish. To water your lawn: 

• Make sure you don’t drench the grass seed or lawn because overwatering may actually inhibit growth 

• Water immediately after spreading new grass seed to moisten it 

• Seed should be watered twice a day until it germinates, and once a day after that Your lawn may need more or less watering depending on the weather 

• Watering can be done using a garden hose or you can install an irrigation system to mist your grass at regular intervals 

• Soil should remain easy to penetrate using a stake or screwdriver down to 6-8 inches

Growing your own grass can save you money and give you more control over your lawn. You’ll become familiar with how to solve lawn issues and problems, and you can even make grass seeding part of your regular maintenance routine. All of this helps ensure you’ll have a beautiful lush lawn all season long.