The most important thing to remember when seeding a lawn is that the soil, temperature and moisture level all play key roles in the sprouting process. It is also important to have the necessary equipment before you get started. Checking the weather is key as well. Excessive rain after planting equals disastrous results, i.e., you don't want a muddy wash outside of your front door. Now is the perfect time to start planting those seeds because even though the grass will sprout, grow a little then die in the winter, that is a surefire sign that come Spring your lawn will grow in and glisten with the morning dew.
The first thing you need to do is get a metal rake and a tiller if you can afford one. If not rent or borrow one it will be worth the effort. Next a little hand rake is perfect for the kids to feel like they are involved in the process. Gardening with kids is an easy way to spend time together as a family. It's a great activity for any gender and any age child. Then the fast growing grass seed should be a high quality brand purchased from a home and garden specialty store. Home Depot for example has an excellent quality and variety of grass seed. Select the type of grass you would like to compliment your home and landscape. This is important to think about because it covers a huge portion of your home. It can compliment a new paint job or enhance fixtures in your yard.
Speak to a landscape designer if you are clueless as to what would look best. Follow this rule of thumb if you do not have time for that. In a typically shady yard I would go for a light colored small bladed golf course type of grass that has a lime green shade to it. Very sunny yards may need a darker thicker bladed grass to stand up to the heat. Most yards are a combination of sunny patches and shady patches as the day wears on. It is really a matter of taste. Whatever you prefer just go with one type of grass and commit to it. Your entire yard should look neat, and uniform. Think about dressing for a job interview. You may want to sell your home someday so don't get creative with the grass seed. That is what the plants and bushes and flowers are for.
Try Scott's brand because this is a fast growing grass seed and does come up within days of planting. Do not get a large quantity of "the infomercial grass seed" shake it onto your lawn expecting to have the "oh so perfect lawn." This product is not the fast growing grass seed that Scott's brand is. It is meant for filling in spots, but you should just use the seeds purchased for this. There is no magical way to grow a new lawn. Just like everything else in life, it takes time, hard work, and sometimes requires a team. Plan an entire day and devote your efforts exclusively to this task. Celebrate the possibilities and fun ways to enjoy your new lawn after the sun goes down.
Please understand the rewards will be worth the efforts. Next comes the difficult part. If the lawn is being redeemed, you have a ton of work to do, fire up that tiller and find someone with mussels willing to give it all they have got and till up all your old grass. Next grab a wife, or a girlfriend, boyfriend, teenager, or neighbor to go behind you after the tilling has been done and rake out all of the old grass. Try to stay in neat rows so you and the person tilling can be opposite of each other in the yard. This works out well. Wear earplugs and daydream. The Buddhists use raking to clear their minds and help them solve problems. This is very therapeutic work.
Next, clean up the rocks and break up any dirt chunks, make certain most of the old grass has been removed. Now comes the fun part. Obtain a seed spreader (if it is in your budget) if not that's okay. You can use the hands god gave you to sprinkle an ample amount of your amazing, fast growing grass seed. Gage your seed purchase accordingly: Small yards 1-2 bags, medium yards 2-3 bags and a large yards take 3 bags.
Go over each area to take care to see that all of the dirt is covered by seeds. Next you want to water it a little bit. Not too much. Go inside, eat, drink and be merry and hope it doesn't pour down rain. In the morning maybe check to see if the soil is damp and water it a little bit more if need be but really no more than five minutes for the entire lawn
Last, (again if and only if it's in the budget) get a sprinkler that makes a nice arch of water and only water when the soil feels dry to the touch. You want to make sure it stays moist during the germination process. Filling in seeds as you go on throughout the week is great if you can pay attention to the areas that may look a little sparse. Never water the seeds with heavy water pressure and do not over water when you start to see sprouts come up. Let them grow a bit skip a few days of watering and then see if they need another watering in a few days. After that you just maintain the amount of water according to the rain in the forecast. Do not worry if it rains just hold back on watering. Use common sense and see a gorgeous law start to grow in thanks to your fast growing grass seed.
