- 1). Remove old grass, if any. You can use a flat head shovel to get under the turf and dig it out. Try to remove all of the roots. Throw the old grass in a pile in a compost container for use in making batches of compost.
- 2). Till up the soil with a rototiller. Add a lawn fertilizer that has a bug killer, antibacterial in it or use your own compost. Till it into the already tilled soil.
- 3). Plant unhulled seed if you are two to three months away from spring, and hulled seed if you are ready for grass now. The unhulled seed will take a while to germinate, but if you want to plant early, it is also protected from frost and snow. Hulled seed should not be planted until the soil temperature is around 70 degrees. Spread with a seed spreader to get the best coverage.
- 4). Cover the seed with no more than 1/4 inch of soil. Top soil is great for coverage as it will not pack down on the seed, but will protect it from floating away.
- 5). Water with a sprinkler system or misting system. The soil should not be allowed to completely dry out for the first five weeks. You don't want to drown the seed either. Water every day or every other day to just keep the seed damp.
- 6). Water for long periods of time but less frequently after the first five weeks. Once the seed is established and won't wash away, it's better to water deeply to grow and deep root system.
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