How do I reseed my lawn?

Question

I don't want to compleatly till up the lawn or lay sod all I want to do is get grass to mix in with the currenty grass, What would be the best way to go about this?

Answer 1

Rent a power rake and remove all the thatch, the dead matter at the soil line. You need bare dirt contact for the seed. Once that is up and you see earth you can reseed. Don't forget the starter fertilizer. Realize if your soil is compact, the seedlings will not be able to get into the soil as easily. The whole rototilling part of starting a lawn is to losen the ground, getting oxygen back into the soil.

I hesitate to recommend aeration, where the rented machine pulls out sod and soil cores. While it would surely get oxygen down into the soil, you'd also have seed falling in the holes that would die when the soil naturally knitted back together.

Remember with seed, you need to keep the bed moist until the plants are up and growing.

Answer 2

If your current grass is thick, and has shade, sprinkle/throw seed in by hand.

If not thick, and not shady, you need to wait for the weather to cool down like in October, depending where you are. Otherwise you risk most of the seed burning and dieing after it sprouts.

Answer 3

the way "fluffnut'' is the best, but is you want to use a much cheaper and easier way try mixing seed and dirt in a bucket mix it, and mix it, then reach in take a handfull and just throw it in the yard. I have used this meathod with some success.