How to Seed Grass & Mulch

To ensure a full, green lawn, seed the grass and then mulch it. Over-seed a fledgling lawn to begin initial growth, or re-seed a mature lawn to increase the density and health of your established grass. Mulching is the process of covering freshly seeded areas or mature lawns with a fertilizer that will regulate soil temperature, add nutrients and minerals to the topsoil and promote moisture retention.

Things You'll Need

• Rake
• Grass seed
• Seed/fertilizer spreader
• Fertilizer
• Water

Instructions

1. Rake the lawn to clear it of rocks, sticks and other organic debris using a flexible, metal rake.

2. Cover the lawn with a dense, even layer of grass seed using a spreader. Use 2 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for re-seeding a mature lawn or 4 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for a new lawn.

3. Add a 1/2 inch of mulch over the freshly seeded area using a fertilizer spreader. Clean compost and peat moss fertilizers are two popular, effective, organic mulches.

4. Lightly mix the mulch and grass seeds together using a flexible, metal rake. Only 10 percent of the grass seed should be exposed at the surface.

5. Water the seeds once daily for two weeks or until new grass growth is visible from the surface. Moisture enhances grass growth and increases the effectiveness of fertilizer mulch.

References

• Colorado State University: Lawn Care
• University of Minnesota: Lawn Repair in Spring