How to Plant Seeds With a Machine

Plant seeds with a machine using a fertilizer spreader. Spreaders are walk-behind devices that automatically distribute seeds as the wheels rotate. Planting seeds with a machine is appropriate when seeding large areas with one type of plant seed. The most commonly planted seed using a machine is lawn grass seed. Grass is the ideal candidate for machine-seed utilization because of the large area of space in a lawn and the large volume of seed needed to plant the area.

Things You'll Need

• Grass seed
• Shovel
• Spreader

Instructions

1. Determine how much seed is needed. For grass seed use 2 or 4 lbs. of seed per 1,000 square feet of lawn when reseeding a mature lawn or when overseeding a new lawn, respectively.

2. Place the seeds in the spreader by hand or using a small gardening shovel.

3. Select the appropriate value opening for the spreader, normally by rotating a knob located near the based of the spreader. A wide-open setting will distribute seeds in the greatest density; whereas, a smaller opening will distribute seeds in a less dense concentration.

4. Push the spreader at a slow walking pace around the lawn area to ensure even distribution of the seeds. Walk over the same area multiple times to concentrate seeding over a specific area.

References

• Colorado State University
• University of Minnesota