April 1, 2024

Seeding the Lawn

best springtime month

seeding in april

Other than September, April is the best month in Northeast Ohio to work on improving your lawn. Why? Because warming soil temperatures and cool days, combined with plentiful rainfall, help grass seed germinate and take root quickly. If you’re looking to patch & repair the lawn, overseed the lawn, or seed a new lawn from scratch, here are the processes we suggest for best results.

patch & repair

to resolve small bare spots

Clear the area of dry, dead grass and debris, and loosen the soil. Then, apply Scotts® EZ Seed® Patch & Repair or Scotts® PatchMaster®. Both are all-in-one combinations of sun & shade grass seed, starter fertilizer, and protective mulch perfect for addressing small areas. EZ Seed also includes a tackifier to help prevent seed from washing away, especially in the case of slopes and hillsides. After applying, water thoroughly. Avoid kids, pets, and lawn mowers in the area until new grass reaches about 3 inches in height. Need a bigger bag? EZ Seed 10lb and PatchMaster 10lb are also available.

overseed

to improve or thicken healthy, existing lawns 

If weeds are an issue, start by applying a lawn-safe, selective weed control like Weed Beater® Ultra (available in RTU, concentrate, sprayer, etc.) or Tenacity®, per package instructions. Once weeds have been eliminated, mow the lawn closely, down to about 2 inches. Then, check your lawn’s thatch layer. If thicker than 1/2″, de-thatch and clean up the debris, so seed will be able to make proper contact with the soil. Amend soil and rough grade, if needed. Apply your grass seed mix of choice at a rate of 1-2lbs per 1,000 square feet (overseeding rate). Then apply a starter lawn fertilizer like Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter Food 1M or Scotts® STEP® 1 for Seeding. Starter lawn fertilizer should never contain weed control, otherwise you risk suppressing the grass seed along with any weed seeds present. Water in the seed and starter fertilizer thoroughly.

seed a brand new lawn

to start fresh from scratch

If you’re working with a completely blank canvas or doing some major renovations like completely ripping out sections of your lawn and starting over from the beginning, here’s how to do it right…

Step 1

Study the site

Study the site to observe what type of light it gets (sun vs. shade), how much use it gets (high traffic vs. low-traffic), and size of the area so you can calculate the materials needed. Look for any drainage issues or puddling that would indicate a need to rough grade, or level soil up in some areas.

Step 2

Test the Soil

Test the pH of your soil, knowing the ideal range for growing lawns is 6.2-7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). Based on the results, apply relevant amendments to balance the pH for optimal growth. If your pH result is lower than 6.2 (skewing acidic), plan to add Espoma® Organic® Lightning Lime™. If your pH result is higher than 7.0 (skewing basic), plan to add Espoma® Organic® Soil Acidifier.

Step 3

Remove Weeds

Address any existing weed issues two weeks ahead of when you plan to sow your new grass seed. For weed issues that cover less than 25% of your lawn, use a selective, lawn-safe herbicide like WeedBeater® Ultra, which works great on a range of annual & perennial weeds, or Tenacity®, which works well on grassy, hard-to-kill weeds like Bermuda grass, Nimblewill, and crabgrass buildup. If a large portion of the area has weeds, apply a general herbicide like KleenUp®, BurnOut®, Roundup®, or Captain Jack’s™ DeadWeed Brew.

Step 4

Prepare the Soil

Once free of weeds, prepare the soil. This is the time to add topsoil or Sweet Peet® to rough grade or address low spots, in order to create a level seeding plane. Per pH test results, it’s also the time to add amendments like lime or sulfur. If poorly draining, compacted soil is a problem, this is the time to add Soil Perfector® or pelletized gypsum.  Lightly till, hard rake, or run a de-thatcher to gently work the materials into the area.

Step 5

Apply Grass Seed

Select and apply your grass seed, being careful to choose wisely from mixes that contain diverse, disease-resistant varieties and which are formulated for the lighting conditions and level of traffic you expect for the area. Read labels for highest germination rate, lowest percentage of undesirable seeds, and rate of coverage. 5lbs per 1,000 square feet is the general rate when seeding a blank canvas. Apply by hand or with a spreader, being careful not to overlap on your passes. Lightly rake seed into the amended soil to ensure it’s making contact.

Step 7

Cover the Seed

If you like, you can cover the area with a light coating of seeding straw, Sweet Peet®, or topsoil to bed down the seed (if you lightly raked, that also beds it down).

Step 8

Water it In

Water your work in carefully and thoroughly. Continue watering 1-2 times per day so that the area stays moist and the seed does not dry out. The area should always appear dark from being moist, but it should not show puddles. Once you see signs of germination, adjust your watering habit to 1″ per week, thoroughly, to help the new grass roots establish deeper into the soil.

like a boss

extra bits of pro advice

#1 – Choose a quality seed mix that matches the conditions present in your yard. When in doubt, Petitti Sun & Shade Mix is a great all-purpose way to go for Northeast Ohio lawns, and it’s available in multiple sizes.

#2 – Don’t fret new weeds that may sprout alongside your new grass. In creating a good environment for grass to sprout, you’re inadvertently creating a good environment for weeds to sprout. Resist the urge to treat for weeds until the new grass has grown enough to require mowing 4 times.

#3 – Water, water, water! Insufficient watering is the #1 cause for poor results of seeding projects. Soil must be kept moist at all times until the new grass is well up, otherwise seeds will fail.

#4 – Skip the sod. Homeowners trying to decide between grass seed and sod should know that sod is often more expensive than grass seed. Sod also comes in limited varieties, and sod typically means hiring a professional installer for good results, which adds more cost.

Search for Your Location

We have nine locations across Northeast Ohio, spanning the Cleveland, Akron-Canton, and Youngstown communities. Search here to find the location most convenient for you.

Loading Locations...