Starting a New Lawn

by DoItYourself Staff

Sometimes it's necessary to start a totally new lawn or to completely rebuild large areas of an existing lawn. In these cases, prepare the seed bed with a rotary tiller or some other type of digging equipment. Take time to prepare the soil thoroughly to a depth of about 6". If the soil is compacted, mix in peat moss or gypsum to keep it loose. This will help the roots of the new grass to survive.

Step 1: Prepare the seed bed by raking it thoroughly and removing all stones, sticks, etc. Break up all dirt clods so the new seed will have a good chance to grow.

Step 2: Reseed the area with a mechanical seed spreader. Reseed at the rate recommended on the package of seed you're using. In most cases, no raking is required after seeding, although certain types of seed need a light raking.

Step 3: Lightly sprinkle the reseeded area two or three times a day if the reseeding is done in hot weather. Repeat this daily watering until the new seedlings are about 1" tall. After the new grass has reached this height, water it thoroughly about once each week until it's ready for the first mowing.