Soil Preparation

• 1). Remove any weeds by hand, or apply a non-selective herbicide two to four weeks before you plant the grass seed. Remove rocks and debris.
  
  
• 2). Fill low spots with dirt and rake the soil around the home's foundation so water drains away from the house. Add more dirt if necessary to create a 30 percent grade.
  
  
• 3). Spread 1 inch of compost or manure over the soil. Till it in lightly with a ceramic rake to improve the soil texture. Add an additional inch of compost if the soil is clay or if top soil was disturbed for new construction.
  
  

Planting the Grass Seed

• 1). Fill a drop or rotary spreader with half the amount of grass seed needed for your lawn. Walk across the lawn, spreading the seed, in a back-and-forth motion, similar to the path you would take to mow the lawn. Fill the spreader with the remaining seed and walk across the lawn again at an angle to your previous path to ensure good seed coverage.
  
  
• 2). Rake the seed lightly to cover it with 1/16 to 1/8 inch of soil.
  
  
• 3). Fill a lawn roller half-full of water. Roll lightly over the grass seed to ensure that it makes contact with the soil. Rolling a newly seeded lawn may reduce lawn establishment time by as much as two weeks, according to Cornell University.
  
  
• 4). Mulch the seed with 1 inch of weed-free hay, shredded newpaper or excelsior, to keep weed seed from blowing away and conserve moisture.
  
  
• 5). Water the soil gently three to four times per day, as needed, to keep the soil surface constantly moist. Water for 10 minutes or less each time. Dry seed will germinate slowly or even die. Once the grass seed emerges, slowly cut back on watering to help the grass develop strong roots.
  
  

Grass Care

• 1). Apply a nitrogen fertilizer to the lawn two to three weeks after planting, according to package directions. Thereafter, apply a nitrogen fertilizer in late summer or early fall, according to Cornell University.
  
  
• 2). Mow the lawn when it stands 2 to 3 inches high. Mowing it too short causes stress to the grass plants. Leaving it longer also crowds out weeds and conserves moisture. Sharpen the lawnmower blade at least twice during the season. Mowing with a dull blade tears the grass, leaving it prone to disease.
  
  
• 3). Leave the clippings on the lawn. They don't contribute to thatch, but add nitrogen to the soil.
  
  
• 4). Water the grass deeply and infrequently to encourage deep roots. Water early in the morning, rather than at night, to discourage diseases.
  
  
• 5). Spread grass seed to fill in any bare spots.