Here’s your essential checklist of what you must do to plant a lush lawn.
Why plant grass in the fall?
Tom used a seed spreader we inherited when we bought my grandma’s house, but spreading by hand is always an option! They even make hand-held grass spreaders these days.
I. Figure out what type of grass will grow best in your region
Cool-season grasses grow best between 60 degrees F and 75 degrees F and can handle cold winters.
Warm-season grasses grow best in temperatures above 80 degree F and thrive in milder-winter regions.
Associate cool-season grasses with blue spruce and warm-season grasses with palm trees and you’re on the right track.
Typically, cool-season grasses are grown in USDA Hardiness Zones of 6 and colder while warm-season grasses are grown in zones 7 and warmer.
So in New York, we’re looking to plant cool season grasses. In Florida, you’d plant warm season grasses.
- Kentucky bluegrass, a fine, dark green grass that grows well in full-sun. Many gardeners prefer this type of grass because it spreads and fills in nicely and has a rich green color.
- Tall fescue, a coarse, low-maintenance grass that is very durable and can take the heat more so than other cool-season varieties.
- Perennial ryegrass, a fast-growing, medium-textured grass that grows great in full-sun and not so well in shade. Requires little watering or fertilizer.
II. Remove rocks, sticks and other debris then mow
Insider tip: Mow existing grass to a shorter height than usual prior to planting seed. Rake up the clippings and compost.
III. Till that top layer of soil
But for a smaller area, a garden rake or hoe works just as good. Either way, your goal is to break up large clumps of dirt so that the soil is fine and even.
IV. Level the ground
Also consider adding peat moss, compost, humus, or other organic material to promote healthy grass.
V. Scatter the seed
For small areas spread the seed by hand. Apply 16 seeds per square inch.
Do Not:
- Overseed your lawn. When I cram too many seedlings in my plastic containers in the spring I end up with leggy, spiny and weak plants. The same theory applies to your lawn.
- Overseeded areas will grown thin, lanky and unhealthy grass because the seedlings are fighting so hard for nutrients.
VI. Protect the seeds with topsoil
Topsoil can be purchased in bags from a big box store or look for free fills signs where you live. Newly planted seeds need to be protected from the elements until they take root.
If you have a hard downpour right after you plant, that stream could easily uproot your seeds before they even have a chance to root. Not good! Spread the topsoil by hand or with a cage roller
Insider Tip:
- You may also want to consider using straw or other organic material to lightly cover the seed and protect it from pecking birds, squirrels and deer. Straw will also help keep it moist.
VII. Water the seeds
Overwatering can also kill seed. Because grass seedlings need constant moisture, water frequently and shallowly so the top 2 inches of soil stays moist, but not soggy.
Check regularly and water if soil is dry. Do this for four to six weeks until roots grow and then water less often but more deeply.
Try setting the sprinkler on a mist settings. Never use a jet or other powerful stream of water or you will wash away seed.
Water twice a day, once in the morning and then again at night with this light spray. Continue until the grass sprouts to a few inches.
• Each watering should penetrate the soil to a depth of several inches to promote good root growth!
VIII. Keep people and pets off the lawn
The same with our kids walking on the lawn or the dogs trudging back and forth. Constant foot traffic will compact the underlying soil, which in turn restricts healthy root growth.
So grass grows poorly and bare tracks may appear. In wet weather, compaction is even more likely to occur (We’re getting a lot of rain here daily here.)
I thought it was slightly passive aggressive, but Tom insisted on putting up yellow tape attached to poles to keep kids and pets off.
But I drew that line at caution tape and asked him to at least stick with plain yellow. I think everyone got the drift that the man is trying to grow grass.
IX. Fertilize that seed
- Most lawns need between 2 and 6 pounds of actual nitrogen per year for good growth!
- Use high-potassium fertilizer to prepare lawn for winter.
Glad to see your article, it’s got a lot of great information! I moved
into my home located east of San Francisco less than a year ago which came with two large redwood trees that were poorly placed in the middle of the
front yard. I’ve been struggling to know what to plant
under them. Is there any type of grass that can survive under redwood trees?
Would you recommend that? We had a gardner tell us that there are
grasses that are shade loving and drought resistant that could work.
We’d also toyed with the idea of doing a drip system,
forgoing the grass and doing mulch and putting plants that would thrive under redwoods.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
some awesome advice
Great information. I wish that I had read this BEFORE we planted the grass! LOL
Gardening is so relaxing.
Love raise your garden.
Love your articles
Always looking for tips on a nice lawn, pinning it for future reference.
Thick as wool on a labs back
Great information! This year the sod webworms have been terrible here. We have huge patches of dead grass that we are working on reseeding.
we have a care team that does our lawn for us but we always like having it look good in between treatments. I can use all the advise I can get! Thanks!
We have tried putting down grass seed multiple times but our neighbors chickens keep eating it all 🤣
All great tips. Most of our lawn looks good, but there are a few tricky spots. Hopefully these help!
Helpful tips for keeping a nice lawn. Thanks so much!
Great Tips!
I currently live in a condo and pay fees to have my yard tended to – it’s frustrating that it’s not tended to in the way I did when I had a standalone home
Our yard has too much of the “bad” grass in it. The whole yard is still in progress. Someday we might get it right.
Very helpful tips you gave my lawn has gotten better but not in the best of shape do to not seeding right! Im definetly going to be showing my husband this😄
I just bought a hand spreader so these tips will help me out in doing my yard this year. I get some bare spots from my dogs walking on it.
thanks for the great tips!!
Lots of great tips- thanks!
Great and useful tips! Thanks so much for sharing them with all of us.
From one lawn lover to another….thumbs up!
Great tips
I didn’t know you were supposed to plant grass in the Fall. Thanks for all the tips.
Great article and a lot of good tips, thanks!
Great information!
Thanks for the tips! I have small weeds and clover that have been invading my lawn for years, and I really need to rip it all out and re-seed. Do you think it would be possible to do it in sections so it’s not a huge project?
So very helpful,thank you
The article is informative, but I don’t care what’s holding the dirt on my property in place. We have mainly weeds, moss, and some grass on our property and it looks great to me.
It is amazing how something that looks so simple is actually incredibly difficult to create.
Thanks for this article, and useful information.
Thanks for the tips! Hoping to improve our lawn!
Tried using seeds to create lawn…the birds had a great dinner!! Didn’t have these tips though.
Great tips!
Thank you so much for the tips! We are in the process of working on ours as well!
I’m learning new things every day
I didn’t realize fall was the best time to plant grass seed. The time change coming soon will not be fun when it’s dark at 5 p.m.
My lawn doesn’t look like this one. Going to use these tips on my small backyard. Needs it desperately.
This is great advice. We have trouble growing grass due to all our trees.
With such a hot summer here in western NY we had to reseed many areas since we did not water during such high temps.
I live irassn Florida and the is terrible
Great tips for filling in those bare spots we have!
Your article was very helpful. Thank you.
Leveling the ground is my greatest challenge. Thanks for the article.
Great tips I never knew about seeding in the fall thanks .
i was just thinking i ran out of time to fix my lawn. had no idea its better to plant in fall..
I love all of the tips and ideas on how to get the best lawn
How ironic is it that I found this post at the same time my boyfriend has been doing a major yard overhaul! He even purchased several books on Amazon for tips & tricks, but he really appreciated me sharing this post with him.
This article came at just the right time! We are having a few problems with a few areas in.our yard. THank you bunches!
great tips on re-seeding. Will use on a bad spot on my lawn
Good to know tips thank you.
Thank you for the tips.
People move from up north to South Florida and plant the grass they had there. Then they wonder why it won’t grow or dies.
Great tips
I seeded my own lawn years ago. It went ok but I do think it could have been much better. What problem I had this year was blackberry bramble growing in my grass. They are a horrible weed and I can’t get rid of them. I keep mowing over them thinking that would help but they grow faster than the grass. I think once I get the yard exactly the way I want it I will rip out the grass and start over.
Love all these tips! Thank you for the info!
Great tips thanks! Always looking for ways to make our lawn better!
Deer have ruined our yard.
great tips
Mostly green with some brown spots
Cinch bugs have gotten to my lawn, but I have it treated and it’s coming back just fine now!
I’m trying to get my yard back on track! Guess it’s time to start planting
Hubby is already working on the lawn for next year. Thanks for more ideas!
My front yard is just tree roots and dust, looks awful and would need a dump truck or two of dirt in order to grow grass.
Learning that we should fertilize after a heavy rain made sense & is a trick we’ll be using! Thank you again for imparting helpful information!
Nothing like a lush green lawn to make the simplest of homes look gorgeous!
Thanks for the great tips on planting grass seed.
Great tips, I now realize I’ve done everything possible trying to patch bare spots wrong!
This is some great information, I’m gonna use some of these on my lawn!
These tips are great. We have a few spots in our yard where we struggle to grow grass. I will have to try some of these tips for sure.
Thank you for sharing great information.
I definitely need to bookmark this one to help with our lawn. Thank you!
Brings back memories from my working days at a lawncare company! I used to love to learn all that I could!
Thanks for the great tips.
Great article, however it is to much work for me. I’ll just let anything thats green grow in my yard and we will be happy.
Michigan grass is hard to grow and maintain. I love the pumpkins
Thanks for all of the great tips!
Thanks for sharing great lawn care information.
So relaxing. It gives lot of work to do
Thanks for all the tips!
Thanks for all the info!
These tips are so helpful. going to pass this info onto my grandmother she has a beautiful garden but she’s been having trouble with her growing her grass since the climate change rised higher than ever before it has been cruel to all gardners.
Good info!
Great tips!
Thanks for all the tips, our lawn needs help!
GOOD STUFF!!!!
Thank you for the useful tips. I have been battling my lawn for a few years. One problem, which is good and bad, is that I have huge worms all through my grass. But the casings leave piles of dirt all throughout, and it becomes all lumpy, bumpy. Someday, lol.
Very easy to follow! Thanks!
Just moved so have been working on my bad spots thanks for the additional info
I really appreciate your help with this tuff problem for me growing grass will give it a try
Our lawn is a disaster. Thanks for the help.
We keep reseeding but the turkeys keep digging up that area as soon as I’ve finished.
This is really good advice. We’re planting some of our pastures right now. We always do it in the fall so the roots take hold before we turn the livestock out on it in the spring.
👍
We have a few spots in our yard that need a little tender loving care!
We just finished a garage in the back yard…can’t wait till spring to get rid of the mud pit
Great tips and I know my lawn could certainly use some rejuvenation
There is a lot of great information here!
Great lawn/grass seed tips! I will definitely try these!
If this helps all for it
Excellent article on planting & maintaining a lawn. I’m ready after clearing the leaves off to fertilize this year. I had always heard in my area that around Halloween is the best time to do it. Thanks for the tips!
Love these tips! We have some spots that need help!
I always learn from your blog.
My lawn has some weird looking mossy looking growth at edges. Seems to be spread into the good grass. Any ideas about what to do?