Seeding a new lawn.

[Adam's Lawn and Garden]

What is the best way of seeding a new lot in a new development?

thanks
adam

[Mike33]

How many ways are possible?
Mike

[Adam's Lawn and Garden]

well i was looking at hydroseeders, there's just throughing down seed, etc. and what exactly does a harley rake do?

adam

[Mike33]

I have a rockhound and cant comment on the harley rake. From what i hear it will like till up the ground and put the rocks in a wind row. The rock hound has a bucket you rake the rocks back in to. It wont really brake up the ground it should be tore up first like with teeth on the bucket.
I hydro-seed everything better germination , no weeds from straw, or worring about straw blowing away.
Mike

[Rtom45]

Adam: Use the search function for this site. You'll find complete discussions on some of the questions you've been asking.

[topsites]

It depends on the condition of the soil, it could be anywhere from ready to go down to being full of rocks and in need of grading, while the presence of chems and acids or clay further affects things, etc...

Once it's ready:
Core aerate w/ a walk behind (otherwise, till it).
Use a 90% germ. seed at the rate of 200 pounds per acre (50 per quarter).

Use a starter fertilizer with a high middle number (such as 15-30-10).
And throw down lime at the rate of 40 pounds per 10 percent nitro to help release all the chems in the fert.
Example:
As in the above (15-30-10), each bag contains 15% nitro, so you'd throw down 1.5 bags of lime for each bag of fert.

[muddstopper]

It depends on the condition of the soil, it could be anywhere from ready to go down to being full of rocks and in need of grading, while the presence of chems and acids or clay further affects things, etc...

Once it's ready:
Core aerate w/ a walk behind (otherwise, till it).
Use a 90% germ. seed at the rate of 200 pounds per acre (50 per quarter).

Use a starter fertilizer with a high middle number (such as 15-30-10).
And throw down lime at the rate of 40 pounds per 10 percent nitro to help release all the chems in the fert.
Example:
As in the above (15-30-10), each bag contains 15% nitro, so you'd throw down 1.5 bags of lime for each bag of fert.

Who told you such a silly thing? Not only is this wrong, but it can reduce the amount of seed that germinates.

Lime should only be added if the soil has low calcium levels. How much lime is used can only be determined based on a soil test.The amount used can also vary according to the method of application. If You are incoporating the lime into the soil to a depth of 6 inched, then you can safely use the entire soil test recommened amount. If you are simply broadcasting the lime to the top layer of soil, the the amount used needs to be reduced by 15% of recommended amounts, for every inch the lime isnot incorporate into the soil.


In my area, I use two bags of lime for every bag of fertilizer, surface apps. In Richmond Va, the 1.5 bags might work, but to just use 1.5 bags as a generic amount to use is inapproriate. There are areas of the country that dont need any lime or certainly much less than the 1.5 bags per bag of fert you have suggested. I base my lime amounts on an adverage of over a hundred soil samples I have taken in my area.. I use this adverage for those customers that cant, or dont want to wait on a soil test report, and even then I will take a sample for testing before doing any applications to the soil. I have never tested a site in my area that required less than 50 lbs per 1000 sqft of dolomitic lime.