You don't have to roll if you don't want, we found that our germ rates were better when we rolled afterwards and this is on a fairly large scale as well, not just spot seeding with a salt shaker, so have to keep that in mind. There are a lot of articles related to seeding white clover and red clover. You will find that many of the university studies show that rolling can be beneficial in helping along the germ rate. It's cheap, maybe you don't care if you lose some, but we try not to have to run around more than we have too. Nice thing about a roller is that it's flat, therefore by design it doesn't have the ability to push seeds deep into the soil, it's a flat roller, not an aerator. The main benefit is that it gives better seed to soil contact, which is key for good germ.
1/2lb per 1k worked amazing for us and I thought I'd share that info since I pulled out my notes from the past decade of doing this in a pasture setting. I'd imagine if you're just sprinkling it around beds with your hands then you probably have no form of measurement as to how much you're applying, so I get the fact that my specific amount may not really be comprehended if you're never used a spreader to apply clover.
Curious Mark, what's your app rate? Just throw it on? I suggested rolling, and i assure you my experience is not less or youthful or whatever else you want to call it to make yourself feel better.
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