Seeding on Bare Soil

Seeding on bare soil works unless you have some sort of trauma, like urine spots or a chemical burn. In those cases, you really need to give it time or call me for suggestions.

There are many opinions on how to seed bare soil, but, while they can all be right, remember, what I do works in Morgantown.

Soil preparation

Seeding a lawn is not like growing a garden. Your lawn will grow its own topsoil, so I don’t recommend adding inches of topsoil or doing other heroics. In two years, putting down that great soil supplement will be no different than if you didn’t.

Let’s say you put peas on top of lima beans. As time passes, gravity and rain move the peas down through the limas. Eventually, the limas are on top and the peas on the bottom. The moral of my story? Don’t waste your time and money.

Also, you should only work the top inch or so of the soil and pack it down for when you plant the seed. It needs to feel like the smooth pavement in front of your home, not the beach.

It's still hard to get a level yard by doing this, but if the soil is soft, it will be as lumpy as it wants to be.

Here’s what to do:

• Till down the high spots
• Drop some loose topsoil, not potting soil, on top so you have something to rake
• Start raking, holding the rake upside down and behind you while you walk
• Think you’ve walked it enough? Good start. Walk further.

A big, 36-inch rake is great. If you don’t have one, you can make one, or even drag a railroad tie behind you with a four-wheeler. When your lawn looks like road pavement, which means slopes and gravity will control water runoff, you’re ready for seed!

Seed Choice

In a minute, I’ll get really specific about grass seed, but the answer to “What do I use?” depends almost entirely on what you will do after it’s down. Once you know that, it’s simple. So, I’ll give you that information first.

• If you’re highly particular, and you’ll mow as directed, water as suggested, and fertilize 3 to 5 times a year, use the Scotts Pennsylvania State Mix.
• If you mow properly and fertilize every year or so, regardless of need, use the Scotts Sun & Shade Mix.
• If you have terrible mowing habits and never even realized God created turf fertilizer, use the Scotts Tall Fescue.

Note that Kentucky 31 is a tall fescue, but I don’t recommend it for Morgantown. If you use the Scotts Tall Fescue, you will need to seed two or three times the first year and slit-seed anew every five years or so.

Move on if you dare. I’m about to bore even me.

Getting Really Specific

Seed choice is the most important decision of the day. It's no different than picking the brick for your house because once it’s established you can’t get rid of it. And there are enough native grasses to drive us crazy without making a bad selection from the start.

Is price important? Well, prices will always change, and even I have suffered sticker shock. When we closed our hardware store in 1994, Scotts Sun & Shade was $4 for enough seed to plant 1500 square feet. Today it's $16.48 to plant 600 square feet at one local store.

Honestly, that problem is above my paygrade, and it could change again next year. My method of evaluation is to compare seed-type cost to seed-type cost because those ratios are consistent.

I looked recently at the cost of three Scotts grasses and one Pennington at Lowe’s, and the difference was pennies. Therefore, the only reason to pick one over the other is because you specifically need one over the other. The seed I choose has qualities that are important for different planting locations.

You don’t have to pick Scotts, but they’re great for actually putting what’s on the label in their boxes. Read the seed labels; they’re as important as food labels. If you’re doing all this work, you want the best chance of success.  

And, remember this…

It's normal to do everything right and get 80% success. It takes 3 to 5 years to get to 100%, if you get there at all.

Weight Percentage Versus Seed Count Percentage

When you read the label, understand that the seed percentages listed on it reflect the total weight of the product. This can be confusing because they don’t reflect seed count, and seed count is very important.

Let’s look at Scotts Pennsylvania State Mix. Out of the grasses we have to pick from, this is my favorite. Especially if you have a smaller lawn that is mostly in the sun, and you plan to fertilize 3 to 5 times a year.

The weight of the product is:

• 20% branded bluegrass
• 14% branded fescue
• 15% perennial rye

That’s only 49% because the rest of the contents are inert. While the inert material might make the seed germinate better, it doesn’t expand the square footage.

Without making this a math problem, the seed count percentages are 75% blue grass, 15% fescue, and 10% perennial rye, for a total of 100%.

Scotts Sun & Shade Mix

The weight of this product is:

• 18% branded rye
• 19% branded fescue
• 11% branded blue grass

The seed count is approximately 51% blue grass, 27% fescue, and 12% perennial rye.

Scotts Kentucky Bluegrass Mix

I may not be too good at math, but if the bag is only blue grass, then it must be 100% blue grass.

Pennington Tall Fescue Mix

Again, this isn’t rocket science. When the bag is only tall fescue, it’s 100% tall fescue.

Where I Come In

Different grasses have different lifestyles and postures, so it’s my job to help you pick out what will give you the most success. Success is different for everyone reading this, so let's unravel this puzzle before even I become confused.

Major seed types differ how?

1. Blue grass slowly reproduces in our lawns. An old wives’ tale says that if you plant a bluegrass seed at your birth and live a normal life, that plant will cover your grave. Meaning, every year more grass plants are established.
2. Some non-tall fescues reproduce in our lawns and usually have a long life. They’re generally thin bladed and prefer shady locations. Reproduction means there will always be more fescue.
3. Perennial ryegrass is faster germinating and resistant to many of our local disease issues. Unfortunately, it only lives 5 to 6 years and never reproduces where mowed. It grows generally at the same pace of blue grass and blends well with its texture. The only way to sustain this grass is with reseeding and lots of sun.
4. Turf-type tall fescue, even in dwarf form, can grow faster and thicker than the grasses mentioned above. It never reproduces and lives 8 years or less. This plant always looks like a weed grass in the predominate mixes I describe above. It grows best where there’s no care, full sun, and little watering.

Pick your seed, prepare your soil, and you’re ready to get started.