- 1). Clear the planting site in early April. Remove rocks and old vegetation, and cultivate with a tilling machine to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Rake the site smooth, with a slight downward grade to provide good drainage.
- 2). Water the site thoroughly the day before planting, to a depth of at least 2 inches. A moist seed bed is crucial to germination and a good head start for new grass.
- 3). Fertilize before you seed the lawn. Cool-season grasses need an extra boost of nutrients to establish their root systems before Pennsylvania's warm weather occurs, usually by late June. Virginia Tech recommends applying a 1:2:1 nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to the soil prior to seeding, at a rate of 1 lb. per 1,000 square feet.
- 4). Seed the lawn, making passes in rows with a seed spreader. Spread a light cover of straw over the seeded area to protect seed from birds and to hold moisture while seed germinates. The University of Illinois recommends using about one bale of straw per 1,0000 square feet, for adequate coverage.
- 5). Rake out and discard straw when the grass begins to poke up through it like a fine, green mist. Discard the old straw or recycle as compost.
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