Grass Seed Broadcaster Settings

Finding the Setter

• Each model of spreader is slightly different, but on each you will find a lever or knob to adjust the rate of application. The lever or knob will be located either on the handle near where you rest your hands or near the bucket. The setting determines how widely the holes on the spreader open. Typically, a larger number means more wide-open holes.

New Lawn Rates

• Your grass seed setting will vary, depending on what type of grass you use. Application rates for grass seed are expressed in pounds per 1,000 square feet. Seed mixes will typically require 5 to 8 pounds per 1,000 square feet for new lawns. Ryegrass requires 10 pounds per 1,000 feet. For other grasses such as fescue and bluegrass, set your spreader to deliver 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

Over-seeding Rates

• Over-seeding is done when your lawn has bare patches or thin spots. These can be caused by dog urine or by planting the wrong type of grass for your lawn's sunlight conditions and traffic. If you're over-seeding with a seed mix, you'll need 2 to 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Ryegrass will take 6 pounds per 1,000 feet. For fescue and bluegrass, set your spreader to broadcast 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

Calculating Your Setting

• Lay out a 10-foot by 10-foot tarp on a flat surface. Fill your spreader bucket about half full with the grass seed you want to use. Move the spreader to one corner of the tarp and adjust your spreader to a midrange setting. Walk back and forth over the tarp in parallel rows as if mowing a lawn until you have walked over the entire tarp. Pour the grass seed from the tarp into a cup and weigh how much grass seed you have spread over 100 square feet. Multiply this weight by 10 to calculate how much would be spread over 1,000 square feet. Adjust your setting up or down to match the number of pounds per square foot recommended for your grass seed.