How to Prepare a Lawn for Seed Over Slit Seeding

One way to seed over a thin, poor lawn is with the help of a slit-seeder. Slit-seeders work by making thin, shallow slits in the soil's surface. After the slit is made, the seed is dropped in. These slits are good for the germination of the new seed, but they can stress your lawn. Hundreds of cut are made in your lawn's existing root system. The grass will recover, but it will have a much easier time doing so if the lawn is properly prepared. Before it is slit-seeded, be sure to water and fertilize your lawn to put it in the optimal condition to regenerate.

Shovel
Herbicide
Rake
Power rake
Fertilizer
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all weeds from the lawn. Weeds steal nutrients and water from existing grass and germinating grass seed. The weeds and roots may all be dug by hand. Broad-leaf weeds may be sprayed with the appropriate broad-leaf herbicide approved for use on lawns following the manufacturer's instructions. Grassy weeds and broad-leaf weeds may be treated with a glyphosate, broad-spectrum herbicide. Read the manufacturer's instructions regarding the amount of time you must wait before re-seeding the lawn.
- 2
  Remove thatch (the layer of dead grass and roots at the base of the grass) from the lawn if it is thicker than 2 inches. Use a garden rake --- a long process --- or power rake, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- 3
  Fertilize the lawn with 1/2 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.
- 4
  Water the lawn to moisten the top 6 to 8 inches of the soil immediately prior to slit-seeding.

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