I have just completed an interesting exercise. We needed to patch a
lawn that had been scarified using commercial kit which resulted in
scalping 30+ ant nests and I decided that it would undoubtedly benefit
from over-seeding the complete area.

Three and a bit weeks ago I mowed the lawn on the lowest mower
setting, marked it out into a series of 2x2 metre squares and
thoroughly watered it. I then applied Boston's 'Childs play' mix at
the recommended 50 gms/sq metre to the scalped areas and then
over-seeded the rest at around 25 gms/sq metre.

I removed the marking out strings and rolled the seeded area with a
hired roller (one of the type where you fill the roller drum with
water to provide the weight). I then covered the area with
horticultural fleece which was pegged down round the perimeter. The
fleece was to protect the seed from the elements, the birds and any
interested badgers and foxes. Given the subsequent rainfall here in
south Devon it was only necessary to put the sprinkler on it twice.

Twelve days later the seed had started germinating. Three weeks and
three days later and the fleece has been removed, leaving dense 40-50
mm tall new growth. Three areas were over-seeded but not covered with
fleece due to the shape of the areas. The difference between these
and the covered area is very noticeable. The uncovered areas are
showing very little growth and two of them have been got at by
blackbirds and there are some fox scrapes.

Based on this experience I would certainly recommend the use of fleece
for lawn renovation. I imagine that it would work just as well where
a lawn was being created from scratch.
--
rbel