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Old 25-05-2011, 05:37 PM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden
Bob F Bob F is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: May 2007
Posts: 762
Default Lawn help for total beginner

Seanhull wrote:
Hello all,

i have just moved into a new house and the lawn is a real mess. big
bald spots, weeds and moss.

i started with a weed and feed which has killed the moss. i raked the
dead black moss off. It did a half decent job with the dandelions too,
visibly weakening them and i followed that up by digging out the
roots.

now i am left with the big bald spots on the lawn. i dont own the
house so digging up the lawn and laying new turf isnt really an
option but i am prepared to reseed the garden. what is the best way
to go about the seeding? When it comes to seeding anything i am a
complete novice and any tips, no matter how small would be a big BIG
help to me. someone i know has told me that raking in bonemeal to the
soil and then covering the seeds with a light dusting of garden sand
is the way to go. is this correct? also how often should i water the
seeds?


Scrape up the surface with a rake so there is a little loose dirt. Sprinkle on
the seed, then rake it lightly to cover as much as you can with a little dirt.
Sprinkling a little extra dirt over the uncovered seed will help. I usually pack
it down by stepping on it with flat soled shoes to help retain the seed. Then
keep it very lightly watered till the grass is growing well. I set a timer on a
sprinkler to water it for 5 minutes 3 times a day, so it can't dry out, which
may kill the sprouting seeds.