I'm an absolute beginner when it comes to growing a lawn from seed so I've actually followed the steps here on a few bald spots on my lawn and I'm in about 8 days now and gotta say I'm pretty excited to see the grass shoots sprouting up. I've tried this two times previously before actually finding this video and this is the first time I've gotten any results at all. I'm very happy and hoping the lawn comes in full on the patch I experimented on. That cultivator is absolutely key.. The growth still looks uneven which has me a little worried but at least I'm seeing results.. Thanks so much for the video and tips.. Subscribed...
Great video, thank you for not making people over think it, on day 5 and im hopeful my patchy lawn will start to look much more green and presentable within the coming weeks! Cheers
Excellent. One point you missed - the surrounding turf will need cutting in the interim. Aim the discharge of the mower AWAY from the seed bed. The seed bed must be totally undisturbed until full germination has occurred, which with your technique should render about 90% germination. Well done!
@@aldairmunoz4116 Hi aldair... If the sprouts are tiny, you want to keep the clippings off until the sprouts are a few inches tall. Even then, you want to make sure no clippings smother any grass areas. If you're using a good mulching blade, then clippings are good for the lawn. Hope that helps😉.
@@acreguy3156 yes it does. I didn’t know I needed a mulching blade. Sprinkled some on my dead spot just for it to look like hay. I read somewhere that topping soil can also help bare spots. Know anything about that?
@@aldairmunoz4116 The key is *good seed/soil contact.* If the existing top soil is hearty, then spread the grass seed on the bare top soil and pat it in with your hand or similar device (depending on the size of the patch). You won't need to cover the seed with top soil. The seed bed must be kept moist for at least 2-3 weeks. This means just surface damp. When the new sprouts have achieved about 1 inch in length, the watering duration must be increased so that it reaches the newly formed roots. This is the critical stage! If this watering step is missed or delayed, the whole process can fail. Also, I always apply a dose of starter fertilizer right after seeding. I prefer Scott's Starter fertilizer👍.
Best vid on seeding that I've found on here, and I spent an hour looking. One kook was even laying on the dirt with a Go-Pro yelping about soil quality. Thanks much and giving this a try today.
All good steps. Only thing I would add, is I like to walk it down before watering. Compressing it down a bit seems to improve contact between seed & soil.
@@philipward7846 I live in Southern California, What's this Rain you speak of..?? I'm not familiar with this concept but it sounds interesting and I'd like to learn more.. :)~
Good video, thanks. Straight to the point, no waffle. That's the secret to good videoing & thanks for the tips too. I obviously wasn't watering it enough. I will try 3 times a day now, for 14 days.
I’ve got a few bare spots and need to do this soon before the summer heat kicks in. This is a solid method that I’ve used many times and have gotten consistent results every single time! Great video!!
Just Subscribed!!! YAY!!!👌. My Dad, who lived in Phoenix, had THE GREENEST LAWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, but he just passed in November..... so I'm taking over the lawn. My mom, who is in her 80's is watering it everyday to keep it Super Green. I'm from San Diego so keeping things green there is easy, but here in Phoenix, it is a challenge. I'm ALL IN ON YOUR CHANNEL 🙏
I never knew i needed 'the lawn whisperer*' 😂 in my life (stupid plough king) then i started taking care of a driving range here in Dublin. Great stuff, subscribed 🤙 im
I wish I would have came here before hiring a company to treat my yard. I had several bare spots. They stated to water down the area they treated, wait a week and then till the section, then apply the grass seeds and moss. Then to let them know what areas I laid new grass down. Well after a month waiting no grass ever came. Now I am stuck needing to sod the sections. I wish I just tried to get grass in first. costly. But thanks for the right way.
Thank you for the video. I have decided to take on the beautification of our lawn this year and have found my go-to resource. Love the "bullet point approach... personable and to the point. Will be back!
Having the same problem coming into spring. Probably from the dogs recycling program through the winter. I thatched the dead grass,put down some new soil and used the Scott's patch repair with the starter fertilizer with crab grass prevention. I also have been putting some rgs in the dogs water so she is actually helping with the yard. Ok just joking about the last part.
Great advice. I noticed the main thing is if the soil isn't loose you're screwed. Peat moss is a great idea. And yep, keep the water going but I noticed if we are going to have a weeks worth of rain then I hurry and put seed down since the rain water makes it sprout so much faster than crappy city chlorine water.
fire up the ole SUN JOE with the scarifier blade on it and loosen up the soil ... if you want to quickly spread Peat Moss on a large area... fill up a garbage can with the Peat and use a Toro Leif blower with the vacuum attachment on it - turn it on and put it slowly into the peat = a fast blizzard of peat flying !
You can use a hard-tine rake to loosen the soil as well. Scotts (and others) make seed that includes fertilizer. I used Scott's turf builder sun and shade mix. I used a Scotts "Wizz" to put down the seed. I just used a couple of bags of top soil that I bought from HD for $2cuft and watered it 3 times a day. Filled in two large spots. Within 10 days I had lush grass long enough to cut. Within 3 weeks, it looked like the grass had always been there.
Maybe I used too much, but Peet Moss holds a crazy amount of water. The first watering draw a line thru it with your finger and you'll be shocked that it's still dry inside. So I recommend making sure it's saturated the first couple tines otherwise the water will never reach the seed the entire time you are waiting for it to germinate! Once it's saturated the subsequent waterings won't need as much water as the initial waterings.
Thanks for the encouragement. Just came in from doing such work outside. Our "Weasel" is 25 years old and actually has a wood handle. I had to dampen the ground to get some action under our Linden Tree. Using "Dense Shade" Grass seed for this shaded area. As I worked, several birds began singing above me so I knew they were waiting to have a meal of grass seed. They taunted me!! We have the same style and size Gray Diamond Block Wall--about same height. I built it in 1992 and last year had to reset half of it as it moved slightly over 30 years and seams opened up!! It was worth the work. It does go dark if in shaded areas and I have power washed the block faces once in a great while, over time. Great stuff after all these years. I think the main blocks weigh +60 pounds. Very versatile and this large stuff is the best I presume.
Peat moss spreader is underrated tool of the century. I just put down 14 bags of peat moss by hand. Neighbors have never heard so much profanity from me 😆. And those bags from HD this year are chock full of sticks and stones this year what the heck! I picked out literally hand fulls of stones from my yard after I too dressed for my overseed. I was so pissed!
bummed to hear about the bags from HD...as i'll be undertaking this endeavor by hand this year since i can't find a peat moss spreader for rent/purchase anywhere. i rented the spreader from HD last year and it was well worth its $8 cost.
I have put in requests for peat moss spreader in a couple of places including Home Depot with their rental manager. Apparently HD has them on their site but 99%of the locations don’t have. Via another UA-came I found it’s available in Newport News, VA. Why can’t they make it available seriously? It’s a freaking $250 to buy....WTF!
@@worldpeace5853 i had checked with the HD down the street from me where i rented it out last year....and someone had it rented out for the next week and i couldn't wait on it as i needed to get my seed down. i ended up making a filter that i pushed the peat moss through into a pull wagon...then just rolled it around the yard and tossed it with a shovel. then had to go back over it with a rake. talk about a time killer. i said never again and put in an order for a Landzie...but those aren't expected to ship til end of May.
Good video. The grass will grow. Little footnote dig the phosphorous 4" deep into soil if applied on top, know it takes 10 years, for it to move down only 1 inch. Binds very strongly to soil. So better to put it it even 1" down in soil root zone.
I live in upstate NY. I just use top soil not planting soil to reseed. I rake in a small coverage and then put seed down. The I cover the seeded areas with another thin layer of topsoil. Don't stomp the soil in. Water a bit daily if possibly but it is not a show stopper. Use a a grass seed mix. Rye etc. It will get is started and cover those bare spots. If you have a rash of missing grass in summer or winter it is usually due to grubs. If you have grubs you will get moles that leave raised lines all over your lawn. LOL
My method is very similar to yours, the only difference is I use Scott's Starter fert (in the light blue bag) which includes mesitrione/tenacity so you get some weed prevention while the grass gets established. I can't stress enough how much of a difference the peat moss makes, especially if you're not in a perfectly flat spot. It really helps to keep the seed from washing away during watering or rain. The only other thing I would add for the folks with trees: Do your seeding early in the year before the canopy devours all your light. If you wait until the fall you'll be fighting against a lack of light and falling leaves that can suffocate the seedlings. And The Garden Weasel may be the best lawn tool ever.
Excellent point about trees and their shade. And... you can't miss the ideal seeding temps. Too cold and you're just wasting your time and seed. I've heard it takes three days of 70 degrees to warm up the soil enough to germinate.
@@wwaynemcg I'm not sure if temps have to be quite that warm, but it probably varies by cultivar. In my experience, unless you seed so early that the seed is likely to get washed away or rot, it doesn't hurt much to throw it down a little early. It'll just lie dormant until the temps rise. So if you're going to err, it's probably better to go early rather than late. I'd say 3 days of 70 will do the trick, but even if temps don't get quite that high, if you get some consistent weather in the 60s, it should be okay. As always YMMV, and a soil probe will take all the guesswork out of it. Can't stress enough how important the peat moss is. I just put some down today after seeding my #1 trouble spot. It's the drainage swale between me and my neighbor's. It gets heavy shade after the spring, and plenty of water. (downspouts from both houses empty into it) and the peat moss does an amazing job of holding the seed where it's supposed to be. This season I'm trying some annual rye because it germinates in just a few days so it can get roots established to prevent erosion, then I can overseed with a perennial variety so I don't have to do it every year. (hopefully)
@@ajhieb As in most things soil-related...air temp is not as important as soil temp. Nice sunny day, even in the 60's, can radiate warmth to the soil and help germination. I'm familiar mostly with tall fescue, so that's what my comments are based on. Good luck on your trouble spots. I always attempt grass first, then to other measures if that doesn't catch on (like covering the area with shrubs, or even pea gravel).
@@Tinyteacher1111 I haven't seen the version they used to sell in the baby blue bags for a couple of years, but Scotts has a newer version of the starter fertilizer that still includes the mesotrione. That's what I've been using recently.
Even simpler way to do it: get a three-in-one (topsoil/fertilizer/grass seed mix) and add to the soil after you’ve raked it. Water twice per day. Aerate in the fall. Make sure the ph level and fertility are checked regularly or you’ll have this reoccurring every year.
@@acreguy3156 yeah, I mainly have a few trouble spots in my front lawn where there is more shade from the trees, and also slightly uneven surfaces. Everything else is low maintenance at this point.
what kind of product is this? the scotts EZ seed or Scotts Thickr lawn? I'm repairing a decent amount of bare spots and dont have the time do all these steps in the video and don;t want to spend a fortune
Solid method Justin! For bare spots I use a de-thatching rake to prep the area and I found for me it works but the little cultivator might be an investment for the future
I have bare spots in my sandy lawn, and I will try to do this for the first time using Bahia seeds, maintenance right now is getting too expensive, this guys don't want to do this kind of job, I will try myself, why not right? Thanks for the great lesson, very professional!👍
Good video. Hoping for good results. I used EZ Straw seeding mulch in place of peat moss since there's no way that I can water the seed 2-3 times a day. Once a day, I can deal with
I also had the zero hose. It leaks and it also didn’t lay down flat when under pressure. I ended up getting my money back and got the Flexzilla hose. Much better !
Old grated cheese containers make great seed spreaders! Or any container with a scrap of window screening rubber-banded on it's mouth. I can never get my spread rate consistent when hand sowing. Good vid, kid :-)))
Yeah I just didn’t have time for that. You’re welcome to go look at my other videos on my channel to see my lawn. I’ve seeded the entire thing from scratch
New construction house -that received a "starter lawn". The grass is not growing well in may areas and I see many small rocks. Do I have to put top soil and then spread the grass seeds? Great and informative content btw
Nice G-Shock. Thanks for the tips, I need them. Spent over $6,000 last year on a re-sod and the back yard is as bad as before. Tough to grow grass back there because it’s shady. I don’t know what I will do. Maybe some ground cover or shade tolerant plants. Pretty discouraged about it. I could spend a bunch of money and time on it myself and fail or pay someone even more and still fail like last year.
@@omegahelix Yea, that can be a pain. I have a trailer I haul branches to our town's green waste site. Maybe a ground cover like English Ivy, or Vinca vine, for the most shady spots then grass for the remainder? Good luck.
Huge tip: if you overmow mid summer and don’t water your grass, it will start to turn brown and start to die. You won’t have to mow as much and this will save you tons of time on your days off. It helps if you mow in the evening after a really hot and dry day. You’re welcome ❤
Wondering, I lived at a rental apt. the electric company tore up the yard. The landlord was pissed. So the guys came out threw grass seed down and put a nice thick layer of mulch they used hay. They did give it one good watering. Never did anything more. It grew beautifully. No need for chemical fertilizers that deplete the soil of nutrients vs. organic fertilizer.
The reason it grew so well was BECAUSE they tore up the yard. Disturbed soil allows oxygen down into the soil and also makes space for seeds to send their roots. Hard pan soil might allow the grass to germinate, but then the roots bump into a hard layer just below and they can't get the nutrients out of the soil. If you plow up your soil and plant new seed, it will grow too, even without fertilizer and only a bare minimum of water.
Two things. 1. The peat moss will tell you if you need to water when it turns light brown. 2. Seed mixes have seeds that germinate at different times, so don't stop watering when the initial seedlings show up.
Please don't use peat moss and certainly don't tell hundreds of thousands of other people to either. Peat degradation is seriously bad for the environment.
Thanks. I have many small to large spots where grass is just not growing and due to the Clay here in SW Va. it is hard to get grass to grow. Going to spend the money on the tool and as for the other things. It will be easy to do for me. Thanks again.
There is grass seed in your lawn clipping. Rake up a bare spot and put a hand full of grass clippings on the bare spots. You'll have new grass growing in 5 days.
The one small thing I do in addition to this video is I use straw to lightly cover the area. I find that helps the soil stay moist as it is difficult for me to water it during the day due to my job. I can water in the evening and it is fine until the next evening. Once the grass starts growing I just mow over the straw and sometimes lightly rake up any excess straw that appears. Has worked well for me over the years.
No matter how well I care for my lawn annually, I'm always repairing select spot that have become distressed due to Northeast summer heat/draught. I've used the garden weasel cultivator with good success but I've found that using the garden weasel claw (the type with handles that you twist) that cultivates the soil much deeper and thoroughly and makes all the difference. It's not as practical as the rotary cultivator which is less invasive and limits attrition to pervading healthy grass plants, but I've found that the deeper turning of soil with the claw ensures better results. I've never used peat moss before but I'm sure that I start using that, too. Thank you.
I think peat moss is one of those things that people just repeat bc they heard it from someone else and nobody ever tried not using it (or straw, etc.) I mean common sense says that putting the seed under a thin layer of soil will protect it just as well as putting another substance on top.
@@wildrice8199 peat moss holds moisture better than soil which is key for seeding and it changes color more than soil does when it’s wet to help signify that it needs more water. Soil will work well though, but that’s why I have recommended peat moss in the past and not just “repeating it because someone else said it” as you imply
I can’t help but wonder what the pros and cons of wet vs. dry would be. It seems irrelevant. I suppose wet would just make the area and the tool muddy with no real benefit and dry would make the soil break like it’s brittle (unless it’s hard like cement)
Never mentioned choosing the right type of grass seed for that area of the lawn. Seed for sunny areas, seed for shady areas, or mixture of both. Figuring out why the grass died in that area is important too.
I do the same way you -except after you scratch the surface -i wet the soil well then apply seed and mix the seed in-wetting ahead before gives a lot of moisture to the seed at once-then I use the peat moss!
My mom and I have birds, and we throw the used bird seeds outside and the seeds grow into some of the prettiest grass Ive ever seen, so you can also use fresh or used bird seeds.
Nothing like a good ole HJ
As soon as I heard him say that I jumped tot he comments and laughed to see this as the top comment.
Just give it a good shake.
"you don't want it too thick, or too thin.."
I spat my coffee out when I heard that
Don't forget to keep it moist!
"Give it the ol' good hand job" 😂
Love the super technical term there haha. Great video though, learned and will be following your steps next week!
"Give it a good shake"
Excellent video! No screaming, shouting or any overblown hype. It’s just the facts! Thank you
🤣😂🤣😂👍🏾
I'm an absolute beginner when it comes to growing a lawn from seed so I've actually followed the steps here on a few bald spots on my lawn and I'm in about 8 days now and gotta say I'm pretty excited to see the grass shoots sprouting up. I've tried this two times previously before actually finding this video and this is the first time I've gotten any results at all. I'm very happy and hoping the lawn comes in full on the patch I experimented on. That cultivator is absolutely key.. The growth still looks uneven which has me a little worried but at least I'm seeing results.. Thanks so much for the video and tips.. Subscribed...
Hey David How are the patches after 7 months?
Great video, thank you for not making people over think it, on day 5 and im hopeful my patchy lawn will start to look much more green and presentable within the coming weeks! Cheers
Excellent. One point you missed - the surrounding turf will need cutting in the interim. Aim the discharge of the mower AWAY from the seed bed. The seed bed must be totally undisturbed until full germination has occurred, which with your technique should render about 90% germination. Well done!
So after I see it sprout it’s okay to leave clipping where the patch used to be?
@@aldairmunoz4116 Hi aldair... If the sprouts are tiny, you want to keep the clippings off until the sprouts are a few inches tall. Even then, you want to make sure no clippings smother any grass areas. If you're using a good mulching blade, then clippings are good for the lawn. Hope that helps😉.
@@acreguy3156 yes it does. I didn’t know I needed a mulching blade. Sprinkled some on my dead spot just for it to look like hay. I read somewhere that topping soil can also help bare spots. Know anything about that?
@@aldairmunoz4116 The key is *good seed/soil contact.* If the existing top soil is hearty, then spread the grass seed on the bare top soil and pat it in with your hand or similar device (depending on the size of the patch). You won't need to cover the seed with top soil. The seed bed must be kept moist for at least 2-3 weeks. This means just surface damp. When the new sprouts have achieved about 1 inch in length, the watering duration must be increased so that it reaches the newly formed roots. This is the critical stage! If this watering step is missed or delayed, the whole process can fail. Also, I always apply a dose of starter fertilizer right after seeding. I prefer Scott's Starter fertilizer👍.
Best vid on seeding that I've found on here, and I spent an hour looking. One kook was even laying on the dirt with a Go-Pro yelping about soil quality. Thanks much and giving this a try today.
Ha well don’t watch my other vids then I guess. I tend to lay on the grass a lot 😂
All good steps. Only thing I would add, is I like to walk it down before watering. Compressing it down a bit seems to improve contact between seed & soil.
It also helps keep it from washing away during a heavy rain.
@@philipward7846 I live in Southern California, What's this Rain you speak of..?? I'm not familiar with this concept but it sounds interesting and I'd like to learn more.. :)~
@@davidmata4786 I had just moved out of California, so how's that rain now 😅
Good video, thanks. Straight to the point, no waffle. That's the secret to good videoing & thanks for the tips too. I obviously wasn't watering it enough. I will try 3 times a day now, for 14 days.
I’ve got a few bare spots and need to do this soon before the summer heat kicks in. This is a solid method that I’ve used many times and have gotten consistent results every single time! Great video!!
This is how I've been reseeding for years. I do mix some planting soil in with the peat moss also.
I just use the cheapy top soil. It has been working like a champ for me.
When do you apply the soil before or after the peet moss
Love givin it the good ole ✋️ job, works 60% of the time, every time.
Just Subscribed!!! YAY!!!👌. My Dad, who lived in Phoenix, had THE GREENEST LAWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, but he just passed in November..... so I'm taking over the lawn. My mom, who is in her 80's is watering it everyday to keep it Super Green. I'm from San Diego so keeping things green there is easy, but here in Phoenix, it is a challenge. I'm ALL IN ON YOUR CHANNEL 🙏
Ol hand job in the morning lol !! Keep them coming. Have a great week bro and be safe out there!
I am going with the Scott’s grass seed that has everything in it. Thanks for letting me know that the seed needs to be under the soil.😊😊😊
I never knew i needed 'the lawn whisperer*' 😂 in my life (stupid plough king) then i started taking care of a driving range here in Dublin. Great stuff, subscribed 🤙 im
"Give it the ol hand job" --I'm dying 😆
I wish I would have came here before hiring a company to treat my yard. I had several bare spots. They stated to water down the area they treated, wait a week and then till the section, then apply the grass seeds and moss. Then to let them know what areas I laid new grass down. Well after a month waiting no grass ever came. Now I am stuck needing to sod the sections. I wish I just tried to get grass in first. costly. But thanks for the right way.
Thank you for the video. I have decided to take on the beautification of our lawn this year and have found my go-to resource. Love the "bullet point approach... personable and to the point. Will be back!
It all seems so obvious after its explained. Great video!
Excellent video! cut to the chase. No, yapping, thank you so much.
I would have loved to see a time laps on the finished growth
I would love to have the time to do that 😂
Time doesnt run laps. Personally, I'd enjoy a time *lapse* 😁🙌
Have a photo now?
I'd love to have a Ferrari 488 Pista.
How were you able to say "give it the ol' hand job" with out even a "that's what she said"? Im amazed
“ And give it a good shake....” that’s what she said.
‘Many people over seed’ lol!!
Having the same problem coming into spring. Probably from the dogs recycling program through the winter. I thatched the dead grass,put down some new soil and used the Scott's patch repair with the starter fertilizer with crab grass prevention. I also have been putting some rgs in the dogs water so she is actually helping with the yard. Ok just joking about the last part.
Great advice. I noticed the main thing is if the soil isn't loose you're screwed. Peat moss is a great idea. And yep, keep the water going but I noticed if we are going to have a weeks worth of rain then I hurry and put seed down since the rain water makes it sprout so much faster than crappy city chlorine water.
True. Nothing beats a good rain
fire up the ole SUN JOE with the scarifier blade on it and loosen up the soil ... if you want to quickly spread Peat Moss on a large area... fill up a garbage can with the Peat and use a Toro Leif blower with the vacuum attachment on it - turn it on and put it slowly into the peat = a fast blizzard of peat flying !
You can use a hard-tine rake to loosen the soil as well.
Scotts (and others) make seed that includes fertilizer. I used Scott's turf builder sun and shade mix. I used a Scotts "Wizz" to put down the seed.
I just used a couple of bags of top soil that I bought from HD for $2cuft and watered it 3 times a day.
Filled in two large spots. Within 10 days I had lush grass long enough to cut. Within 3 weeks, it looked like the grass had always been there.
Did you add the top soil before and after your seed?
@@mattdavidovich26 I used a little soil to level the area first. Then put down the seed, then used a little more soil on top.
Maybe I used too much, but Peet Moss holds a crazy amount of water. The first watering draw a line thru it with your finger and you'll be shocked that it's still dry inside. So I recommend making sure it's saturated the first couple tines otherwise the water will never reach the seed the entire time you are waiting for it to germinate! Once it's saturated the subsequent waterings won't need as much water as the initial waterings.
Peat vs peet
Thanks for the encouragement. Just came in from doing such work outside. Our "Weasel" is 25 years old and actually has a wood handle. I had to dampen the ground to get some action under our Linden Tree. Using "Dense Shade" Grass seed for this shaded area. As I worked, several birds began singing above me so I knew they were waiting to have a meal of grass seed. They taunted me!! We have the same style and size Gray Diamond Block Wall--about same height. I built it in 1992 and last year had to reset half of it as it moved slightly over 30 years and seams opened up!! It was worth the work. It does go dark if in shaded areas and I have power washed the block faces once in a great while, over time. Great stuff after all these years. I think the main blocks weigh +60 pounds. Very versatile and this large stuff is the best I presume.
The Garden Weasel! Yes! Trusted seeding tool for years.
So funny this showed up today on my recommended, my lawn care guy just did it for me last Friday lol
Peat moss spreader is underrated tool of the century. I just put down 14 bags of peat moss by hand. Neighbors have never heard so much profanity from me 😆. And those bags from HD this year are chock full of sticks and stones this year what the heck! I picked out literally hand fulls of stones from my yard after I too dressed for my overseed. I was so pissed!
bummed to hear about the bags from HD...as i'll be undertaking this endeavor by hand this year since i can't find a peat moss spreader for rent/purchase anywhere. i rented the spreader from HD last year and it was well worth its $8 cost.
@@abad_gtr1123 just make sure you go over the lawn with a rake when you’re done, get as much as you can out of there. Made mowing a huge pain!
@@DIYDad1 thanks for the tip. thankfully i don't have a huge area to cover..
I have put in requests for peat moss spreader in a couple of places including Home Depot with their rental manager. Apparently HD has them on their site but 99%of the locations don’t have. Via another UA-came I found it’s available in Newport News, VA. Why can’t they make it available seriously? It’s a freaking $250 to buy....WTF!
@@worldpeace5853 i had checked with the HD down the street from me where i rented it out last year....and someone had it rented out for the next week and i couldn't wait on it as i needed to get my seed down. i ended up making a filter that i pushed the peat moss through into a pull wagon...then just rolled it around the yard and tossed it with a shovel. then had to go back over it with a rake. talk about a time killer. i said never again and put in an order for a Landzie...but those aren't expected to ship til end of May.
Probably the first time I’m early to a lawn vid lol. All the ones I’ve seen came out a while ago. Great vid btw!
So helpful and cutting to the chase. Hadn't thought about the birds...better go fill the feeders 😂. Thanks!
Good video. The grass will grow. Little footnote dig the phosphorous 4" deep into soil if applied on top, know it takes 10 years, for it to move down only 1 inch. Binds very strongly to soil. So better to put it it even 1" down in soil root zone.
Good tip. A soil test with Extension Service should tell you where you stand...and what you need more of.
You have done exactly the correct thing there. 👍 from Wales U.K. 🏴
This is EXACTLY what I needed to know! I don't have very much peat moss handy but will improvise somehow!
Never thought about using the yard weasel!! Great tip, Thanks.
Definitely no need for that. A basic simple rake will do just fine!
A rake will work, the garden weasel will work better
I live in upstate NY. I just use top soil not planting soil to reseed. I rake in a small coverage and then put seed down. The I cover the seeded areas with another thin layer of topsoil. Don't stomp the soil in. Water a bit daily if possibly but it is not a show stopper. Use a a grass seed mix. Rye etc. It will get is started and cover those bare spots.
If you have a rash of missing grass in summer or winter it is usually due to grubs. If you have grubs you will get moles that leave raised lines all over your lawn.
LOL
My method is very similar to yours, the only difference is I use Scott's Starter fert (in the light blue bag) which includes mesitrione/tenacity so you get some weed prevention while the grass gets established. I can't stress enough how much of a difference the peat moss makes, especially if you're not in a perfectly flat spot. It really helps to keep the seed from washing away during watering or rain. The only other thing I would add for the folks with trees: Do your seeding early in the year before the canopy devours all your light. If you wait until the fall you'll be fighting against a lack of light and falling leaves that can suffocate the seedlings. And The Garden Weasel may be the best lawn tool ever.
Excellent point about trees and their shade. And... you can't miss the ideal seeding temps. Too cold and you're just wasting your time and seed. I've heard it takes three days of 70 degrees to warm up the soil enough to germinate.
@@wwaynemcg I'm not sure if temps have to be quite that warm, but it probably varies by cultivar. In my experience, unless you seed so early that the seed is likely to get washed away or rot, it doesn't hurt much to throw it down a little early. It'll just lie dormant until the temps rise. So if you're going to err, it's probably better to go early rather than late. I'd say 3 days of 70 will do the trick, but even if temps don't get quite that high, if you get some consistent weather in the 60s, it should be okay. As always YMMV, and a soil probe will take all the guesswork out of it. Can't stress enough how important the peat moss is. I just put some down today after seeding my #1 trouble spot. It's the drainage swale between me and my neighbor's. It gets heavy shade after the spring, and plenty of water. (downspouts from both houses empty into it) and the peat moss does an amazing job of holding the seed where it's supposed to be. This season I'm trying some annual rye because it germinates in just a few days so it can get roots established to prevent erosion, then I can overseed with a perennial variety so I don't have to do it every year. (hopefully)
@@ajhieb As in most things soil-related...air temp is not as important as soil temp. Nice sunny day, even in the 60's, can radiate warmth to the soil and help germination. I'm familiar mostly with tall fescue, so that's what my comments are based on. Good luck on your trouble spots. I always attempt grass first, then to other measures if that doesn't catch on (like covering the area with shrubs, or even pea gravel).
THAT is what I’ve been looking for! Saw it earlier and can’t find it! Thank you!!!’
@@Tinyteacher1111 I haven't seen the version they used to sell in the baby blue bags for a couple of years, but Scotts has a newer version of the starter fertilizer that still includes the mesotrione. That's what I've been using recently.
Even simpler way to do it: get a three-in-one (topsoil/fertilizer/grass seed mix) and add to the soil after you’ve raked it. Water twice per day. Aerate in the fall. Make sure the ph level and fertility are checked regularly or you’ll have this reoccurring every year.
True. Peat moss has a tendency to reduce soil pH so you need to use the bare minimum, especially in low light or flat areas.
@@acreguy3156 yeah, I mainly have a few trouble spots in my front lawn where there is more shade from the trees, and also slightly uneven surfaces. Everything else is low maintenance at this point.
@@SFO14 Good stuff, SF014.
what kind of product is this? the scotts EZ seed or Scotts Thickr lawn? I'm repairing a decent amount of bare spots and dont have the time do all these steps in the video and don;t want to spend a fortune
@@tomsensale2104 I use Pennington products typically
Solid method Justin! For bare spots I use a de-thatching rake to prep the area and I found for me it works but the little cultivator might be an investment for the future
I bet that thatching rake does well!
Thanks!
I have bare spots in my sandy lawn, and I will try to do this for the first time using Bahia seeds, maintenance right now is getting too expensive, this guys don't want to do this kind of job, I will try myself, why not right? Thanks for the great lesson, very professional!👍
Good video. Hoping for good results. I used EZ Straw seeding mulch in place of peat moss since there's no way that I can water the seed 2-3 times a day. Once a day, I can deal with
Haha. 1:53 gotta love the ol hand job 👍
We want to see an after video of the area you just did to see how it worked...
Ok. Did you see the grass popping up at the end of the video?
@@TheLawnWhisperer But how did it look a couple of months later?
@@simens8646 I’ll let you know when it’s been a couple of months. It’s only been one
@@TheLawnWhisperer With a time lapse? :-)
@@simens8646 ha no I wish. I don’t have that much time! I grew this whole lawn from seed in the fall though if you want to see if the process works
Thanks . I’ve tried fix my bear spots many times I’m going try the peat moss next time
Love your videos. Keep in mind, my son is probably your age, but you are adorable.
I also had the zero hose. It leaks and it also didn’t lay down flat when under pressure. I ended up getting my money back and got the Flexzilla hose. Much better !
Old grated cheese containers make great seed spreaders! Or any container with a scrap of window screening rubber-banded on it's mouth. I can never get my spread rate consistent when hand sowing. Good vid, kid :-)))
Hi from New Mexico awesome 👍 luv tat grass..
Thanks for the lesson. I’m trying this and look forward to the results!
great video and guidance. Got my soil cultivator today at Lowes. Thanks again!
Water is key. Great info Justin.
Great video. Would have been nice to close with a one, two, three and four week preview of the results. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah I just didn’t have time for that. You’re welcome to go look at my other videos on my channel to see my lawn. I’ve seeded the entire thing from scratch
The “throws grass and expects it to grow and then it doesn’t and gets mad” is me 😂
New construction house -that received a "starter lawn". The grass is not growing well in may areas and I see many small rocks. Do I have to put top soil and then spread the grass seeds?
Great and informative content btw
30sec intro gave me huge laugh. You've earned a sub
Peat moss will be way more helpful and less messy! I used straw in my backyard. It worked but I can’t have it blowing around in the front yard.
Did the old hj method and it worked! Thank you
I'll be doing the same thing here in a couple of weeks when the soil temps come up enough. 👊👍
Woke up today grass frozen an a cool 29 degrees today in Marysville WA!😑🥶
@@A-Kings-Cut same here. Frosty morning this morning.
Cool Spring here in Kansas. Really ideal: warm days and cool nights.
Is no one going to mention him spreading the grass seed and saying “just give it the old hand job...” hahahahaha my inner 13 year old boy emerged
Nice G-Shock. Thanks for the tips, I need them. Spent over $6,000 last year on a re-sod and the back yard is as bad as before. Tough to grow grass back there because it’s shady. I don’t know what I will do. Maybe some ground cover or shade tolerant plants. Pretty discouraged about it. I could spend a bunch of money and time on it myself and fail or pay someone even more and still fail like last year.
Have you thought about some heavy pruning? Or...just remove a few under-performing trees. Depends if you like foilage or grass more.
@@wwaynemcg That might be what I have to do. Not looking forward to processing all the branches though. Thanks.
@@omegahelix Yea, that can be a pain. I have a trailer I haul branches to our town's green waste site. Maybe a ground cover like English Ivy, or Vinca vine, for the most shady spots then grass for the remainder? Good luck.
1:53 🤭😊
Great video though, straight to the point
Huge tip: if you overmow mid summer and don’t water your grass, it will start to turn brown and start to die. You won’t have to mow as much and this will save you tons of time on your days off. It helps if you mow in the evening after a really hot and dry day. You’re welcome ❤
I think you may be in the wrong place 😂
Wondering, I lived at a rental apt. the electric company tore up the yard. The landlord was pissed. So the guys came out threw grass seed down and put a nice thick layer of mulch they used hay. They did give it one good watering. Never did anything more. It grew beautifully. No need for chemical fertilizers that deplete the soil of nutrients vs. organic fertilizer.
The reason it grew so well was BECAUSE they tore up the yard. Disturbed soil allows oxygen down into the soil and also makes space for seeds to send their roots. Hard pan soil might allow the grass to germinate, but then the roots bump into a hard layer just below and they can't get the nutrients out of the soil. If you plow up your soil and plant new seed, it will grow too, even without fertilizer and only a bare minimum of water.
That's awesome work. It shows you care about what you do, too awesome.
Unfortunately the birds in my area have learned there is very expensive grass seed under the peat moss. They dig it out and have a nice feast.
Get the seed coated in fertilizer. Birds won't eat it.
@@RedShiftedDollar how about using a Harvest Guard
@@rosieg4813 Yeah that’s a better idea.
Bb gun is a good investment
I did the hand job thing in my front yard unfortunately the neighbors called the cops on me. 👮♂️ 👮 👮♀️
😂
I just did this process this afternoon ti get sine grass in the GREAT DEPRESSION I've been filling for 58 days.
Two things. 1. The peat moss will tell you if you need to water when it turns light brown. 2. Seed mixes have seeds that germinate at different times, so don't stop watering when the initial seedlings show up.
Please don't use peat moss and certainly don't tell hundreds of thousands of other people to either. Peat degradation is seriously bad for the environment.
@@requiredfieldcannotbeleftb9746 you are right, of course. I use coco coir in lieu of peat moss.
@@requiredfieldcannotbeleftb9746 What's bad about peat moss?
Thanks. I have many small to large spots where grass is just not growing and due to the Clay here in SW Va. it is hard to get grass to grow. Going to spend the money on the tool and as for the other things. It will be easy to do for me. Thanks again.
this looks easy to do - thank you for the video
You must come to Australia you will be working 24/7 non stop.
There is grass seed in your lawn clipping. Rake up a bare spot and put a hand full of grass clippings on the bare spots. You'll have new grass growing in 5 days.
Nice, just did this yesterday here in Vaughan, Ontario.
Great video, thanks. An “after photo” would be great to see the results. Also loved the “hand job” reference (1:54), lol.
I’m 15 and we don’t even have a yard, yet I’m watching this
Go do your homework! XD
Years from now, when you do, you just might recall these tips.
All knowledge is good, you continue to soak it up and you will make a success of your life, well done from the UK
The one small thing I do in addition to this video is I use straw to lightly cover the area. I find that helps the soil stay moist as it is difficult for me to water it during the day due to my job. I can water in the evening and it is fine until the next evening. Once the grass starts growing I just mow over the straw and sometimes lightly rake up any excess straw that appears. Has worked well for me over the years.
Awesome vid, Dude! Got some dead spots that would not come back this spring.
Texas Grass Brigade, ready to implement,
Sir!
Yeah, when I think back over the years and all that seed I spread with the ole hand job method.
Worked then and still working today. 🤣🤛
Garden Weasel is laughed at in North Texas! It takes more than that to break up our soil.
👍
I grow the seed in trays then transplant small patches. Keep it germinating in the garage away from birds and it doesn't dry out under hot sun
No matter how well I care for my lawn annually, I'm always repairing select spot that have become distressed due to Northeast summer heat/draught. I've used the garden weasel cultivator with good success but I've found that using the garden weasel claw (the type with handles that you twist) that cultivates the soil much deeper and thoroughly and makes all the difference. It's not as practical as the rotary cultivator which is less invasive and limits attrition to pervading healthy grass plants, but I've found that the deeper turning of soil with the claw ensures better results. I've never used peat moss before but I'm sure that I start using that, too. Thank you.
I use a hard tine rake. Does well for me and saves me from getting down on the ground. I use top soil. Works great for me.
I really like your videos.
Thank you!!!
I think peat moss is one of those things that people just repeat bc they heard it from someone else and nobody ever tried not using it (or straw, etc.) I mean common sense says that putting the seed under a thin layer of soil will protect it just as well as putting another substance on top.
@@wildrice8199 peat moss holds moisture better than soil which is key for seeding and it changes color more than soil does when it’s wet to help signify that it needs more water. Soil will work well though, but that’s why I have recommended peat moss in the past and not just “repeating it because someone else said it” as you imply
Thank you!! I burned my yard in places and I’m so upset!! I hope this helps! Thank you!!!
It also helps to wet the ground before you use the cultivator
I wouldn’t recommend that but to each their own
I can’t help but wonder what the pros and cons of wet vs. dry would be. It seems irrelevant.
I suppose wet would just make the area and the tool muddy with no real benefit and dry would make the soil break like it’s brittle (unless it’s hard like cement)
Can we grow grass on our heads?
I didn't know what Peat Moss was for. Thank you
Great helpful video easy to follow info thanx.My Dad always used to water soil b4 sowing grass seeds.Hope that helps?
Thanks L Dub, nicely said and just what I needed!!! Keep em comin 👍🏼
Never mentioned choosing the right type of grass seed for that area of the lawn. Seed for sunny areas, seed for shady areas, or mixture of both. Figuring out why the grass died in that area is important too.
I do the same way you -except after you scratch the surface -i wet the soil well then apply seed and mix the seed in-wetting ahead before gives a lot of moisture to the seed at once-then I use the peat moss!
I knew an old landscaper who seeded with a sand/seed mix; it helped with covering the seed and he got good results.
Do you have any seed showing after peat moss layer?
No not really
You Killing it everyday 💯
Great video! Very easy to follow steps.
Thank you great tips. Can you overseed to kill off weeds?
Overseeding won’t really kill off weeds. Having a thick lawn will help crowd out weeds but I would spray the weeds before you overseed
My mom and I have birds, and we throw the used bird seeds outside and the seeds grow into some of the prettiest grass Ive ever seen, so you can also use fresh or used bird seeds.
🤣😂 That's great, just great. Finally someone with real world experience. Excellent tip (& yes, that's what she said!).