Planting grass from seed is an inexpensive way to grow a beautiful new lawn, but you need to prepare the soil carefully and watch over the sprouting seeds. Here are essential steps:

Step 1: Select the right type of grass for your area (see “eHow toChoose a Lawn Grass’).

Step 2: Measure the square footage of your planting area to determine how much seed you’ll need. Purchase the seed at a local nursery or garden center. Information on the package will tell you how much to buy.

Step 3: Prepare and level the soil, as described in “eHow to Plant a Lawn.’

Step 4: Set your seed spreader (a drop spreader used for fertilizer works best for most lawns) at the appropriate setting and fill it with half the seeds.

Step 5: Walking at a steady pace, sow the seed over the planting area, moving back and forth in opposite directions. Repeat the process using the rest of the seeds, walking at a 90-degree angle to your original paths. This will ensure that the seed is sown evenly.

Step 6: Fill a cage roller with fine-textured organic mulch, such as peat moss or ground bark. Walking quickly, push the roller over the planting area so a thin layer (1/8 to 1/4 inch) of organic matter covers all the seeds. This will help keep the seeds from drying out.

Step 7: Push a water-filled roller (about a third full) over the entire area to make sure the seeds and soil are in good contact.

Step 8: Water the seedbed thoroughly so the soil is moist to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Apply the water slowly so that the seeds do not wash away.

Step 9: Keep the seedbed moist (but not soggy) until the seed germinates and the new grass is a few inches high. In hot weather you may have to water more than once a day.

Tips & Warnings:

* Once you have thoroughly wet the seedbed after planting, you only need to water enough to keep the top inch moist.

* Germination will take 5 to 14 days, depending on weather and grass type.

* When the grass is 1 to 2 inches high, you can begin to water less often, but avoid letting the planting area go completely dry.

* Heavy watering may wash away the seeds, and watering too frequently may rot the seedlings.

Source: eHow Home & Garden Editor

Planting a lawn could spend most of your time and effort and is also expensive. But now things can be improved with these known technology which is Hydroseeding It is easy to use and very effective.

- The process involves making a mixture of water, seed, fertilizer, cellulose fiber or wood mulch and occasionally lime, in the right proportions in a tank and spraying it on a prepared lawn area using a hose, for the mulch to become a moist coating that retains water for the seeds. It also helps create a bond with the soil, and protects the seeds from erosion, wind and sunlight which allows them to germinate easily.

- When seeds come in contact with water, their germination cycle is triggered and as the seeds sprout, they gain nourishment from the decomposing mulch which adds various nutrients to the soil. The mulch thus does not have to be manually removed and actually adds to the growth process. The grass develops a deep root system and an even leaf-stock pattern, making the lawn lush and carpet-like.

- The mulch coating ensures that the grass growth is healthy and fast: grass usually comes up within a week and is ready for the first mowing in less than a month. Due to the coating of the mulch which prevents erosion, hydroseeding is ideal for planting lawns on slopes or erosion-prone areas. In addition, since the hydroseeding mulch is sprayed on, it is ideal for uneven areas, which are tough to do using other methods. There are no weed seeds in the hydroseeding mulch, which means that the lawn would be initially without any weeds at all. The mixture is usually dyed an organic green making it more visually attractive even before the grass begins to grow as opposed to the straw used in conventional planting.

- The best feature of hydroseeding which actually makes it more attractive than applying sod is the cost. The labor cost is much lower, and one doesn’t have to pay for things like growing, weeding, palletizing and shipping. In addition, hydroseeding can do with less watering because the mulch retains more water and thus saves on water bills. Once the mixture is sprayed, it must be kept moist at all times for the first fortnight. Depending on the weather, the sort of soil and grass being planted, the lawn area will need light sprinklings 2-3 times a day. This would be reduced to watering just once a day after the first two weeks till the first mowing. After this the lawn would need long waterings, but at long intervals so that the grass is able to send down deep roots, and is well established.

- Before the mixture is sprayed however, care should be taken to grade the lawn area and prepare the soil to receive the spray exactly the way it is done before conventional lawn planting or sod application. The hydroseed spraying should only be done just prior to the grass’s prime growing season in order to establish the very best outcome. And after the spraying, once the growth begins to show up, any uneven areas may have to be re-administered with the spray. Whether you are looking to plant a small residential lawn or a commercial area, hydroseeding is recommended because of its efficiency and economy. Plenty of companies offer hydroseeding services, and between them can offer the choice of grass and fertilizers desired for lawns of all types and sizes.

- Bindweed. Its other common names are wild morning glory and creeping jenny. An extensive root system makes them difficult to pull. Paint a low-grade herbicide on the flower portions of the weed in August and September.

- Broadleaf Plantain. This low-growing perennial is marked by broad leaves with prominent veins. It has a habit of smothering grass blades. Herbicides work well against these troublesome weeds.

- Common Groundsel. This early-season weed is a maximum seed producer. They prefer damp, moist soil and can infiltrate your flowering beds as well as your lawn. Roundup works well here.

- Crabgrass. This summer annual has wide blades and a light blue color with red-purplish stems. Keeping your lawn mowed high will help control this crabgrass. There are also special crabgrass herbicides made for this pest.

- Dandelion. This perennial has yellow flowers and an extensive root system. Dandelions can appear anytime between March and November. Common herbicides should be applied to these lawn weeds during the fall months.

- Pigweed. This is an annual weed that can reach heights of two to four feet. Pigweed plants can produce upwards of 100,000 seeds per sprout. Spot treat these lawn weeds with Roundup or any other commercial grade herbicide.

The best method of planting a lawn is a well-known recipe. Follow it for virtually guaranteed success.

Step 1: Plan the lawn’s size and shape, keeping maintenance and watering needs in mind. Lay out your lawn so that you can mow without stopping or backing up. Also make mowing quicker by avoiding sharp curves and corners and including a border.

Step 2: Choose which kind of grass to plant, using your region as a guide. Some grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass, prefer cool northern weather. Bermuda, St. Augustine and zoysia prefer hotter southern climates. Tall fescue is popular in areas where the regions merge.

Step 3: Test the soil before planting, then correct it accordingly. Organic matter is usually recommended, and often the acid balance– called pH–needs adjusting with lime or sulfur. Spread a 2- to 3-inch (5 to 8 cm) layer of organic matter over the area and incorporate it 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) into the soil.

Step 4: Plan and lay out a sprinkler system, especially if you live where the growing season is naturally dry (see 118 Lay Out a Sprinkler System). If you live where summer rainfall is normally abundant, buried sprinklers are optional but convenient.

Step 5: Sow seed if you’re planting at the right time of year; late summer or early fall is best. Sowing seed in spring can work, but weed competition will be more severe. Sod is normally a safer choice because you can plant it any time of year.

To start new lawns, many people wonder which is better: laying sod or seeding lawns . While laying sod is fast and produces high-quality new lawns, seeding lawns is cheaper and offers a wider variety of grass types. Check with your county extension to learn which grass types are best for your region.

How:
- Remove the old lawn and/or weeds, if any exist. One way to accomplish this is by digging them out with a flat-bladed shovel (make sure you get the roots). Another method is to apply an herbicide, then rent a sod-cutter to remove roots and all. Before proceeding further, have your soil pH tested. Most lawn grasses prefer a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. If the test reveals that you need to adjust the pH, do so in conjunction with Step #2.

- Break up the compacted soil with a tiller. Tillers (also called rototillers) can be rented from your local rental center.

- Spread a starter fertilizer over the now-loosened soil. This type of fertilizer is high in phosphorus, the middle number in the NPK sequence on a fertilizer bag.

- Also spread a soil conditioner over the soil. “Soil conditioner” is often what it’s called at the store, but if you have a good supply of compost at home, it will serve just as well as a soil amendment.

- Again using the tiller, till the starter fertilizer and soil conditioner (or equivalent) into the soil. I know this seems like a lot of work, but good soil preparation is one key in seeding lawns successfully.

- Now rake the soil to begin to level it out, removing any rocks and debris that you find. To avoid problems with excess water-runoff, make sure that any site grading you do allows water to flow away from your house.

- This step requires a roller. Rollers, like tillers, can be rented from your local rental center. Fill the roller’s drum with water, then use the roller to finish leveling the soil. Water the soil lightly.

- For this step you’ll need a seed spreader. Following the recommended seeding rate, spread 1/4 of the seed over the entire lawn area. Then repeat times, each time using 1/4 of the seed. However, each of the 4 times you distribute a load of seed, push the spreader in a different direction, to encourage even dispersal.

- Rake lightly, so as to cover the seed with a thin layer of soil.

- For this step you’ll use the roller again. But first you’ll empty out the water from the drum, because you want it lighter this time. Now roll the lawn surface.

- You’re done seeding the lawn, but you’re not done working! The seeds must be watered properly, in order to germinate. Use just a fine spray, as you don’t want to create a flood! The soil should be kept evenly moist, which may mean several waterings per day (depending on the weather).

- After the grass blades sprout, you’ll still need to water a couple of times per day. If you know your schedule won’t permit this, now’s the time to look into automatic irrigation systems, before starting a new lawn.

Source: Landscaping

Grass seed has two types of assortments: mixtures and straight species. It depends on what type you want:

Mixtures - contain seed from two grass species or more, designed to balance the relative strengths and weaknesses of each type in order to better solve problems or address different light conditions in your lawn. For example, Sun and Shade is an excellent all purpose mix that performs well in multiple light conditions, and High Traffic is a more wear tolerant blend. Mixtures are the best choice for an average lawn or for a lawn that needs help in a certain problem area, typically delivering better tolerance to varying light conditions, more insect and disease resistance, and more versatility.
Mixtures usually combine grasses with similar colors, growth rates and textures, as well as behavior. Seed formulations may vary by manufacturer and sometimes they add small amounts of other grasses, for properties like drought resistance, quick starting or beauty.

Straight Species - Some consumers know that their lawn is a single grass type such as Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue and want to maintain that single seed type and match the existing lawn when reseeding an area. Many times the products that are single seed types contain a blend of different varities of that seed type to produce a lawn with better disease resistance, better color and a more uniform texture.