Should I Rototill My Lawn Before Seeding
Rototillers are popular garden tools that help in breaking up soil and for tilling it. They are also used to help prepare a lawn before planting grass or seeding. However, is it really worth rototilling your lawn, or does it do more harm than good?
For those who are wondering, should I rototill my lawn before seeding?, read on for the official answer to help you properly prepare your lawn for healthy grass growth.
Create A Healthy Lawn By Starting Over
Lets get this straight right from the get-go: A healthy lawn doesnt get taken over by weeds. So if it looks like youre raising weeds instead of grass, thats a sign of a more serious problem. And that may mean killing off the grass and starting over. Its a big reseeding lawn project thatll take several weekends and may cost you up to 25¢ per sq. ft. for equipment rentals, soil conditioners and seed. If youre willing to spend more, you can lay sodinstead of planting seed, but dont skip the soil testing and remediation steps. Heres how to balance your soils pH level properly.
Are you ready for a fresh start? Just follow our guide for how to plant grass seed on an existing lawn and youll be the happiest gnomeowner on your block.
Digging Up Live Lawn Method
If you decide to dig up your lawn without killing it first, you will need specific power equipment, and a plan for where youll dispose of your old sod.
You should have a tiller, preferably a rear-tine, heavy duty type rototiller. Look into renting equipment thats a bit on the heavier side, and I highly recommend that you rent a sod cutter. This tool will be able to cut beneath the turf and cut your old lawn sod into strips. This is a necessary part of the process and will make the whole process go faster.
Removing the Old Lawn Turf
After taking a pass with the sod cutter, roll the strips up and dispose of them.
I like to use old sod to fill the bottom of my raised garden beds. I turn them upside down so the grass dies, and then cover them with a 50/50 blend of compost and loam from my local nursery.
If you arent adding a garden to your property, see if someone in your neighborhood could use the old sod, or find a brush dump or composting facility nearby.
If you dont rent a sod cutter, you can use a sharp, flat shovel to remove the grass manually.
I dont recommend this method for large lawns. It is a very difficult process and is really only practicable for a small area of lawn.
Replacing the Topsoil Youve Removed
When you remove all the sod, youre also removing organic material.
This must be replaced.
Failing to do so will result in a weak lawn that struggles to grow and which could be even worse than it was before.
Planting Your Grass Seed
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How To Till A Lawn Before Seeding
The first thing you need to do is evaluate the ground, test the soil and decide on a rototiller best suited to the job. Compared to front-tine tillers, a rear-tine tiller has greater power and is better suited to working in difficult terrain.
Tilling performance is also influenced by the temperature of the soil. Before you begin tilling, wait for the soil to reach a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a trip around the area to remove any material that might be snagged or flung by the tines of the tiller. This includes pebbles or sticks.
You would set the depth of the blade to between four to six inches. If there is a slope you will need to adjust more or less at different points on the slope, but the objective is to try to have a uniform depth across the whole area.
On reasonably level ground, you would till the ground working in a systematic fashion, in rows along the longest section of the area to be tilled.
How To Rototill A Garden
1. Check the soils condition. If the soil is especially wet and contains even a moderate amount of clay, then you need to test it first. According to soil scientist John Hart, the best way to check it is to pick up a handful of soil and squeeze it, forming a ball. Then, drop the ball from waist height. If the ball breaks into small pieces, then the soil is ready for tilling. But if the ball remains intact, its too soon to till doing so could ruin the soils structure.
2. Rototill well before planting. Youll want to till about two or three weeks before you plant your garden. The long lead time gives your soil a chance to break up receive fertilizer, compost or manure and allow little critters, such as earth worms, to begin their beneficial work.
3. A matter of depth. When operating a rototiller, endeavor to till to a depth of eight to 10 inches, advises the University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science. That depth is sufficient to ensure that the vital additives you should add, such as lime, fertilizers, compost and manure, will optimally mix in and enrich the soil. If you plan to use plastic to thwart weeds and to raise the temperature of the soil, then remove stones and sticks before raking a smooth seedbed. This is the last step in how to rototill a garden.
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Rototilling Leads To The Propagation Of Weeds
Another argument that is sometimes put forward against rototilling a lawn before seeding is that the process can cause deep-lying weed seeds to be distributed over a wide area during the tilling and grading process.
Again there is truth in this and the problem is that even if you put down glyphosate this wont destroy the weed seeds or any grass seeds as it is designed to attack the plant and not the seed.
A counterargument is the time of year. Weeds are generally less able on germinating in cooler late fall conditions. If you can get your timing right you can till and put down the grass seeds in late fall. Grass will germinate quicker and you should be able to choke out the weeds. This would work best with cool-season grasses.
How To Replant A Lawn
1. Clear the area. Kill weeds and any remaining poor-looking grass with a non-selective herbicide about 2 weeks before you want to seed your lawn. After everything is completely dead, rake the area to remove the debris.2. Prep for success. Now is a great time to core aerate the area if your soil is really compact. After aerating, rake the area level and loosen the top ¼ inch of soil. Then add a 1-inch layer of Scotts® LawnSoil evenly across the entire planting area. Its specifically formulated with a blend of rich, composted materials to provide an excellent growing environment for young seedlings.
3. Select your grass seed. Choose a Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed that is right for your location. Do you live in the north and need a grass type that stays green in cooler temperatures, or do you live in the south and need a grass type that stays green during the hot summer months? Be sure to also take into consideration the growing conditions in your area: How much sun? How much wear and tear from children and family pets? If you need help finding a grass type that matches your growing conditions, check out our Identify Your Grass article.
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Keeping Grass Seed Well
The final step? Keeping it moist during germination. Moisture is key to growing grass seed in any kind of soil. Keep the seeds moist. Dont let the seeded dirt area dry out, but a mucky wet mess is no good either. Its worth the time and attention it takessoon the seed will establish itself and then it wont be quite so needy.
Because consistent moisture is so key to growing grass seed, the best times of year to plant grass are in late spring , or in early fall . Youre also less likely to be hit by a surprise watering restriction. Yay for early September lawn planting!
Lawn Soil Overhaul Bring In Good Topsoil
If all else fails , consider bringing in high-quality lawn topsoil. Purchased topsoil can be placed on top of the existing soil. Since you know what youre working with, youll have confidence that its well-draining, rich in organic matter, and has lots of lovely air voids in the root zone.
Bringing in good topsoil is what finally worked for us. It actually ended up being slightly less costly and time-consuming than we had assumed. We brought in a truckload of some really high-quality topsoil and just buried all the clay. No more tracking clay into the house, and no more trouble growing grass. It wasnt cheap, but we dont regret it one bit. Totally worth it!
In our area, we have a wonderful local supplier of OMRI-listed soil which is sustainably sourced and managed. If there is something similar in your area that could be a great option.
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How To Sow Grass Seed
For small areas, it’s easy to sow grass seed by hand. Carefully spread the seeds on the ground and cover them with about a quarter of an inch of soil, says Noah James, owner of Liberty Lawn Maintenance .
‘Moisten the ground, mix the seed and scatter it evenly. Sow 1 1/4 ounces of seed per square yard half from right to left and the other half from left to right to ensure a good coverage,’ add the experts at Johnsons Lawn Seed.
For larger areas, use a spreader to sow the seed. Trying to use your hands for large areas can lead to very uneven coverage of grass seed,’ says Walker. ‘I have found that push rotary spreaders do an excellent job. They apply the seed at a consistent rate for uniform coverage.
Once you have sown your seed, carefully cover the seeds over with soil using either your hand or a rake.
Press the seeds down by standing on them or using a tool like a roller, because they need a firm seedbed, adds James.
Take care not to plant the seeds either too deep or shallow. Bury them too deep and they will take longer to germinate. Too shallow and the seeds will be prone to drying out or being eaten by birds, says Hedges-Gower.
Once you have planted your grass seed, you can apply starter fertilizer if you didnt do so prior to planting. Water immediately. ‘In case of dry weather use a fine spray to keep the seed bed well watered and moist,’ add Johnsons Lawn Seed experts.
How Often To Water Grass Seed After Planting
Water newly planted grass seed daily if the weather is over 80 degrees F. Every other day is a good watering schedule if temperatures are cooler. Prior to germination, wet the top inch or so of soil. But, once the grass seed germinates and begins to grow, reduce the frequency of irrigation but water more deeply. Once your new grass is about two inches tall, reduce your watering schedule to once or twice a week, but water until the ground is wet down to a depth of about three inches.
Once grass is fully established, stop irrigation all together, unless theres a prolonged period of drought. When it comes to watering established lawns, its always better to water less frequently but very deeply. Always water lawn in the morning, if possible, to reduce the chance of fungal disease issues.
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Picking The Correct Seed
This part is simple. Quality seeds will bring about quality grass, provided you take proper care of it. Many government and non-government organizations rate the various seeds you find on the market. A good example would be the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program rating.
These grasses have been certified to produce a superior green color. So, these should make your lawn pretty as a picture and give it a royal feel. Again, choosing the right seed is important. Otherwise, all your hard work, including preparing the lawn and caring for the greenery, will go to waste.
Tilling Breaks Up Carbon Stores & Destroys Existing Organic Material And Beneficial Microbes
Tilling is really hard on the soil, and the more often you do it, the more the negative effects build up. Tilling breaks up soil structure and reduces crop residue the plant matter that cushions the force of pounding raindrops. Without that cushion, soil splatters and clogs the pores where water would otherwise enter the soil.
Tillage also depletes the existing organic matter in the soil, so soil compacts more easily, doesnt hold on to water as well, and you need more and more fertilizer to compensate. And its devastating more the millions of beneficial microbes that live in your soil that make your lawn healthier and reduces disease and fungi. Every shovel is like an earthquake. These beneficial microbes break down organic matter into nutrients that plants, like your grass, can absorb.
Avoid tilling when possible. Your lawn will be healthier for it.
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Preparing The Ground For Planting
After selecting and purchasing the seed, its time to prepare the soil for the planting process. This is a very important step in knowing how to plant grass seed successfully. The tender roots of young grass plants will not grow well in compacted soils so its essential that this step be done properly. Here are instructions for prepping the ground to overseed bare spots in an established lawn and instructions on how to prepare for planting grass seed in a large bare area.
Preparation for seeding a bare spot in the lawn: Begin by using a cultivator to remove the dead grass. If its a small spot, use a hand cultivator. If its a larger spot, use a diamond hoe or warren hoe. Then, dig up the area down to a depth of two or three inches with a shovel or trowel. Loosen the soil and break up any clumps.
Preparation for planting grass seed in a large bare area: If you want to know how to plant grass seed in larger areas successfully, begin by loosening the top three to five inches of soil. Use a rototiller for the job if its a very large lawn area. Use a shovel or hoe if its an area thats just a few square feet.
Whether the area is small or large, after loosening the soil, its time to rake it smooth. Use a bow rake or a seeding rake to further break up any soil clods and rake the soil out into fine particles and a smooth finish. Use the tines of the rake to smash any large clumps of dirt if necessary.
How Do You Seed Grass After Tilling
Lets say that your lawn required a thorough tilling before you could use it. Now that you did that, it is time to start planting seeds of grass. After all, a lawn is only as good as the grass that is on it. But, should you start planting the seeds right after the tilling?
We recommend you to wait for some time after tilling and not immediately rush to seed the grass. After a reasonable amount of time has passed, you can start working on the grass. This process is not too complicated, and we will take you through step by step.
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Tilling Will Bring Up Weed Seeds
Fun fact: dormant weed seeds can survive for decades under the soil and still be able to germinate as soon as they reach the surface. And what does tilling do? It breaks up the soil and turns it over, exposing all of those dormant seeds. If compaction isnt a problem, try topdressing with compost or topsoil to start fresh without all the new weed pressure.
If weeds ARE the problem, soil solarisation will bake to death all the weeds and turn them into compost. If you have to till for other reasons, then water the newly tilled ground, allow the weed seeds to germinate, then use soil solarisation.
Does Grass Grow In Fill Dirt
Grass will grow in fill dirt, but it wont have the same access to nutrients as it would if it were growing in topsoil. Wild grass can even be seen growing on piles of fill dirt at construction sites. While turf grass will grow in fill dirt, it generally wont thrive.
Fill is a construction material and should be free of organics, as its mined from the ground under the topsoil. Fill is great to fill up low spots in the ground, but doesnt have the decomposed matter that makes topsoil so great for grass.
Grass to be planted on fill will do better if organic matter is worked into the soil before the seed is planted. Loose, uncompacted fill may be ok with just a few inches of homemade compost or topsoil placed on top of it. Compacted fill should be loosened up with a tiller or at least a core aerator prior to topping it with compost or topsoil. Grass grows much better in loose soil than compacted soil .
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