Seeding Your Lawn: 6 Tools That Will Help You Get The Job Done

First off, you don't need a bunch of gadgets to seed your lawn. You just need the tried and true tools and supplies that will ensure you get even coverage and will keep the seed protected so it can germinate. Let's look at the tools and supplies you'll need.

Spreader: Of course, you can seed your lawn by hand, but ensuring even coverage with a fist full of seed can be downright tricky. So, now is the time - if you don't have a spreader, go out and get one! Not only will you use it to seed your lawn; you're going to need it when the time comes to fertilize. A spreader has all kinds of nifty settings that allow you to determine how much seed should be spread across the soil with each pass. The grass seed package will tell you how to set your spreader to get the best coverage for the kind of seed you've chosen. Some seed is smaller and therefore will require a different setting than larger, denser seed.

So, what kind of spreader do you get? That will be determined by the size of the area to be seeded:

Hand Spreader: Smaller areas can be seeded with a hand seeder. This spreader is usually operated with a rotating hand crank that shoots the seed away from you and onto the soil as you walk along. Walking and cranking doesn't sound too bad, especially for a small area, but be prepared to pay attention so that you get a uniform layer of seed across the lawn.

Drop Spreader: Medium to large areas (or even small areas if hand-cranking a spreader isn't your style) can be seeded with a drop spreader. This device (also known as a fertilizer spreader) drops the seed through a row or rows of holes at the bottom of the spreader. When calibrated for your grass seed, the holes allow the seed to drop out as you move along. A lever on the handle is connected to a cable that will allow you to shut the holes when you stop or keep them open as you walk along seeding. A drop spreader is a type of spreader for both seeding and fertilizing.

Rotary Spreader: What if you've got a large expanse of yard to cover? A rotary spreader is for you. It works on the same principle as a drop spreader, but the rotary spreader drops seed in a circle instead of a straight line. This allows more seed to be distributed in each pass than with a drop spreader. For extra large areas, you can rent a large, farm type rotary spreader from your garden center or nursery to make the job that much easier to handle.

Lawn Rake: As always, your trusty lawn rake makes an appearance. You'll need this for a final soil level check and to mix in your newly dropped seeds.