Level and Seed a Lawn

Making a level lawn area is simple although does require some physical effort for the initial digging. Once the area has been dug over, the rest of the procedure is straightforward and easy.

It is wise to wait several weeks before seeding a newly graded area, especially if a lot of filling has been done, because the soil will settle and may form hollows. Any hollows that form must be filled and allowed to settle again or tramped down to ensure that the area is fairly level. To hasten the soil settling, give it a thorough and deep soaking with the hose.

Sowing seed when making a lawn is likely result in patchy stands of grass unless it is done systematically. See how best to do this below.

Steps

Preparing a Level Area

  1. Mark out the area where you wish to plant a lawn with brightly colored paint in a spray can.
  2. Dig over the soil within that area to loosen it.
  3. Hammer flat-topped square-headed wooden stakes at each corner of the area and 4' to 6' apart in the ground in each direction.
  4. Level the stakes with a carpenter's level placed on a board which is long enough to reach three stakes. Each stake should protrude from the ground by 3” to 4”.
  5. Adjust the stakes as necessary to ensure that they are all level. Always work with the board over three stakes; left to right, right to left or diagonally. Do this until all the stakes have been made level.
  6. Add some rich soil to top dress that already in place after all stakes have been adjusted. This topsoil should be uniformly level with the tops of all stakes.
  7. Fertilize the area according to the seed producer’s instructions.
  8. Scratch the surface area with a bamboo rake or a light lawn broom and your lawn area is ready to seed.

Seeding

  1. Lay out a grid in the area to be seeded with strings stretched between tent pegs at the sides and the ends to form rectangles not more than 10' across.
  2. Place one or more planks on which to stand while sowing so as to avoid walking on the ground.
  3. Sow across each rectangle from side to side as an individual unit.
  4. Repeat the sowing from end to end.
  5. Rake the seed lightly into the surface with a bamboo rake or a lawn broom.
  6. Roll or lightly tramp down the whole area to firm the seed in the soil.
  7. Keep the area well watered.

Tips

  • Ensure that the wooden board or plank that you use is level, not bent or curved.
  • The stakes used to level the area need not be removed but can be allowed to decay where they stand.
  • Newly seeded lawns are often injured or destroyed in spots by dogs, cats or other animals running, walking and digging in them. A wide poultry netting of 1" mesh laid flat on the ground around the edges is a good preventive. The wires slip between the animals’ toes and will not be at all comfortable for them to walk on. About the only cases where such netting fails are when the animals are chased or chasing full tilt after one another, but no small animal that once crosses such a barrier will do so a second time.

Warnings

  • Use leather gloves when handling wooden stakes to prevent splinters.
  • Take care not to ingest fertilizer. If using liquid fertilizer, wear a protective safety mask.

Things You’ll Need

  • spray can of brightly colored paint
  • flat-topped square-headed wooden stakes (the number depends on the size of the lawn area, but at least nine)
  • carpenter's level
  • wooden board or plank long enough to place over three stakes (say, 12 feet long)
  • hammer or mallet
  • rake
  • tent pegs
  • string
  • grass seed
  • fertilizer
  • a roll of 1” wire netting (optional)

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Sources and Citations

  • Kains, M.G. (1935). Gardening Short Cuts. New York and Cleveland: World Publishing Company - Book in public domain. Copyright not renewed.

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