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How to Plant Grass Seed in Thin Soil

By: James Clark

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21 September, 2017

Thin soil is characterized by fine, shallow soil that sometimes grows over sheets of rock or slate. In order to plant grass seeds in thin soil, one must ensure that the soil is not too clumped or dry. Treating the soil with a fertilizer mixture before planting seeds will help more durable grass grow in your lawn. Planting grass seeds in thin or fine soil is a simple process that does not require specialized horticulture or gardening skills.

Clear debris in the area you want to plant grass seeds. Collect and dispose of leaves, twigs, and debris in a trash bag.

Put on your gardening gloves. Use your spade or shovel to begin tilling or digging up the soil in the area where you want to plant the grass seeds.

Thin soil is characterized by fine, shallow soil that sometimes grows over sheets of rock or slate.
Use your spade or shovel to begin tilling or digging up the soil in the area where you want to plant the grass seeds.

Feel the soil between your fingers to determine whether it is clumpy. Large clumps of soil should be broken up with your spade or shovel; small clumps (the size of a quarter) are fine.

Add fertilizer to dry, thin soil. When adding fertilizer, add 3 cups of product for every square yard of soil.

Incorporate the soil and fertilizer well using your spade or shovel.

Plant the grass seeds in the ground. Cover the grass seeds with at least 3 inches of soil mixture. Pat down with shovel or spade.

Feel the soil between your fingers to determine whether it is clumpy.

Water the area. Do not overwater; the soil should be wet, but not drenched or flooded. Water the seeded area once weekly during the fall and spring and 2 to 3 times per week in the summer, depending on how dry your climate is.

Plant Grass Seed

A healthy lawn is more than just an attractive addition to your landscape. Not to mention that grass absorbs ambient noise and makes the area around your house more tranquil. A turf-grass lawn is often created by laying strips of purchases sod, but it is easier and much less expensive to sow grass seed. The dozen or so grass varieties that grow throughout North America fall into two general categories: those that thrive in cool climates and those that thrive in warm ones. Some grass varieties grow close the ground, some grow tall and some grow in clumps. Seed mixture combine seeds different grass species to capitalize of the strengths and offset the weaknesses of each species. * Blended-seed mixtures contain different types of the same species to maximize the viability of that species. * The nutrients are selected to be optimal for the particular grass species. Treat acidic soil by turning it with lime, and treat alkaline soil by turning in with elemental sulfur. If you suspect the soil to be deficient in nutrients, it's best to take a sample in for a lab test and to amend it with an appropriate lawn-starting fertilizer after you know which nutrients it lacks. Water runoff on sloped land will prevent seeds from germinating. Avoid using weedkillers and other chemicals, which can linger in the soil and prevent the grass from growing. * Rake the top layer of soil to loosen it just prior to planting. You technically could walk over the area to be seeded and toss the seeds in every direction with your hand like Johnny Appleseed, but that wouldn't be very efficient. Cover seeds in poor soil or areas with full sun with a thin layer of mulch to help retain moisture and keep the seeds in place. 4. Finish up by watering lightly. Check the watering requirements on the seed container, water lightly and avoid saturating the ground. When the grass has reached a height of about 3 inches, it's ready for the first mowing. Set the mower height to remove no more than 1/3 the height of each blade, and make sure the blade is sharp to avoid stressing the grass by tearing it out instead of cutting it cleanly. Avoid spreading weed control chemicals until after the third mowing.

Do not overwater; the soil should be wet, but not drenched or flooded.
Blended-seed mixtures** contain different types of the same species to maximize the viability of that species.
- Avoid using weedkillers and other chemicals, which can linger in the soil and prevent the grass from growing. * Rake the top layer of soil to loosen it just prior to planting. You technically could walk over the area to be seeded and toss the seeds in every direction with your hand like Johnny Appleseed, but that wouldn't be very efficient.