The Clever Broom Trick That'll Help You Successfully Grow Grass From Seed
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When trying to sow grass seeds on top of soil, whether over a full section of your lawn or just covering a few bare spots, there is a clever broom trick that will help you successfully grow grass from seed. After all, nothing is more frustrating than spending hours prepping the ground and tending to seeds only to see a portion of them emerge, resulting in patchy coverage. That's where the broom comes in. Utilizing this simple implement when planting grass seeds can help alleviate many of the issues that lead to incomplete coverage, including clumping, uneven distribution, inadequate soil contact, and theft of seeds by birds.
Not only is this hack easy to accomplish, it's easy on the lawncare budget. The only piece of equipment that is necessary beyond what you're already using to seed your lawn is the broom itself. While a push broom like the TreeLen Outdoor Push Broom is ideal, any broom will suffice. This trick can also be utilized when it is time to overseed your lawn. In that instance, if you are working with small exposed areas, even a whisk broom or brush will get the job done. So, in all likelihood, you probably already have what you need in your house or garage.
How to use a broom to help grow grass from seeds
When it is time to seed your lawn or cover bare spots, you will start by prepping the soil as you normally would. The critical step in the prep process is loosening the soil. This holds true whether you are patching a bare spot or seeding an entire lawn. Without loosening the soil, not only will the seed struggle to get a good start, but the broom trick will do nothing more than sweep the seeds into a pile.
Once the soil is ready to go, distribute the seeds by hand or with a spreader. Then comes the broom. If you are working in a large area, you can drag the push broom behind you as you walk up and down the lawn. When seeding a smaller area, you can lightly brush the broom over the surface. In either instance, the idea is to get the seeds and soil to mix and break up and clumps of seeds. This will assist with germination as well as helping prevent birds from snacking on them.
While you have the push broom out, you can use it to help top dress your lawn as well. This is somewhat the reverse of the grass seed trick. When top dressing, spread the top dressing mix in the desired area, then use fairly firm strokes of the broom to help it get below the existing canopy of grass blades. This not only prevents you from burying healthy grass, but ensures the top dressing mix will make its way down to where the lawn can best utilize it.