When performing the task of seeding your lawn you will use one of two types of spreaders –- a broadcast spreader or a drop spreader, each can leave wheel tracks. Using this tool to seed your
Wheel tracks on your lawn caused by using a spreader to seed can be removed with just a little extra work.
(Courtesy: Matthew at flickr.com)
lawn makes the chore so much easier to tolerate. You can set either type of spreader to the proper application of seed rate for the size of your lawn. The broadcast spreader throws the seeds while the drop spreader drops the seeds.
Perhaps the only problem you may encounter when using a spreader is that its wheels will track over the smooth soil. No doubt, you will want to get rid of those tracks. People who have experienced this problem suggest that you wait for the soil to dry instead of spreading over moist or wet ground. This will ensure that the wheel depressions will be less severe.
You can rid yourself of the tracks while you’re finishing up the seeding process. Here are six steps to follow that will ultimately do away with the ruts.
Tools you will need to perform the chore include:
· Broom rake
· Bow rake
· Garden hoe
· Lawn roller
· Spreader
1. Spread the seed when the soil is dry so there is no mud to cause deep wheel tracks.
2. Push the spreader first in a north to south manner across the soil, then spread seed a second time in an east to west manner to ensure even seed coverage.
3. Use the broom rake to pick at deep tire tracks as needed to smooth out the soil. Step lightly to avoid leaving footprints. Perform this step only to areas where the depressions are deepest and require more attention.
4. Take the broom rake and drag it behind you as you walk slowly across the soil. Follow the same pattern that you used when spreading the seed –- north to south then east to west. Begin at the farthest corner of the lawn. As you walk, the broom rake simultaneously covers the seeds with soil and smooths out the tire tracks and your footprints.
5. Perform the same action as in step four, but use a lawn roller instead of the rake. The roller will break up soil clods and assist in pushing the soil up against the grass seed. This will encourage germination. Be sure that you don’t roll too heavily over the lawn. That would cause the soil to compact.
6. Water the area to moisten the soil. If water pools up in certain sections of the lawn, level them out with the rake when the soil is dry.
If you do the seeding when the soil is moist, you may end up with extremely rugged, compacted tire tracks. If this should occur, use the bow rake or a garden hoe to loosen soil before you drag the broom rake over the surface to finish the task.
