New lawn advice?

[steve]

I'm finally getting close to putting down seed on my back lawn. I spent the weekend putting down topsoil where needed, tilling, smoothing out the low spots with a large rake, I still have to clean up along the edges.

Looks pretty good now but I want to avoid the low spots the lawn had before so I want to rent a roller this weekend. What looks good now will not be smooth once the loose soil compacts.

Area is about 30' x 60'

What would the final steps be before actually putting down the seed? My plans for this week: Continue raking out the edges and smoothing things out. Rent a roller saturday morning and roll the entire area. Add topsoil to any areas that compact to a low spot. spread starter fertilizer over entire area. drag a home made lawn rake lightly over the entire area. (2' - 2"x4" with spikes every 1 ". long handle attached. Weight can be added. I drag it over the tilled soil to smooth it out, works well) Spread seed. Roll the seed in. Water.

Anything I'm missing or that I'm doing that is wrong?

TIA Steve

[hallerb]

lawns need air to breathe, rollers are bad news. add soil as needed, never roll. it just compresses the soil making grass growth poor

[Oren]

I would use a couple bails of hay; lightly spread over the top soil to hold the seed and soil in place. This will help retain moisture and help prevent seed from blowing away.

Then hope the birds don't eat all the seed :-)

-- Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

[JerseyMike]

who really loves it."

add some STARTER FERTILIZER to specifications, other than that you everything sounds good.

[David Martel]

Steve,

It's too late now but I hope you took soil samples, had them tested by the county, and used the results to dictate your soil additives. If not do this in the Fall for next year.

Dave M.