Question
Ken -- We just moved into a house in Virginia and need some help revitalizing our lawn.  The yard is an acre with several mature trees that provide shade.  The lawn is very thin and has bare spots.  

My question is:  is it necessary to get topsoil to plant grass seed or can we just spread grass seed on the lawn after arreating.  What steps should we take to help this lawn?  We already spread lime last week.  

Answer
It is not necerssary to add topsoil, but you could roto till the soil and then rake smooth. Water well (or wait for rain) to settle the soil. Then rake again. Finally spread grass seeds. If this is too much work, then aerating would be a good start.

It is necerssary to keep the seed bed damp at all times until seeds germinate. This can be done by watering twice daily for 7-14 days. If you can not water manually due to size of lawn, then apply when rain is expected for a week. You can also cut down on the period by using a mixture which contains among others perennial ryegrass and wait until late spring to sow grass.

Note: in shade, grass will never grow as good as in sun, but it can be done. Make sure the mixture has a high percentage of FINE fescues (such hard, chewing, creeping red.. see back of lable on seed bags). Do not mix fine fescues and TALL fescues.

Do not be too quick to lime; especially in shade.

Apply a starter fertilizer at time of seeding and then fertilize your lawn in late spring, early fall and late fall. Do not fertilize in mid summer.

Mow the lawn high and mow frequently. Mow the lawn 2.5-3.5" (meassured after a cutting) and try to mow before grass gets too long.

In fall, rake leaves to avoid matting down and killing grass over the winter.