slit seeder

[s1mpl3k1d]

What can you say about the slit seeder at Home Depot? HD is the only place I know I can rent it. Are they hard to use? Can it be set at 1.5lbs, 3lbs, etc?

Thanks!

[Dave]

The one I rented at HD was crap. It is basically a dethatcher with a seed hopper on the front. I could not get the machine to really cut proper slits and even if it did the seeds just fall out of the hopper and are not channeled into the slits. I also tried adjusting the hopper for different amounts of seed to drop but it would just not work properly. Each end was just a little open but the middle was a lot open. If I closed it abit then bothe ends were closed.


This was a new machine with only about 20 hours on it. In the end I put the seed in my drop spreader and used the slit seeder as a dethatcher and tried to put some slits in the ground before dropping the seeds with my drop spreader.

[s1mpl3k1d]

I also remember Gary just used his drop spreader. I'm so worried that strong rain might just wash the seeds away.

Does someone have a pic of an already killed lawn and scalped? It will help me how I should do it.

Thanks!

[kingofgreen]

I used a Scotts Edgeguard to spread my seed then top dressed with peat moss . Last year I survived a few hurricane type storms during the early renovation stage and made out fine.

To calculate lbs/persqft, I found a bag of Scotts KBG at my local HD and used there settings for a newly seeded lawn. Again worked out fine.

I have some pictures showing how my lawn looked RU`d and scalped.
Good luck

http://aroundtheyard.com/northern/kog-lawn- ... -t704.html

[eriocaulon]

Just use the slit seeder to do the soil prep. The rental units are notorious for not being calibrated. I would recommend drop/broadcast spreading afterwards.

[turf_toes]

I used the home depot Power Seeder (They don't rent slit seeders there). Here's my experience. If you lightly water your lawn the night before you seed with it, it will work fine. But if your ground is dry and hard (as mine was before watering), the little tongs on the front of the machine won't even dent the soil.

My brother-in-law five doors up from me used it to seed his yard on the day of my renovation. (he didn't water the night before hand, I did).

Watching him use it was a lesson in futility. It didn't even scratch the surface of the soil. On my yard though, it made nice little grooves. It was especially effective pulling it backward across the yard before I seeded. It really created some nice groove. Then I just used it in a forward fashion with the seed in the bin and it worked very nicely.

I suggest using a roller after you've seeded (rents for $20 for the day at HD).

All in all, I'd use it again. But knowing that you need to water before hand makes all the difference. (Please note I indicated you need to water a "little." If your ground is saturated, it will just be a mess and you won't be able to really use it then either.)

[skizot]

Make sure you criss-cross at a 45* angle. For example, go N to S (and S to N) across the entire lawn, and then go NW to SE (and SE to NW) across the entire lawn. After you've done that, use a regular broadcast/drop spreader to spread the seed. Then use a drum-type roller filled with about 25% water to press the seeds into the ground. I did this last fall at my folk's house and got pretty good results.

[MorpheusPA]

I spread my seeds after dethatching as well. The machine I used didn't have a hopper, but since I borrowed it free I can't complain.

Definitely criss-cross, and try never to go straight down a hill. I tried to keep the first cut parallel to the grade, with the cross-cuts running somewhat up/down grade. Spread the seed, topdress if you like, and then roll it.

Mine survived multiple heavy thunderstorms with no issues and came in very evenly.

[s1mpl3k1d]

so the slit seeder will just be used to cut slits and not drop seeds?

[s1mpl3k1d]

hey KOG, I read your link. What type of fertilizer do we put down at the same time as our seeds?

[kingofgreen]

hey KOG, I read your link. What type of fertilizer do we put down at the same time as our seeds?

I used Scotts starter fertilizer with crabgrass preventer when the seed were dropped.Then I feed the lawn bi weekly.With in 60 days I dropped another application of Scotts Starter with CG preventer, 2 weeks later a application of 46-0-0 (1/2lb per 1Ksqft) and 2 weeks after that another 1/2lb per 1Ksqft of urea.