Summer's end is the time for cosmetic surgery. By "overseeding," you can restore that bedraggled mess to its former glory. Just follow these simple directions.

Cut and De-Thatch.
Set the mower blade at 2-inches and bag the clippings. Then de-thatch thoroughly so that bare ground is showing.

Buy the Correct Seed.
If you aren't sure what seed to buy, check with a local nursery. Grass seed varieties are designed for specific conditions: sun, shade, partial shade, damp soil, etc. Choosing the WRONG seed is common. Don't make that mistake. It reduces your chances of success and can drastically increase your lawn maintenance time.

Spread New Seed.
The amount of seed to apply depends on the condition of your lawn. Using a rotary spreader, such as the Spyker-Cyclone, the following rates and settings apply for a "60/40" lawn (60% grass-40% weeds). If your lawn is a real disaster area, use TWICE the amount of seed recommended here and REPEAT. Start at the lawn edges and work your way in.

Bluegrass

1-plus pounds per 1,000 square feet at a spreader setting of 3-plus.

Tall Fescue: 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet at a spreader setting of 7. Perennial Ryegrass: 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet with the spreader set at 7. Fine Fescue: 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet at a spreader setting of 6. Rough Bluegrass: 1 1/2 pounds per 1,000 square feet at a setting of 3 1/4. Add Seed and Humus to Bare Spots. After spreading seed, go back to bare spots and scatter additional seed by hand. Then spread some peat humus or Compro over the exposed seed. Drizzle more seed by hand over the humus, patting into the soil. DON'T shovel soil or cover the seed in these areas. Mist the Lawn Daily. On the day of seeding, thoroughly soak the lawn to carry seed down to the soil. Next day, if it didn't rain in the meantime, mist the lawn for EXACTLY four minutes for each 1,000 square feet. This is critical--excess water during germination will kill the new plants. Continue misting daily (or every second day after a rain) until the new sprouts come up. Seed will continue to germinate for another week, so continue misting. Stay Off the New Grass and Fertilize. When you aren't misting, STAY OFF the new grass. After the grass is established and before cold weather sets in, fertilize the entire lawn.