Why was that lawn "scalped?"

Why was lime applied with the clover seed?

Talk with the people at your local office of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service about how to care for a lawn.

kimmq is kimmsr

The lawn was mowed short so that the seed would contact soil. The source of the clover seed recommended spreading it with the pellitized lime or sand or compost for ease of spreading, since clover seeds are so tiny.

The only thing scalping the grass will do is weaken the existing turf grass and allow unwanted plant growth (aka "weeds") to gain a foothold. I have never had a problem with any seed not getting into contact with the soil when turf grass was 4 inches tall.

Did the lawn need any lime? Or sand? Compost would have been okay although probably not really needed at the time of seeding. Fall would be the best time to apply lime. People selling stuff will often tell you to do things that do not need to be done, especially if they can sell you more product.

That seed, unless eaten by birds, voles, chipmunks, etc., will stay put and germinate when conditions are right for germination.

kimmq is kimmsr

I didn't cut the grass short just to expose the soil to the new seed. I did it to give an advantage to the clover. That said, I just inspected the areas I had to fill in and have been watering, and saw a nice growth of either crabgrass or maybe Japanese stilt grass? I do get the message -- feed the soil, mow high, hand weed where I can't stand it.. I will get there!

Is there an ignore button?