A guideline for a good, firm seedbed is to have the soil firmed just enough so that you can walk over the field and leave a footprint only one-fourth inch deep. Drill planting is preferred to broadcasting. Drill planters place the seed at a uniform depth which improves seedling emergence. Of course the planting depth of the drill must be adjusted according to soil conditions and checked periodically during planting to make sure proper depth is maintained. Broadcast planting is often done when access to drill planters is limited.
Seed is sown through a broadcast spreader and covered with a drag or roller.
With this method seed may not be uniformly spread and it is difficult to maintain the proper depth when covering the seed. To compensate for these problems, broadcast seeding rates are usually 10 to 25 percent higher than for drill planting. Establishment with no-till drills also can be accomplished successfully as long as existing vegetation and weeds are controlled and soil fertility is adequate. No-till drills are designed to cut through sod, place the seed in the soil, then firm the soil over the seed by means of a press wheel. Planting depth should be checked frequently when no-till planting to prevent the drill from placing the seed too deep.