lawn seed - sowing grass seed

Lawn Seed – Best Time To Sow & Grow?

This advice will help you choose the correct Lawn Seed and explain how best to sow your seed to achieve the best results.

Having a great looking lawn is something that most of us are proud of. If you’re seeding a lawn from scratch or simply overseeding an existing lawn then our grass seed product range will cater for all your needs. Sowing grass seed rather than turfing is a cost effective way to achieve your perfect lush green lawn, which is easier for slops and corners. You do not need any special tools just a normal fork and rake should be sufficient.

When Should You Sow The Lawn Seed?

Timing is important, usually mid to late March all the way through to mid to late October. During periods of dry hot weather the ground should be kept moist with regular soaking of water. For best results try to avoid sowing during the main summer months.

How Do I Know Which Lawn Seed I Should Purchase?

Choosing the right seed mixture needn’t be a worrying task. We have simplified our range so that you only need to do a few simple checks. We have seed blends for drought, shade and for a fine ornamental lawn. The most common choices of seed which fits most people is a hardwearing family seed mixture. This mixture contains the best rye grass for durability and easy of growth.

How Do I Prepare The Soil For My New Lawn Seed?

Before you sow any seed it’s best to remove any old or dead grass, sift out loose stones; weeds and roughly level. Fork over the area you intend to seed and finally rake level to a fine finish. Compact the area by walking and pressing your heels into the ground and rake once more. Approximately 3 days before you intend to seed the area it is advised to lightly rake and as in a granular fertiliser.

How To Sow Your Lawn Seed By Hand?

Marking out the area to be sown into square metres to make application easier and methodical. Mix up your box or bag of seed to ensure you have a good mixed variety. A good guide is to allow 50g of seed per square metre (always check the guide on the box or bag you have purchased). Weigh out the seed into 1 metre square portions. It’s advised to split each portion in half and scatter in one direction; spread the rest in the opposite direction. Finally once you have spread all the seed lightly rake the area and water the ground thoroughly using a fine spray ensuring you do not disturb the new seed spread.

How To Sow Your Lawn Seed Using A Drop Spreader?vitax growmore drop spreader

It’s best to mark out your area to be sown into square metres. Mix up your box or bag of seed to ensure you have a good mixed variety. Make sure the flow lever is closed and fill the hopper (always check the guide on the box or bag you have purchased) of your drop spreader to the required level and move the drop spreader to the front edge of the lawn, open the flow lever and push the spreader for three paces of your normal walking speed

What Aftercare Should I Do For My New Lawn?

You may need to protect your newly sown lawn from animals like birds by placing a netting over the area. Try to avoid walking on the area and mark the area as a reminder to people not to walk on it. Ensure you water the area regularly and do not allow the ground to dry up also feel the ground to test how moist it is. Remove any weeds that appear carefully, the grass will suppress theses as it fills in. Finally when the new lawn reaches approximately 5cm / 2inches high cut with a rotary lawn mower to half it’s height. Remove the clippings by raking carefully. Continue to do this method 4 to 5 more times.

The research for this advice was taken from the BBC website.