If you have a question about one of our grass seed products, want to know what to do when planting a wildflower meadow or how to maintain a lawn once you have sowed our seeds, then the chances are the answer will be here already. We have a wealth of knowledge to share in many specialist areas of grass seed so feel free to peruse our FAQs.
Here’s a concise and organised guide for sowing grass seed:
1. Prepare the Soil
– Dig the soil to a depth of 20-25 cm to loosen it up.
2. Remove Weeds
– Remove all weeds by hand or use an appropriate weed killer.
3. Add Topsoil (If Needed)
– If the soil is of poor quality or uneven, add topsoil to improve it.
4. Level the Soil
– Rake the area to create a smooth and level seedbed.
5. Wait and Cultivate
– Let the area sit for 10-14 days to allow dormant weeds to sprout.
– Remove any new weeds that appear during this period.
6. Sow the Grass Seed
– Spread the grass seed at a rate of 50g per m² using a seed spreader or by hand.
7. Incorporate the Seed
– Lightly rake the seeds into the soil to ensure good contact.
8. Firm the Soil
– Press the soil down by walking over it or using a roller to improve seed-to-soil contact.
9. Water Thoroughly
– Water the sown area well to help the seeds germinate.
For a more detailed guide, see our ‘How To Sow Grass Seed‘ guide.
Calculating Your Lawn’s Measurements
1. Measure Your Lawn:
– Break your lawn into manageable sections, such as squares, rectangles, circles, or triangles.
– Measure each section’s length and width (or radius for circles).
2. Calculate Area:
– For squares and rectangles: multiply length by width.
– For circles: multiply the radius by itself and then by π (approximately 3.14).
– For triangles: multiply the base by the height and then divide by 2.
3. Sum the Areas:
– Add the areas of all sections to get the total lawn area.
Using the Grass Seed Calculator
Once you have the total area of your lawn, use our handy grass seed calculator to determine how much seed you need. Enter the measurements into the calculator, and it will provide you with the exact amount of grass seed required for even coverage.
DIY Measuring Tips
Prefer to measure your yard yourself? Here are some helpful tips:
– Use a Measuring Tape: A long measuring tape is ideal for getting accurate measurements.
– Mark the Sections: Use stakes and string to outline sections of your lawn.
– Record Measurements: Write down the measurements of each section as you go.
– Double-Check: Re-measure if necessary to ensure accuracy.
By following these steps, you can measure your lawn accurately and purchase the right amount of grass seed for perfect coverage. For more information see our article – How much grass seed do I need?
For hardwearing lawns, you should consider grass seed mixes that include perennial ryegrass . This grass is well-suited to the UK climate and offers excellent durability and resilience, making it ideal for lawns that experience heavy use.
Recommended Grass Types for Hardwearing Lawns:
Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne):
- Durability: Extremely hardwearing and can tolerate heavy foot traffic.
- Germination: Fast germination and establishment.
- Maintenance: Requires regular mowing but is low maintenance overall.
- Appearance: Produces a lush, green lawn with a fine to medium texture.
- Suggested mixtures;
Basic Step-by-Step Guide to Overseeding a Lawn
1. Mow the Lawn
Mow your lawn to a shorter height than usual, about 1.5 to 2 inches, to allow the new seeds to reach the soil easily.
2. Remove Lawn Debris
Rake the lawn to remove clippings, dead grass, and other debris. This helps the new seeds make good contact with the soil.
3. Aerate the Lawn (if possible)
Use a lawn aerator to perforate the soil with small holes. This helps water, nutrients, and air reach the grass roots and creates a better environment for seed germination.
4. Address Bare Spots
If there are any bare patches, gently rake the soil in those areas to loosen it up.
5. Choose the Right Seed
Select a grass seed that matches your existing lawn type and local climate conditions. For a hardwearing lawn, consider a mix with perennial ryegrass.
6. Spread the Seed
Sow the grass seed evenly across the lawn. Use a seed spreader for large areas or spread by hand for smaller sections. Follow the recommended seeding rate on the package, typically around 35g per m².
7. Rake the Seed In
Lightly rake the lawn to help the seeds mix with the soil, ensuring better contact for germination.
8. Water the Lawn
Water the lawn thoroughly after overseeding. Keep the soil consistently moist until the new grass establishes. This usually means watering lightly once or twice a day, depending on weather conditions.
9. Fertilize (Optional)
Apply a starter fertilizer to provide essential nutrients for the new grass seedlings. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the correct application rate.
10. Avoid Heavy Use
Minimize foot traffic on the overseeded lawn until the new grass is well established, typically within 6-8 weeks.
11. Maintain the Lawn
Continue regular lawn maintenance, including mowing (once the grass reaches about 3 inches), watering, and fertilizing to support the growth of the new grass.
By following these steps, you can successfully overseed your lawn, leading to a thicker, healthier, and more resilient grass cover. See our overseeding guide for more information.
Aeration is a beneficial practice for maintaining a well-drained, healthy, and disease-free lawn. While not essential for all lawns, it can significantly improve lawn health under certain conditions. Here’s why and when you should consider aerating your lawn:
Benefits of Aeration
1. Improves Soil Drainage:
– Helps water, air, and nutrients penetrate deep into the soil, promoting root growth.
2. Reduces Soil Compaction:
– Relieves compaction caused by heavy traffic, allowing roots to spread more freely.
3. Enhances Nutrient Uptake:
– Improves the effectiveness of fertilizers by allowing them to reach the root zone.
4. Promotes Healthier Grass:
– Encourages a stronger, more resilient lawn that can better withstand stress from drought, pests, and diseases.
When to Aerate Your Lawn
1. Heavy Traffic Areas:
– If your lawn experiences a lot of foot traffic from kids and pets, it likely suffers from soil compaction. Aerating these areas can help alleviate compaction and improve grass health.
2. Seasonal Drying and Waterlogging:
– Lawns that dry out easily in summer or become waterlogged during wetter months, particularly those with clay soils, benefit greatly from aeration. It helps improve water movement and reduces the risk of waterlogging.
3. Moss Build-Up:
– A substantial build-up of moss over winter can indicate poor drainage and compaction. Regular aeration can help prevent moss by improving soil conditions.
How to Aerate Your Lawn
1. Choose the Right Time:
– The best times to aerate are during the growing seasons – early spring or autumn. This allows the grass to recover quickly and fill in the aeration holes.
2. Select an Aerator:
– Use a garden fork for small areas or a mechanical aerator for larger lawns. Spike aerators create holes by pushing spikes into the ground, while core or plug aerators remove small plugs of soil.
3. Prepare Your Lawn:
– Mow the lawn and water it lightly a day or two before aerating. This softens the soil, making aeration easier.
4. Aerate Evenly:
– Aerate the entire lawn evenly, focusing more on high-traffic areas and spots with poor drainage. For core aeration, leave the soil plugs on the surface to decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
Regular Aeration
Frequency: For most lawns, annual aeration is sufficient. Lawns with heavy traffic or clay soil may benefit from aeration twice a year.
By incorporating regular aeration into your lawn maintenance routine, you can ensure a healthier, more resilient lawn that stands up to the challenges of heavy use, seasonal changes, and potential disease issues. For more information please read our article Do I Need to Aerate My Lawn?
The best time to sow grass seed in the UK is during early autumn, from late August to October. The soil is warm from summer, which promotes germination, and there is typically enough rainfall to keep the soil moist. Alternatively, late spring, from mid-April to early June, is also suitable as the soil warms up after winter. Sowing in these periods ensures optimal growth conditions, allowing the grass to establish before the heat of summer or the cold of winter. Avoiding extreme weather conditions during these times helps in successful seed germination and root development.
For further guidance see our article, When to plant grass seed in the UK?
For the UK, the most hard-wearing grass seed species is perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Renowned for its durability and rapid establishment, perennial ryegrass is an excellent choice for areas with high foot traffic, such as sports fields, playgrounds, and lawns. It is resilient to wear and tear, recovers quickly, and can withstand varied weather conditions, making it particularly suitable for the UK’s temperate climate.
Additionally, it has good disease resistance and thrives in a range of soil types, ensuring lush, green coverage. For even better performance, mixes often include fescues (Festuca species) like strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra rubra) or chewings fescue (Festuca rubra commutata). These fescues complement ryegrass by enhancing the lawn’s density, shade tolerance, and overall appearance. Combining perennial ryegrass with these fescues provides a robust, aesthetically pleasing, and resilient lawn that can endure the UK’s diverse weather patterns and heavy use.
For a newly seeded lawn, you should wait until the grass reaches about 3 inches in height before mowing. This usually occurs around 4 to 6 weeks after seeding, depending on the grass type and growing conditions. Here are a few more tips:
1. Ensure the Grass is Well-Established: Make sure the grass has developed strong roots and is growing vigorously. Mowing too early can stress the young grass and disrupt its development.
2. Use a Sharp Mower Blade: When you do mow, use a sharp blade to ensure a clean cut and avoid pulling up the young grass.
3. Mow on a Dry Day: Avoid mowing when the grass is wet, as this can lead to uneven cutting and may cause damage.
4. Don’t Cut Too Short: Follow the “one-third rule” by cutting no more than one-third of the grass height at a time. This helps avoid stressing the lawn and promotes healthier growth.
By following these guidelines, you can help ensure that your new lawn establishes well and grows robustly. For more information see our article on ‘When is the right time to mow?‘
Fertilising a newly seeded lawn is important for promoting healthy growth, but timing is crucial to avoid overwhelming the young grass. Here’s a general guideline for when and how to fertilise your new lawn:
1. Initial Fertilisation
Pre-Seeding Application: If you applied a starter fertiliser before seeding, it should provide the initial nutrients needed for germination and early growth.
2. Post-Seeding Fertilisation
Wait Until the Grass is Established: After seeding, wait until the grass has grown to about 3 to 4 inches in height, has established some roots and has been mown several times. This usually takes about 8 to 12 weeks.
First Application: Apply a fertiliser about 8 to 12 weeks after seeding. A balanced spring and summer fertiliser is generally recommended for new lawns.
Avoid Over-Fertilising: Apply the fertiliser according to the label instructions to avoid burning the young grass. For more advice see our guide to applying fertiliser.
