When Should I Put My New Grass Seed Down
When it comes to putting down grass seeds, timing matters. The right time to plant grass seeds depends on the type of turfgrass, and where you live. Getting the timing right will increase your chances of growing a successful lawn.
The growth cycles and regional climate preferences vary across lawn grasses. For example, warm-season grasses such as Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass, and Zoysia grass grow vigorously during the warmer temperatures of late spring and early summer.
Contrarily, cool-season grasses such as perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass peak in growth during the cool temperatures of late summer and early fall.
Whether you grow warm-season or cool-season grasses, planting seeds at a time that optimizes on your grass types natural periods of peak growth helps seeds germinate and establish quickly.
What’s The Hardest Wearing Grass Seed For My Lawn
To create hard wearing lawns, use the best grass seed available for the job. Perennial ryegrass is used for the very toughest applications, premiership football pitches, showgrounds, racetracks etc.
Over recent years, new varieties of amenity perennial ryegrass have been cultivated to produce finer leaves in order to produce attractive, lush green lawns. These hard-wearing grass seeds are fast growing with tough strong leaves. The roots are thick and fibrous which helps it survive against damage. As ryegrass is a crowning species, it doesn’t require much ongoing lawn maintenance such as ‘thinning out’ or close mowing which makes it ideal for creating strong, multi-purpose lawns that can still achieve the classic ‘lawn stripe’ appearance.
Our toughest lawn mixtures such as Childs Play, Hardwearing and Premier combine the strength of perennial ryegrass with other species such as slender and strong creeping red fescue which thicken the sward and bind the turf. This produces a tough lawn which stands up to the demands of modern life. This is perfect for high traffic areas, creating child friendly lawns and to help to reduce damage caused by dogs.
Ryegrass is the most competitive and fastest growing grass seed species, which makes it ideal to repair lawn damage or overseed thinning lawns. Our Renovator seed includes a blend of three quality perennial ryegrass varieties, proven to repair lawn damage fast.
Best Grass Seed For Alternative Lawns
As sustainability gains traction with property owners, many are looking for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional lawns. There is a desire to reduce chemical applications, conserve water, and create backyard habitat space. The no-mow lawn encompasses a range of approaches including a selection of grasses that naturally stay low without mowing and incorporating non-grass plants that provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Xeriscape landscapes incorporate limited traditional lawn-grass areas where they serve an identified function but may use different grass species to fulfill the role of lawn grass.
The best solutions for alternative lawns incorporate a blend of local native grasses, wildflowers, and herbs that stay under 12 inches tall.
Finding the best grass seed for your lawn depends on a number of factors. With these tips in mind, youll be able to grow a flourishing, gorgeous lawn.
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What Types Of Different Grass Seeds Are There
Understanding the different species of grass seed is key to picking the best seed for your lawn
Not all grass seeds are suitable for use on domestic lawns, some varieties are used for grazing live stock, seed for agricultural use and other grass seeds used for general amenity, landscaping and finally our beloved domestic garden lawns.
Here are some of my favourite grass seed varieties used in lawns
- Dwarf Perennial Ryegrass
- Bent Grass
Does Your Lawn See Plenty Of Play
If your lawn is actively used by kids, pets or both, stick with Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass in the North and bermudagrass, zoysiagrass or tall fescue in the South. These grasses recover quickly from wear and tear.
Traffic-tolerant options like Scotts Turf Builder High Traffic Grass Seed in the North and Pennington Bermudagrass Seed in the South may be the ticket. Stay away from northern mixes that contain more than 25 percent fine fescue, which isnt traffic tolerant.
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Is It Really Warm Where You Live
Bermudagrass is the seed of choice in the South. It feels right at home when temperatures reach 90 degrees F, and it hardly whimpers when the mercury exceeds 100 F. Look for new, improved varieties like Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass. Other grasses best suited for hotter climates are zoysia grass and tall fescue. Stay away from old tall fescue types like K31.
Why Isnt My Grass Thriving
Most turf grass enjoys good drainage, so that could be an issue. Regularly spiking the lawn with a suitable tool will help. If there is somewhere for the water to seep, it may be worth installing a drainage system. But to start all over again or when creating a new lawn, add sharp sand and topsoil that is rich in organic matter.
Peter Landschoot, Professor of Turfgrass Science at Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, also advises being careful about which seed or sod you buy: Don’t rely on brand names or choose a seed because the bag says it’s a sun or shade mix. Read the label to learn the grass species included, the percentage of each seed and the date of the germination test. For best results, the test date should be within nine months of purchase. The germination percentage should be at least 80 percent preferably higher.
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How Much Grass Seed Should I Buy
3 min read
How much grass seed should I buy?
Turf Online offer a range of different grass seed mixes for gardeners who prefer to grow their lawn from seed rather than turf it.
But how do you work out how much seed to buy?
Here are some handy hints and tips.
Grass seed. A little goes a long way so dont sow too thickly
What is the sowing rate for grass seed?
To make a lawn from seed, you need to sow 25-30g of grass seed per square metre. If you are over-seeding to renovate an existing lawn or sports field, 15-25g/m2 is plenty.
If you know the area of the lawn-to-be, you will be able to calculate your seed requirements.
How do I calculate the area of my lawn?
The easiest way to calculate the area of a lawn is to measure its length and width and type the results into our turf calculator on the home page of the Stewarts Turf website
This will do all the calculations for you, but it will then ask you to go ahead and choose a grade of turf.
Its probably quicker to do the sums yourself though.
Calculating the seed requirement for a square or rectangular lawn
Measure the length and the width of the lawn in metres. For accuracy, always use a measuring tape and measure at least twice just to check that you did get it right first time.
Multiply the length by the width to find the area in square metres and then multiply that figure by 0.03 Kg to find out how much seed youll need.
For over-seeding, calculate the area then multiply by 0.025 Kg.
As an example
The area is,
Which Seeds Are Better Suited To Uk Garden Soil
The soil found in gardens in the UK varies a little from place to place, but the most common are clay, loam, and sand. How can you tell which one you have in your garden? Well, you can go get your hands dirty, as in literally.
- If you grab a handful of your wet soil and it feels like you could manipulate and shape it like kids playdough or plasticine, then its a fair bet that youre dealing with clay soil and youll want to look at the The Grass People seed. In summer, when clay soil dries out, it is likely to show cracks on the surface.
Grass seed mixes that do well in clay soil are ones that contain perennial ryegrass, due to its extremely hardy nature, and fescues that root deep down in the soil, such as tall fescue.
- On the other hand, if you find that your garden soil wont clump together at all and simply slips through your fingers, youre probably dealing with sandy soil. This kind of soil doesnt hold moisture or nutrients like clay soil does, and so youll need grass seed that is drought tolerant and I wouldnt mind recommending looking at the GBW grass seed.
From my experience, the only types of grass that is a reliable grower in sandy soil are fescue variants. Strong creeping red fescue is a good choice, but you have to be patient with this slow germinating seed. Other good options are chewings fescue, and Sheeps fescue, which wont mind the lack of nutrients.
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Annual Vs Perennial Grass Which One Should You Choose
Youre probably thinking that perennial grass is right for you, because it offers longer turf life.
Perennial grasses require more attention than annual grasses, meaning proper irrigation and frequent mowing.
Perennial grass seeds are also more expensive than annual grass seeds, but on a brighter note live longer, so your investment will last a few years.
Annual grasses grow in a few weeks, but perennial grasses can take up to an entire year to begin growing.
So, the big question is whether to choose annual or perennial grass seed, and the answer is it completely depends on you!
If youre looking for quick growthlets say to cover up some bare patches in your lawn, planting annual grass seeds is a great option.
But, if youre looking for steady, long-term growth, and dont mind paying a higher price, perennial grass seeds wont disappoint.
Learn More
Still curious? Click here to learn about the main differences between Annual Ryegrass & Perennial Ryegrasss.
Consider Your Specific Grass Seed Needs
Once you understand the basics, its time to get specific. Lets take a look at what to consider when deciding which grass seeds are right for your yard.
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How much sun does your yard get? Look for a seed variety or mix that is full-sun tolerant if your yard gets six hours or more of direct sunlight each day.
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Are there any shady spots underneath trees? Or is the whole yard shaded? Its admittedly tough to grow grass in a heavily shaded area, but there are varieties that tolerate partial shade, meaning just a few hours of sunlight per day.
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Do you have dogs? Dogs might be mans best friend, but they are definitely not your lawns good buddy. While there are varieties of grass that tolerate dog urine better than others, if you really want your lawn to look nice, consider training your pooch to use a small patch of artificial turf or a gravel area fenced off just for him.
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Does your lawn get heavy foot traffic? While any variety of lawn grass should tolerate at least light foot traffic, some varieties are much more forgiving than others. If you have kids that play outdoors, youll want a grass blend specifically geared towards heavy use.
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Are you just patching up holes or damage? If your lawn is mostly in good shape, but you want to fill in a few small holes or damaged spots, youll find a wide range of seed blends mixed with fertiliser to quickly cover the spot with new grass.
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Whats The Best Grass Seed For Your Yard Its Complicated
If you love the look of a lush green lawn but dont have one, the easiest and most affordable way to get one is with grass seed. Which type of grass seed should you choose, though? The answer is complicated, because there are over a half-dozen grass species that are traditionally used for lawns, plus nontraditional types used in no-mow and xeriscape landscapes. To help you find the best grass seed for you, well break the answer down to three categories: Warm-season grasses, cool-season grasses, and nontraditional grasses. Well start with a few pointers on growing and maintaining lawn grass regardless of where you are.
Wildlife Friendly Grass Seed
Westland Lawn Meadow
Westland Lawn Meadow is a lovely option for an area of the garden that you are happy to let run a little wilder. It contains a unique blend of 20 types of wildflower and lawn seeds mixed with soil granules that can simply be scattered and watered in. As well as perennial ryegrass, the mix also includes poppies , ox-eye daisies , cornflowers and Viper’s bugloss , plus other flowers that should attract bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects and increase the biodiversity of your garden.
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What Is The Order Of Jobs When Sowing Grass Seed
Detailed sowing instructions are included with all grass seed orders.
Do not use lawn weed killer for 2 months before or after seeding.
New lawns and patching
- Ferrous sulphate as 2nd optional treatment for moss
- Aerate within a day or so
- Add seed as soon as possible or after 2 days of using ferrous sulphate
- Add seasonal fertiliser on the same day or very shortly after
- If top dressing, then seed and fertilise in your preferred order usually on the same day
How To Choose The Best Grass Seed For Your Lawn
Growing grass from seed is an affordable way to start a lush, healthy lawn. But you need to start with the right seed. What is the best grass seed? It depends on where you live, the conditions in your yard, and how you ultimately want the yard to look. Cool season grasses give a soft, deep green appearance, while warm season grasses are known for dense green growth and uniform tan coverage in winter. There are several kinds of each to choose from. Read on to learn how to choose grass seed for your unique situation.
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Plant And Fertilize Your Grass Seed
With your soil ready, its time to lay down the seeds.
For planting grass seed in small areas, hand-seeding is fine. For larger areas, youll want to use a seeder. They can be hand cranked, chest mounted or push-from-behind models. Another option is a drop seeder, which drops seeds directly below. They are a good choice for small areas and are more precise than the rotary models. There are more expensive commercial seeding options as well.
Follow the instructions on the seed bag, but you generally want 15-20 seeds per square inch. Make a couple of test runs, aiming for half of that number since you are going to make two passes with your seeder. If the seeders lowest setting is too generous with the seed, thin it out with sand or vermiculite.
Once you get the distribution setting right, make two passes across your lawn area. If you go north-south on the first pass, go east-west on the second. Broadcasting the seed from two angles gives seed the best chance to spread evenly.
We call it the seed-soil contact, said University of Illinois Extension office educator Richard Hentschel. You want good seed-soil contact. If the seed and soil are not in intimate contact, the little root radicle may die out before it hits the soil. The radicle is the first root to emerge from a seed.
Rake the seeded surface lightly to mix the grass seed and fertilizer in the top 1/8-inch of soil. If you have access to one, roll using an empty roller to improve the germination rate.
Grass Seed For A Fine Lawn
A1 Lawn AM Pro 7 Fine Blade Grass Seed
A1 Lawn AM Pro 7 Fine Blade Grass Seed is an excellent choice for a lush, green and fine lawn that is more for admiring than playing on a front lawn, for example. The mix contains mostly fescues: 45% chewings fescue, 30% strong creeping red fescue, 20% slender creeping red fescue and 5% browntop bent.
The resulting lawn will tolerate shorter mowing and should also grow more slowly than other grass seed mixes. Germination takes from 12-28 days.
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Help Understanding The Best Grass Seed For Your Lawn
If I could give you a simple answer to that question, then believe me I would, but its a tad more complicated than it first seems so apologies in advance for the length of this but there is quite a few considerations believe it or not!
There are literally dozens of different grass seed cultivars out there, each with their own properties that make them great for some gardens, and not so great for others. Explaining the differences between them all would take forever, but to make things simpler, we can break things down into the most commonly used grass species for lawns in the UK. Youll find that most bags of grass seed that you buy will be a combination of these types of seeds:
Best Grass Seed For Warm
Warm-season grasses originated in tropical regions, so they are a great choice for the intense sunlight and hot temperatures of the Southern United States. They grow best between 75 and 90 F. When soil temperatures drop, they go dormant and turn brown. This lasts from late fall to early spring when the soil warms. The major grasses in this category include bahia grass, Bermuda grass, centipede grass, St. Augustine grass, and zoysia grass.
Bahia and St. Augustine grassesare limited to the mild winters and sandy soils of Southern California, Florida, and the Gulf Coast area.
Bermuda, centipede, and zoysia grasses grow further north, into a zone where warm and cool-season grasses overlap.
- Centipede is suitable for the moist Southeast, but due to its shallow roots it should not be planted in arid regions.
- Zoysia is tolerant of dry conditions, but it is susceptible to damage from an extended drought.
- Bermuda is the most widely adapted of the warm-season grasses in terms of temperature and drought tolerance.
Plant warm-season grass seed in late spring or early summer, when the soil temperature is at least 65 F, and the daytime high air temperature consistently reaches above 70 F. Water the seeds lightly after planting to ensure good soil contact. Water daily to keep the soil from crusting until the seeds germinate, which should be within two weeks.
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