Secrets of a best kept lawn

When to sow the seed:

There are really only two times of year to grow a lawn from seed, Mid-Spring or Mid-Autumn, these are the best times for the seed to germinate easily, ideally you don’t need it not too hot and not too wet! The ideal ground for seed to germinate is for the soil to be moist and warm. Rain will help germinate the seed but you don’t want too much of it else it will be a wash out, quite literally.

How to sow the seed:

First things first you need to prepare your soil:

• Remove any weeds, stones, and any old grass roots so that you are left with just soil
• Cultivate the soil and leave to settle for a few days
• Tread in your soil – give it a good walking over in different directions
• Give the soil a good rake in several directions, then smooth it to a consistent level across the area
• A few days before you plan to sow the seed add some fertiliser to the soil

Seeding:

Depending on the size of the area you have to seed you may want to invest in a lawn spreader – this will remove the mathematics and ensure even coverage. Lawn spreaders vary in price from as little as £22 up to the high £100’s. It is worth doing your research on this one if you plan to invest. We think Scotts are the best DIY seed and fertiliser spreaders. Here is a link to the pros and cons to the different type of Scotts spreaders. https://easylawnmowing.co.uk/best-lawn-spreaders/

If you have a reasonably sized space that can be sown without the use of a lawn spreader you can simply use bamboo cane or something of a similar ilk to demarcate the area for coverage.

• Give your box of seed a good shake up
• Spread the seed at 25g per square metre (double check what the box of seed says too)
• Scatter seed in both directions to ensure even coverage
• Lightly rake over so the majority of the seed is mixed into the soil
• Water in if there is no rain due in a few days, if rain is due let the rain do the watering for better germination!
• Your seed generally takes around two weeks to start showing.

Photo by Adam Frazier on Unsplash

Best brands for seed:

There are several brands of seed on the market and it really depends on the type of lawn you want and the ground you have. We are all guilty of popping into the local nursey or garden outlet and just picking up a box of grass seed not knowing what you have brought as long as it grows. Whether you want low maintenance – hard wearing or something more on the side of lush – ornamental, the quality of the seed you purchase is going to be a key factor to getting the right end result.

Things to consider when choosing seed for your new garden:

• Is your garden shaded or in sunlight? Or both
• What soil type do you have?
• How much seed do you need? Check your square footage
• How quickly do you want to see the results? (some seed takes longer to grow than others)
  
  

Dave’s favourite seed brand:

Pro Master 51.

How to look after the seed:

Once your seed is sown it’s really important to apply the right aftercare to ensure the seeds take well and grow into your lush new lawn.

1. Water regularly if it’s very dry, if it’s normal conditions then every few days is fine – it’s important not to overwater
2. If any weeds appear gently remove them by hand
3. Once the lawn has reached approximately 5cm in height you can cut it with a lawn mower