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Spring is the ideal time to revive a dull, damaged lawn and it can be done by sowing fresh grass seed. Whether it’s done on bare soil or to overseed patches on existing turf, it’s an easy way to refresh any garden. And according to a lawn expert, there are a few things that can be done to speed up the process.
Seeing those first green shoots pop up on the lawn is a welcoming and rewarding sign of a job well done after sowing grass seed, but the exact timings can vary across the UK.
Timothy Greene at iCANLAWN.com said: “How long it takes grass to grow in the UK depends on the conditions outside and the prep work you put in place before planting the seed.
“In the right conditions, grass seed should start to sprout up within seven to 10 days in the UK. This doesn’t mean all your grass seed will shoot up at once.
“Instead, it means you will likely see a hue of green across your sown area. For your grass seed to grow, there are a few things you’ll need to get right first!”
While Timothy noted that “the key to a beautiful lawn” is preparation, it starts with something simple – weeding and moss removal.
Before doing anything, always take time to pull weeds out from the root and scrape away surface moss. Levelling out the lawn can also help before sprinkling and raking the seeds in.
But when it comes to sowing the seeds, preparation is useless without choosing the right kind.
The lawn expert said: “Choosing the right grass seed for the area where you plan to sow will also be a key factor in how well it grows initially and how it continues to grow throughout the years in your garden. For example, if your lawn gets a lot of shade – you’ll need specialist seeds that will grow in these conditions.”
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For clay soils that are boggy in winter and dry or cracked in the summer, a grass seed mix full of tolerant seeds is ideal.
To “quicken the process”, Timothy recommended using a pre-seed feeding product that will give seedlings the “best foundation for growth”.
But while extra preparation will encourage a “luscious lawn”, there are still things to consider when the grass begins to sprout.
The lawn expert said: “Like most other plants, grass seed needs heat, sunlight and water to grow, and all of these things need to be in perfect balance.
“This means temperatures of 10 degrees and above for all grass seed types, with no frost, snow or extremely hot weather forecast in the first two weeks after sowing.”
Balancing the temperature and watering schedule is the most crucial step to getting new seeds off to the “best start”, so you should dedicate time to watering it every day for the first six weeks after sowing.
According to Timothy, this is regardless of whether the lawn is entirely new or overseeded on existing turf.
And once the grass starts to grow, patience is key to yield the best results.
The lawn expert noted that even if it appears patchy, gardeners shouldn’t worry.
He said: “New grass doesn’t all shoot up at once. Instead, it will grow in stages – so you may notice some areas of your lawn are fuller than others. This can be due to the availability of light, heat and water in these areas.
“However, by the six to eight-week mark after sowing, your lawn should be fully grown with all these sparse areas filled in. When your grass hits 5-7cm in height, you can give it the first mow on your lawn mower’s highest setting.”
After this, it can be reduced to a normal setting in order to keep the lawn height between 10-20mm for ornamental purposes, and 20-40mm if it’s frequently used.
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