When growing a new lawn from seed, the right preparation can usually deliver fantastic results, and is cheaper and easier than laying turf. At A1 Lawn, our vast range of grass seed, including our Premiership Pro Grass Seed and Multi Purpose Grass Seed, are all able to achieve high standards.
Sowing a new lawn with grass seed ensures you avoid having a patchy lawn – it’s the last thing you want when you’ve spent the time, money and energy getting the grass to grow in the first place. Adding that extra grass seed to a new lawn gives it the best chance of looking full-bodied rather than threadbare. It’s like adding that second coat of nail polish or extra layer of paint when decorating – it provides a brighter, fuller, richer result.
Grass seed can be sown all year round but you should ensure that there is little to no chance of frost. Early spring and autumn are the best times to sow new grass seed. Firstly, the soil temperature should be above the 7 degrees Celsius threshold that grass seed needs to germinate and, secondly, there is plenty of moisture from rainfall in these periods. That doesn't mean you can't sow seed in the warmer months but there might be a requirement for you to do more watering if it's particularly dry or warm. A frost doesn't mean that you will lose all the seed, but it could certainly reduce the percentage of germination and undermine all your hard work!
Read our 5-step process for sowing a new lawn with grass seed, packed with expert tips to give your lawn the best chance to thrive.
To prepare soil for a new lawn, the ground should not be too compacted and the top 1 to 2 inches should be worked to a fine tilth. The area also needs to be level and free of any weeds or large stones.
We recommend Pre-Seed and Pre-Turf Fertiliser (NPK 6-9-6), the ideal lawn feed to prepare your soil for new seed growth. This feed needs to be put down around one week before the seed and, if there has been no rainfall, watered into the area a couple of times. The pre-seed fertiliser is completely child and pet-friendly so there are no real precautions that need to be taken. However, as with any new area, the more that it can be left undisturbed, the better the results. Keep the area moist as much as possible! If there has been no rainfall for a couple of days, water the area using a fine spray (evenings are always best as you will lose the least amount of moisture to direct sunshine). If you choose the warmer months to sow seed, then the area will need watering every evening if possible.
Once you have an even distribution of product, it needs to be worked into the top 1-2 inches of soil. This is vitally important with the seed as it will greatly reduce any 'bird take' and it will also help the seed keep in contact with the soil and the moisture contained within it. A good way of doing this is by using the back of a rake and gently riddling the soil until the majority of the seed has disappeared into the surface. At this stage, the area will benefit from some form of compaction. If you don't have access to a roller, then a good tip is to go over the area with a plank or similar wide board, putting down as much pressure as possible to compact the surface.
When calculating how much seed to put down, it’s worth marking out a smaller area first and applying the relevant quantities to that area. This will give you a good visual guide as to what the desired distribution should look like. For example, most grass seed goes down at a rate of 35g/m2 (as do many of our lawn fertilisers), so mark out a piece of ground 2m x 2m and then weigh out 4 x 35g of product and put it on the area. It's worth noting at this point that the products (i.e. seed, fertiliser) should go down 'as supplied' and not mixed with any additional aggregates.
The seed can take anywhere between 7 and 21 days to germinate, depending on soil temperatures and moisture levels. It can be frustrating waiting for this to happen, but as long as you have followed the previous steps, it will germinate. Leave the area undisturbed for as long as possible (whilst keeping it moist). Give the new seed time to grow and establish – the better chance you give it in its early development, the better results will be achieved in the long term. When sowing a new area, it is almost impossible to avoid disturbing the odd seeds of weeds that have been lying dormant in the area and have been 'woken up' by the working of the topsoil. Again, don't panic as these can be treated with a selective weed killer or granular weed, feed and moss killer at a later date.
When the new grass has reached a length of around 2–3 inches, it's time to give it its first cut. The main thing to note at this point is not to cut it too short. Only take the top inch or so off the tips of the grass and leave plenty of growth, as overcutting could seriously damage the new blades and lead to considerable die-back. Some seed may still be waiting to germinate. Over the coming weeks, this will lead to the lawn becoming thicker and more lush, so it's worth giving the area a bit of time before you consider over-seeding any bare patches.
If you have any pre-seed fertiliser left over, then it will not go to waste. Giving the area added nutrients several weeks after its first germination will help promote the root system and lead to a healthier lawn in the long term. If after several weeks there does appear to be barer patches, then this is usually down to slight variations in the level of the original seedbed or in the distribution of the seed itself. Don't panic at this point, as these areas can be easily over-seeded by spiking them and sowing new seed (again, remembering to keep these areas moist). If this is required then a good tip is to mix the seed with some top dressing or sand as this will give the seed something to hold moisture against and lead to a more even distribution.
Having the right seeds for the right season is crucial for healthy lawn growth. Discover the varieties that are the best match for spring, summer, autumn and winter. Not sure on the best time to sow your seeds or which seeds are in-season? Luckily, there are all-season lawn seed varieties that offer year-round resilience for lawns. We recommend the A1 Lawn – 4 Seasons Pro Grass Seed, thanks to its hard-wearing properties and ability to germinate in soil as cold as 5°C. Bear in mind that the pre-seed lawn fertiliser should be used in spring, summer or autumn only (March–October) – avoid using in winter.
If you are looking to sow new seed, feed your lawn or want any additional advice, please get in touch with our friendly and expert team. We are more than happy to provide as much information as you need to achieve your lawn goals. You can contact us by phone on 0800 4118141 or by email at sales@a1lawn.co.uk.
