Sowing Lawn Seed
New Lawns - Soil Preparation
Firstly start by removing all stones, weeds and any other debris from which area you would like to sow
Lawn drainage is important when preparing a new lawn, dig the area over as deep as you can (This helps to break up any compacted soil and adds oxygen) a badly drained lawn may affect the grass growth.
Grade your lawn by leveling any uneven patches, add top soil where needed
If the soil appears to be heavy, use peat to break it down, this retains more moisture and nutrients to help your lawn germinate.
Rake over the area ensuring a fine finish
Roll the area slightly to prevent any uneven drops in the soil.
Final rake before sowing.
Sowing the Seed
Seed can be sown from mid-March to early October.
To work out how much seed is needed, measure the area in metres, multiply area by sowing rate (35-50grams per m for new lawns), divide results by 1000 to get weight of seed required (kg's)
Divide your lawn in to manageable sections, then divide the seed accordingly use half the amount of seed for each section going left to right then front to back, this will ensure the seed bed has an even coverage. A spreader can be used for larger areas
When the seed has been sown, rake in slightly and water.
To ensure seed has good contact with the soil, roll the area.
First watering is very important, make sure you apply the water lightly to the soil, so you don't wash the seed away or create puddles.
Caring for your New Lawn
Make sure the soil is always kept moist, don't exceed too much water, this could cause the seed to rot.
Always check the colour of the soil at regular intervals, if the soil looks light in colour it's time for more water.
If when your grass seed has started germinating, patches might occur, don't worry continue the process, it will come through (some areas come quicker)
Keep foot traffic to a minimum, especially dogs throughout the germination period.
Once your new lawn starts to develop, you can start to cut back on the water (depending on weather)
When your new lawn reaches 3-4 inches, you should start mowing (depending on the grass seed used) never cut more than a third in height.
Mow when soil is on the dry side.
Many fertilisers are available from a starter, to a light fertiliser. Fertilisers are good for late sown lawns, as it will help with cold weather pressures.
Most fertilisers contain Nitrogen, to increase plant production; Nitrogen also helps with weed germination.
Keeping weeds at bay, no matter how good the seed or the seed bed, weeds will always appear, if weeds are present they can be controlled by mowing, pulling the weeds out by hand or spraying (however please be careful when spraying) follow recommended usage.
Existing Lawns - Overseeding
The grasses in a Lawn can thin over time, caused by many different reasons i.e. weather conditions. Over seeding your Lawn will help fill in any bald patches, reduce weeds and benefits the colour of the lawn.
Soil Preparation
Firstly mow your lawn shorter than usual, this will help the seed contact with the seed bed, and a time when your lawn will be dry.
Remove stones, weeds and any other debris
Time to over seed will be Spring or Autumn, Autumn would be best with ground temperatures from the summer being wamer and the moisture being at its best at this time of year.
Use a rake to remove any dead grass or thatch. Weeds and moss are the most likely problem when over seeding.
Once this is done, look at your lawn see if there are any uneven parts, top up with topsoil where needed.
Sowing the Seed & Aftercare
To work out how much seed is needed, measure the area in metres, multiply area by sowing rate (15-25grams per m for overseeding), divide results by 1000 to get weight of seed required (kg's)
Spread the seed evenly on the area which needs attention. This can be done by hand or by a spreader for larger areas
After over seeding, work the seed in to the sward either with a light rake or brush.
Make sure the soil is kept moist for the seed to germinate.
Once seed germinates at a height of about 2-3 inches, start your first mowing.
Ensuring mower blades are sharp, helps with a nice clean cut.
Do not cut more than a third of the growth in height.
If it's necessary feed the lawn at the recommended usage stated, and use a fertiliser suitable for the time of year.
Firstly start by removing all stones, weeds and any other debris from which area you would like to sow
Lawn drainage is important when preparing a new lawn, dig the area over as deep as you can (This helps to break up any compacted soil and adds oxygen) a badly drained lawn may affect the grass growth.
Grade your lawn by leveling any uneven patches, add top soil where needed
If the soil appears to be heavy, use peat to break it down, this retains more moisture and nutrients to help your lawn germinate.
Rake over the area ensuring a fine finish
Roll the area slightly to prevent any uneven drops in the soil.
Final rake before sowing.
Sowing the Seed
Seed can be sown from mid-March to early October.
To work out how much seed is needed, measure the area in metres, multiply area by sowing rate (35-50grams per m for new lawns), divide results by 1000 to get weight of seed required (kg's)
Divide your lawn in to manageable sections, then divide the seed accordingly use half the amount of seed for each section going left to right then front to back, this will ensure the seed bed has an even coverage. A spreader can be used for larger areas
When the seed has been sown, rake in slightly and water.
To ensure seed has good contact with the soil, roll the area.
First watering is very important, make sure you apply the water lightly to the soil, so you don't wash the seed away or create puddles.
Caring for your New Lawn
Make sure the soil is always kept moist, don't exceed too much water, this could cause the seed to rot.
Always check the colour of the soil at regular intervals, if the soil looks light in colour it's time for more water.
If when your grass seed has started germinating, patches might occur, don't worry continue the process, it will come through (some areas come quicker)
Keep foot traffic to a minimum, especially dogs throughout the germination period.
Once your new lawn starts to develop, you can start to cut back on the water (depending on weather)
When your new lawn reaches 3-4 inches, you should start mowing (depending on the grass seed used) never cut more than a third in height.
Mow when soil is on the dry side.
Many fertilisers are available from a starter, to a light fertiliser. Fertilisers are good for late sown lawns, as it will help with cold weather pressures.
Most fertilisers contain Nitrogen, to increase plant production; Nitrogen also helps with weed germination.
Keeping weeds at bay, no matter how good the seed or the seed bed, weeds will always appear, if weeds are present they can be controlled by mowing, pulling the weeds out by hand or spraying (however please be careful when spraying) follow recommended usage.
Existing Lawns - Overseeding
The grasses in a Lawn can thin over time, caused by many different reasons i.e. weather conditions. Over seeding your Lawn will help fill in any bald patches, reduce weeds and benefits the colour of the lawn.
Soil Preparation
Firstly mow your lawn shorter than usual, this will help the seed contact with the seed bed, and a time when your lawn will be dry.
Remove stones, weeds and any other debris
Time to over seed will be Spring or Autumn, Autumn would be best with ground temperatures from the summer being wamer and the moisture being at its best at this time of year.
Use a rake to remove any dead grass or thatch. Weeds and moss are the most likely problem when over seeding.
Once this is done, look at your lawn see if there are any uneven parts, top up with topsoil where needed.
Sowing the Seed & Aftercare
To work out how much seed is needed, measure the area in metres, multiply area by sowing rate (15-25grams per m for overseeding), divide results by 1000 to get weight of seed required (kg's)
Spread the seed evenly on the area which needs attention. This can be done by hand or by a spreader for larger areas
After over seeding, work the seed in to the sward either with a light rake or brush.
Make sure the soil is kept moist for the seed to germinate.
Once seed germinates at a height of about 2-3 inches, start your first mowing.
Ensuring mower blades are sharp, helps with a nice clean cut.
Do not cut more than a third of the growth in height.
If it's necessary feed the lawn at the recommended usage stated, and use a fertiliser suitable for the time of year.
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