I find it invaluable. This will allow the warm weather grasses to get the benefit of warm temperatures that come with summer while giving them time to become established prior to cooler weather in the fall. Whatever you do, you want to end up with soil which is free of lumps. Another trick beloved of experienced gardeners is to put a heavy covering over the ground, basically anything thick enough to block out all the light (itâs important that all light is blocked). The short answer to this question is that the best time to sow grass seed is between late summer and mid-autumn and the second-best time to sow grass seed is mid-spring. Bald areas in your lawns can creep in from too much shade as trees expand their canopies. Lightly tickle this in with the rake just raking in the top 10mm, then sow the other half of the seed on the same area and lightly tickle it in again. When youâve finished rake over the area so that the grass seeds are in the soil rather than just on the soil. Grass Seed. This may seem like a long time, but you need every trace of the chemicals to be out of the soil before you sow your grass seeds, otherwise it will very probably kill them. If that is not possible, then walk over it gently, basically youâre trying to compact the soil. Tips for Planting Grass After all this wet weather, some of us are thinking we need more paths. Test Your Soil (Optional) Fortunately, you can get beautiful results without a soil test as long as … Grass reinforcing meshes (terram.com) can offer a soft solution. Leave your grass to grow until it hits about 6-8cm and then, if possible, go over it gently with a garden roller. Ideally, cover it with something which blocks out light completely to prevent weeds from taking hold. Ideally, you should finish by going over the area with a garden roller, but if you donât have one, just walk over it, if possible put a cover down first, a plank will do or a tarpaulin, to give your seeds a bit of protection. This was being converted into a grand hotel and we needed to get the lawns presentable for the opening. Grass Seed. Creeping grasses spread by stolons or rhizomes. It is important to remember to lay them about 5mm below the level of the surrounding grass so you can mow over the top. Starting ornamental grass seed by planting 1 or 2 seeds per growing cell will work, just not as fast as method #2. For example, if part of your garden gets a lot of sunlight and another part is mostly in shade, then you might want to use different grass seeds for the different areas. Once youâve scarified your lawn, or if youâre creating a new lawn dig over the earth with a fork if you can. If youâre lucky, there will be a measure in the pack. Then move on to the next segment. Use weedkiller, or hand weed. This covers meadow grass, bamboos, cereals etc, all of which fall under the same family Gramineae. For example, fescue seeds for ornamental lawns often take longest to grow and require frequent watering, so if you forget to continually water them, they may take even longer to germinate. Whenever you repair lawns, the unpredictable nature of our weather means you are taking a chance. Two of the chemicals that treat these (chlorpyrifos and imidacloprid) have been withdrawn, but there is a highly effective biological solution. If you sow your grass seeds in spring, youâll probably find that you get a lot of weeds in your lawn. Again, keep a light hand, use a manual watering can with a rose on or a hose gun with a mist spray (or a sprinkler with a mist setting). Usually the packaging will tell you exactly how much grass seed to use, but if, for some reason, it doesnât, here are the standard guidelines: Grass seed for top-quality ornamental lawns : 30g per sq m (1oz per sq yd), Grass seed for standard ornamental lawns: 20-25g per sq m (¾oz per sq yd), Grass seed for standard utility lawns (with rye grass): 15-20g per sq m (½oz per sq yd). There will also be fewer weeds for the grass to compete with at this time of the year. Bald patches created by leatherjackets and chafer bugs seem to be on the increase in lawns. For example, you might need to add a soil improver or top soil, or if your soil is very sandy, you might want to add some lawn soil or sharp sand to help improve the drainage. For the most part, however, what you see on the packaging is likely to be a shortened version of the following instructions. Basically allow up to 10 days for germination and then another 3 weeks or so for initial, slow, growth. In vulnerable areas such as under swings and play areas, there is a similar product, Safety Rubber Mat. Thereâs a good chance most of them will die back in the autumn in any case. Planting 1 or 2 seeds into a seed pod is a slower method, but works in the long run. This year in early December we sowed quite a stretch of parkland for a client. For example, premium shade, which is a fine quality lawn mixture also grows well in the shade. 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Bunch grasses spread by producing new tillers. Now would be a good time to make any adjustments. There are basically four steps to sowing grass seed. Our fridges are usually set for 5C for a good reason - at this temperature not a lot happens in terms of mould or any other type of growth. The rain will help consolidate it. Grass seed usually takes up to 30 days to germinate, or even longer if the weather’s particularly cold, so it’s best to be prepared! Perfect for seeds to germinate. Generally, we recommend sowing grass seed in mid-late spring and again in early autumn. The window for planting grass seed in the U.K is actually quite wide and spans from mid-march to the end of September. When grass fully matures before the winter season, the lawn grows in full the following spring. Browse our selection at https://www.telegraphplants.co.uk/. He also stresses that you should not to sow too deeply. If you canât, then, as a minimum put a fork through it to aerate the soil. Another possibility would be if one part of your garden gets a lot of traffic but the other part is mainly ornamental. Your grasses will enjoy a full fall season, plus a second cool, growing season come spring. I like laying a square slab at 45 degrees to the path and then alternating this with a long thin slab. If sowing in autumn, the seed will germinate quickly as the ground is warm and moist. Tiller: This is made up of leaf blades and sheaths, the stem and sometimes a seed head. It costs from around £2/m sq. Join us, join in, save and live in luxury, for less, Enable registration in settings - general, When and How to Sow Grass Seed – Planting & Preparing Expert Guide, Best Drain Unblockers UK – [DIY Guide & Product Guide], How Much Does It Cost To Run A Hot Tub – [Complete Expert Guide], How to get rid of foxes in your garden – [UK Expert Guide], How to Sharpen Garden Shears – [Step By Step Guide], Best Cat Scarer – Complete Buying Guide and Review, When to Scarify the Lawn – Lawn Care an Expert Guide. For best results, lawn seed should be sown in spring (from March to May) or early autumn (September to mid October), when the soil is moist and warm. Some types of grass seed will rot if left in cold, wet ground, fescues are particularly prone to this, whereas rye grass is more tolerant. Well, when you bring in the mower in spring, most will hopefully be out-competed by your thickly growing lawn - fingers crossed! Dig or rotovate the site to a depth of 20-25cm (8-10in). Over Christmas I was busy sowing grass seed. Les surprised me by saying that he would sow grass seed at pretty much any time of year and it pretty much always germinated and grew. Once spring arrives, the seeds will sprout and grow normally. In Massachusetts, for example, early fall is the ideal time to plant grass seed. In either case, you want to get down to about 15cm. If you donât want to increase the light by reducing the canopies, maybe you should forget grass in these areas altogether. If you are going to use residual weed killer or moss killer, then itâs preferable to use one which also feeds your lawn as this will help to add the nutrients the grass seeds will need to grow. Measure out the grass seeds properly. Try to make them as close to 1M by 1M as you possibly can the quantity of seed to use is generally given on this basis. Resist any temptation to fertilize your lawn while it is becoming established (again, for the first six months or so). Thirty years ago I worked with an experienced 70-year-old head gardener, Les Jones, on the gardens at Stapleford Park. Eliminate perennial weeds such as couch grass or bindweed well before beginning to prepare the seed bed. Moisture of the soil Ornamental grasses can be planted all year round but ideally plant them in spring or autumn. Get rid of any surface debris and deal with any weeds. Knowing when to sow grass Sowing season in the UK is generally from mid March - September, this is when temperatures are 8-10 degrees and above consistently, which is required for germination to occur. Pro tip, while you might think that âgrass is grassâ in actual fact when you see two types of grasses side by side, the difference between them can be very obvious. When you sow the seed it will be at marginally varying depths and not all germinates exactly at the same time so it is unlikely for it all to be affected by frost. For example, where a field contains a 20% dock infestation, this can equate to a loss in 20% of potential grass production. If youâre planning to use a residual weed killer and/or moss killer then you want to do so at least a month before you seed your lawn. Many ornamental grasses can be grown easily from seed.Increase or refresh your stock by collecting seeds in autumn, for sowing in spring. While planting grass seed in November is too late to make the fall growing season, there is a method called dormant seeding. If you have a cylinder mower, remove the front roller as it will be a bit too much at this point. Here are some grass-seed related FAQs and the answers to them. The flowers come early, often in March, great for hungry, early flying bees. You can find us not only on this site but on the social media channels below. The mesh is invisible once the grass has grown through and maintenance is as for normal grass. If in doubt, sow grass seed which requires little maintenance, because it will still look better than high-maintenance grass seed which hasnât been properly maintained. Germination may be slightly slower in spring. The Grass People Superstar: best grass seed for large areas. Place fine-meshed netting over your seeded area to deter birds and for bonus points give your garden birds an alternative source of food which is easy for them to access. Start by reading the instructions on the packaging and give them priority. He recommends cultivating the area to about 3-4 inches and lightly consolidated it (by heel walking) , rake it very lightly to a depth of 10-15mm before sowing half the seed. Nemasys Chafer bug killer and Nemasys leather jacket killer (pitchcare.com). These grasses are best planted in the early summer because they will only germinate in warm soil. I checked with experts to find out what risks I am taking by sowing at a time of year when we could have a sudden freeze. Many are ideal for gravel gardens, prairie planting, wildlife gardens and are great to add to the cutting garden; others perform well in containers. When to plant grass seed in the UK – the long answer Basically, you want to plant grass seed when there is warmth (but not excessive heat), plenty of sunshine and a decent amount of moisture. Seed Head: This is the flower of the grass plant. Autumn (generally September) is ideal If you can’t wait until September, do it in the spring (April/May is generally best) but keep an eye out for weeds However, all this advice is predicated on the weather. If you want to plant grass seed, then your first step is to choose the right grass seed for your area and your lifestyle. Some types of grass seed will rot if left in cold, wet ground, fescues are particularly prone to this, whereas rye grass is more tolerant. Repeat and then finish with a rake to get rid of any footsteps or any other hollows which have formed and leave a perfectly flat surface. 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