The Grass Doctor

Laying grass seeds. I laid and raked grass seeds onto my lawn 4 weeks ago and only 30% have germinated - why?

It looks like most are still there - i.e. not eaten by birds. Should I buy more seed, sprinkle it on top with extising a add some top soil over it?

Public Comments

1. Did you keep the area moist?
2. Yep, it needs to be watered and kept moist. Was it old seed? Good Luck!! p.s. go ahead and put down more seed it won't hurt a thing and just sprinkle a little dusting of dirt over the seeds.
3. i reseeded my lawn last year and it took longer than 4 weeks for the lawn to come up full. if i had to say a time frame i would say about 2-2 1/2 months. be sure to keep your area moist.
4. Maybe the soil used isnt brilliant. Or you could have laid to many, and theres not enough room for them to grow, not enough water or nutrients for them to grow succesfully. Grass is very competative :D
5. Grass seed needs "water" to grow. <}:-})
6. Generally, it's best to plant grass seed in the late fall rather the spring. The weather warms up way too fast in the spring and the baby plants die before they get good root growth. That is what happened, and the result is that you got only 30% germination and that will actually die off by half or more this summer. Don't do anything, for now ... in the early fall, have your grass thatched, water it well for a week (no more than the maximum absorbency every day), and then plant the new seeds. You should see more germination because the weather is cooler, and next spring your lawn should look wonderful.
7. Just spread the seed on the ground....you don't need to rake it. Any bare patches can be re-seeded. Keep it watered.
8. keaner, A lot of grass is a mixture....check the contents on the bag....Usually a certain percentage of the seed is rye or something that grows quickly to fill in the area....Then another percentage is something like centipede which may take much longer to germinate and sprout....The "filler" grass keeps the area from being barren and holds water much better....It also prevents the elements from blowing away the seed, etc.... Just read the bag contents, or if you've tossed the bag, check out another at the store where you bought it to see..... good luck
9. IF YOU FAILED TO COVER THE SEED'S WITH A LIGHT COVERING OF HAY OR SIMILAR COVER, BIRDS WILL HAVE A BUFFET ON YOUR SEEDS. AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE AREA MOIST.
10. you need to put more down thatn you acctualy need to allow for birds,blind seed and poor soil,watering at night or early morning works and if we have ahd somne dry weather and bright sun this will cause the seed not to germinate. put more seed down on moist soil and pat it down gently with the head of the rake. hope this helps
11. Because 70 percent didn't. Not all seed will germinate at the same time, birds will eat some, some will be a little deeper, and they all need tons of water. Water at night there will be less evaporation.
12. Without knowing your soil type and sun exposure, I can only offer general tips. When sowing on bare dirt it is essential to cover the seed with straw mulch to conserve moisture. If your dirt dries out during that critical first couple of weeks, the seedlings will die. When reseeding a lawn it is always wise to core aerate. If you have bare patches that are rock hard the seedlings roots cannot penetrate this dirt and they will not grow. This as the name implies, aerates the soil, fluffing it in a way to allow more moisture and nutrients to get down into it, instead of washing off into the storm drains. As was mentioned, the fall is always the best time to reseed. However you can still treat your bare patches with some extra TLC. Take a cultivator and scratch up the hard compacted dirt and mix with compost, or some composted cow manure. Compost contains lots of natural nutrients to jump start your babies, and will also improve the compaction problem since it is somewhat fluffy. Shake straw over the area after you have seeded, and water thoroughly. You may need to water the spots daily for a couple of weeks and then keep cutting back until you are only watering once a week. Plan to core aerate this fall. It is critical with most soil conditions. I live in Southern NC and most of our ahem! "dirt" is red clay. We use aeration and lots of compost to counter the conditions. Choose a seed that is tailored to your exposure. Seed companies have developed hybrids that tolerate more shade than regular fescue. Don't worry about dethatching.. the worms will eat it, Thatch is a problem only when too much chemical fertilizer is applied and the natural balance of decomposition is interrupted. Do not cut it short..Summer heat is best tolerated by grass that is cut no less than 2 3/4 inches. The longer leaf allows for better moisture retention and stronger root growth. Your lawn only needs 1 inch of water a week. Deep roots are far superior than the shallow ones that develop with frequent small waterings. Your greatest resource is your agricultural extension.. they can test your soil and tell you exactly what kinds of nutrients it needs for a healthy lawn. If you are interested, www.organicgardening.com is a priceless resource on natural lawn care.
13. keep it moist and love it.
14. give it a soak on an evening and throw on sum fertiliser n maybe sum more seed..
15. grass seed is a mixture of types, some take longer than others to germinate. Keep it damp for a couple of weeks and see how it gets on. If no results the best thing to do is start again, other wise the present grass will need mowing by the time the new seed is up.