The Grass Doctor

Lawn Grass seed?

I am looking to take up my old Lawn as it has had it. it was laid by so called proffesionals and just hasn't lasted the course. Part of my new lawn will be put over to a play area for my grandson you know the sort of thing Slide swings etc. Does anyone know of a good seed that I could use for this purpose and when the best time of year would be to sow it.

Public Comments

1. A play area will always ruin your lawn, you may be wasting your time redoing it.Plan your garden so you can enjoy your grandchildren playing and still look at a nice lawn. Is your garden in the shade(Large trees etc. ) as this will stop your lawn developing. I suggest if you are going to go ahead with renewing it then wait until April and treat the existing and remaining grass with weed and feed -gets rid of any moss and weeds , then sow a hard wearing grade of grass seed( you can get this at any garden centre),about 10 days later but you will have to stop anyone using the area.will take about 2 weeks to show and will need to be a whole season to establish. Is it possible to keep the play area separate and put down a rubber matting ground cover and rope off the lawn to protect it.
2. Use a good quality grass seed that has Rye grass in it, as it will be tougher than plain lawn seed, and will stand up to playing. I think that you should sow, around end of March-April, then the ground will have warmed up, and the seed will germinate. Don't forget to water well every night.
3. When a lawn is going to be subject to heavy use,such as a play area,a good hard-wearing grass seed mix is essential.Look for a mix including Cynosurus cristatus,Crested Dogtail. this will be less close growing than many finer mixes,requiring less mowing. The optimum times for seed sowing in the UK are March and April in the South,April and May in the Midlands and North.Be aware that grass does not grow well in shady conditions,requiring constant attention.
4. You will need a hard wearing seed blend such as British Seed House 24 blend. Lots of the courser rye grasses and plenty of bents. Any reliable seeds man will be able to supply this. Sow mid March-late May when soil has dried out a bit and feels warm to touch.
5. I don't know where you live and that would make a difference. If you are anywhere near the mid-west, I would go with a low-growing native or fescue blend. These require MUCH less maintenance and are tough enough to handle a lot of foot traffic. If you are not in the mid-west, I would contact a nursery specializing in native plants and inquire about lawn alternatives. Here is a good link....
6. Assuming you are in area tolerant to cool season grasses. You want to use a Kentucky Bluegrass/Perennial Ryegrass Mixture. The Ryegrass will pop quickly giving stability to your yard while greening it up. Slowly the bluegrass will take over the yard which is what you want because bluegrass can take much more of a beating than ryegrass and it looks better. Ideally, you want to seed your lawn in the fall or when the summer heat has subsided. The seed will have a better chance of making it having the cool weather of the fall and spring. Directly after you seed, apply a fertilizer high in Phosphorus. This will really get the seed going in the right direction. Good Luck!!