The Grass Doctor

What's the best way to sow grass seed on a lawn that already has grass?

My lawn is a bit patchy and I want to spread some grass seed. I still need to mow the lawn at least once a fortnight, won't this damage the seedlings?

Public Comments

1. Best way is when the ground is damp ,rake some loose earth in the patched area sow the seed ,and you can still mow the lawn .
2. If the bare spots are large- use a seed spreader. If small, a few meters in size- just sow by hand.
3. With new grass seed the tops grow many times faster than the roots and they can be easily dislodged as a result. Cylinder mowers tend to pull them out, but a rotary mower will be OK if not set too low and keeping the old grass short will help the new growth. The disadvantage is that a rotary mower used in very dry conditions will blow the seed about a bit. My seed merchant advises that the seed will germinate in about three weeks and can be mown in three months (new lawns). I don`t think that particularly applies to filling patches. The best time to do it (UK) is September when it is warm and damp and the old grass is not growing so fast. Its got all winter to get some roots down then. Best of luck with it.
4. Hi Just rake the bare area level with fine soil/sand water area and sow seeds by hand over seed than under to give a better chance.If you use a hover mower then this will scatter the seeds so you have to be patience and wait to grass seeds to grow,as to mowing new grass it will effect it only in a small way Good luck John