The Grass Doctor

Growing grass?

I planted grass seed two weeks ago.. how long until it looks like lawn? The seeds have sprouted, but it is so sparse. I am just curious how long it takes. Do I need to put down more seed? We had some feathered friends come for dinner right after we planted it. We live in Az. We planted bob sod there originally but it doesnt get enough sun (bob sod needs tons of sun) so I had to plant seed since they dont sell anything else here. I just planted a sun/shade mix. I keep it damp, and put down fresh soil- a manure compost mix that has done wonders in my garden and with my sod that is in the sun. THe grass is now about 3 inches tall. Should I mow it?

Public Comments

1. I'd leave it alone for a while until the roots are firmly established. You can check with a local nursery for more information. Also, if you put down more seeds, cover the area with a protective cloth to keep the birds of eating the seeds.
2. I would definitely put down more seed. When i lived in Phoenix, we always had to put 2-3 times more down. And the birds, do come and eat it while youre not looking. To keep the birds away, hang strips of aluminum foil about 1 foot long and 2 inches wide to blow in the rare wind. But the best thing to do to keep the birds away is to cover the seed with a thin layer of manure and sand. They hate it. Also, you have to keep it watered and the seeds moist and do not let them dry out while germinating. That is a difficult thing to do in Arizona unless you have automatic sprinklers you can set. We had ours go off about 8 times a day some years if it was still really hot. Good luck!
3. I would not cut the grass but would probably reseed the area. Get some sandy loam soil without the compost mix .Spread a thin layer of soil over the seed to protect it from the birds. Keep the area well watered. let it get well established before you try to mow it Good luck
4. I wouldn't mow it till its about 6 inches tall. Also I wouldn't throw any fertilizer on it until it fills in a little. To much fertilizer when the grass is just sprouting can cause it to burn. It might take two or three months for it to start to fill in nice. Be patient you will be fine.
5. It can take a few weeks untill it fills in. However you may need to oversow more seed depends on how accurate you were when sowing You can mow it now but only a third of the height Give it another couple of weeks before panicking
6. First of all you can mow it and it will actually increase the growth rate of the grass. Especially if it is ken. bluegrass. It has a relatively low apical meristem (where growth is promoted). If you start to get weeds (but not noxious) leave them alone. They will act as a nurse plant for your grass. Just mow them along with the grass. This will increase the amount of organic matter in the soil and this will increase water retention.