The Grass Doctor

Can anyone give me tips on planting grass seeds?I've a very messy lawn & have dug it up & am buying grass seed?

any tips on how to ensure really good thick healthy coverage so no mud spots or thin grass? I got a huge garden so i know it will take a while, its now end of January here in UK Devon, so i would need it all lovely and grown by June/July for my children to play on- If thats possible!! Unless we get those summer hot spots in March then im buggered , right?! lol x

Public Comments

1. hi, your best bet is to use turf instead, its more expensive but its much quicker.
2. I agree, turf is so much better and gives you great coverage. But if your budget doesn't lend itself to turf, then buy a seed spreader from a hardware store to use to spread the lawn seed. Then get some good quality topsoil and spread it over your yard and rake it flat , use the seeder to seed your lawn and water in. That's about it really. Water it, and if there are any patches, spread a little extra seed.
3. I am so pleased you have dug it all up. As I said before - turfing over the bald patches/holes is best, but there is a product called 'pet repair', which contains quick growing grass seed species as well as fertiliser to encourage growth. This can be purchased online from a company called bostonseeds and they send it out to you immediately. I think b & q do their own version of this stuff which may be less expensive, but you have to go to a store to purchase. Both come in a box with instructions on the side and is a piece of cake to sow. Providing you don't get a cold snap (obviously not guaranteed at this time of year) it should be sprouting within 2 or 3 weeks. You may need to stake fleece or netting over it if there is a chance the birds could come down and gobble it up. Tip; - go to your local scaffolder, they often just throw away old netting that has been ripped on buildings, so you could get some for nothing (like I did).
4. Hi Seed is better than sod - because sod comes in with thick thatch because of rapid growing at the farm, often has trouble knitting with existing soil and is expensive and labor intensive. Seed needs to have soil / seed contact, seed will germinate much better if it is not allowed to dry out during germination. So you need to either cultivate the soil, or cover the seed with soil after you broadcast the seed with a spreader or by hand. It is wise to cover the seed with a mulch (straw) to protect it from the sun and drying out. Plant when when the soil is warm enough, air temps average 65 - 75 degrees. There is a tool called the Grass Stitcher that makes this process easy look up for more info.