Sowing grass seed in September

By September, most of our very hot weather has passed and your lawn should be beginning to make a recovery from a heatwave or drought. Yet, you may have some areas of yellow or some patchiness that you would like to sort out before the cold weather sets in. Well, you are in luck as autumn is a great time to sow grass seed! September offers the very best of ‘back to school weather’ that whilst temperatures will cool slightly, they are still warm enough for grass growth to occur (10 degrees and above). We also get a few rain showers that can help you with watering your new seed – as it will need to be watered everyday for six weeks after sowing. Birds will also be busy foraging for proper food, so are unlikely to be interested in your seeds meaning you can achieve thick and full coverage across your lawn. So whether you are planning to overseed an existing lawn or sow a new one, September is the perfect time to do so!

Pick the right seed

The key to a successful September sowing is also picking the right seed. If you are overseeding, don’t worry too much about trying to match the grass you already have. Nearly all lawns in the UK are a blend of perennial ryegrass and fescue, which are the same grass seed species you will find in our range of grass seed mixes. If you need grass seed for your family and pets make sure to choose a hardwearing mix. If your lawn suffers from shade or clay soils, then you’ll need a more specialist blend of grass seeds to ensure growth.  If you fancy a finer lawn, then Super Fine Luxury Lawn will help you to achieve the statement lawn of your dreams!

Speed it up

New grass will take 6-8 weeks to fully establish, but if you want to see results quicker you can use a pre-seed fertiliser to help speed things up. Our Pre-Seed First Feed can be applied before seeding and feeds your new seedlings all the nutrients they need to build strong roots fast and fend off any early diseases. Pre-Seed First Feed can be applied at a rate of 70g per m2, and if you are wondering what spreader setting to use you can check out our guide here. Make sure to water in your lawn feed thoroughly until it disappears, once it is dissolved and has started working into your soil – you can sow your seed!

Patch it up

If your lawn is in generally good condition bar a few patches left behind after all the summer fun, then September is an ideal time to get those bald spots repaired before the colder weather sets in. If your grass is also damaged by dog pee burns, you can also use this method to repair them. Repairing patches in your lawn is a quick and simple process that can help get your lawn back on track. Remember when repairing patches to fill in any dips with topsoil instead of compost, as compost will break down over time. Fill in the patch until level, if you struggle to get the patch perfectly level with the rest of your lawn use the back of your rake to help you. Sprinkle the seed generously and keep the patches watered for the following six weeks!

Protect your new lawn and keep it leaf free!

When your new grass hits the 6-8 week mark and is 5-7cm long it will be ready for its first mow. Make sure to mow on the highest setting of your lawnmower, gradually reducing the height of the blades depending on the level of use your lawn gets. For a high traffic family or general use lawn, keep the height around 20-40mm, for a showstopping ‘don’t walk on the lawn’ lawn, aim for 10-20mm. To keep your lawn healthy throughout the colder months that will be coming up, we recommend using our Winter Remedy that will help protect against frost, snow and any winter borne diseases. Try your best to keep your lawn leaf-free throughout the autumn to avoid encouraging any extra moisture retention on your lawn as this can lead to disease.

To continue to keep your lawn healthy make sure to regularly feed it, and keep it weed, moss and disease free. If you are wondering if you can sow wildflowers during September too, why not check out our helpful guide on this.