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How long does grass seed take to grow UK?

Whether you are sowing a new lawn or overseeding an existing one, seeing those first green shoots pop up is a welcoming and rewarding sign of a job well done. But how long does grass seed take to grow in the UK?

How long does grass seed take to grow UK?

So, how long does grass seed take to grow in the UK?

How long it takes grass seed to grow in the UK depends on the conditions outside and the prep work you put in place before planting the seed. In the right conditions, grass seed should start to sprout up within 7-10 days in the UK. This doesn’t mean all your grass seed will shoot up at once. Instead, it means you will likely see a hue of green across your sown area. For your grass seed to grow, there are a few things you’ll need to get right first!

Preparation is key when growing grass seed

The key to a beautiful lawn is great preparation; this means removing weeds and moss, levelling your lawn out if needed sprinkling the right amount of seed and raking it in. Luckily, we tell you how to do just that and prepare your seedbed to perfection in our how to sow grass seed and how to overseed guides!

Choosing the right seed mix for your lawn helps it grow

Choosing the right grass seed for the area where you plan to sow will also be a key factor in how well it grows initially and how it continues to grow throughout the years in your garden. For example, if your lawn gets a lot of shade – you’ll need specialist seeds that will grow in these conditions.

Certain seeds grow better in different situations

Likewise, if you have clay soils (wet and boggy in winter, dry and cracked in summer), you’ll need a grass seed mix full of seeds that can tolerate and thrive in these soils. If your lawn gets used frequently by pets or kids, you’ll need a super hardy mix to put up with all that day-to-day wear and tear.

Lawn food can speed up the growth of your grass seed!

Of course, if you want to quicken up the process even more, you can apply our Pre-Seed First Feed, which will provide your seedlings with the best foundation for growth.

Whilst all these factors will greatly help your grass grow into a luscious lawn, some biology also hangs in the balance!

What does grass seed need to grow in the UK?

Like most other plants, grass seed needs heat, sunlight and water to grow, and all of these things need to be in perfect balance. This means temperatures of 10 degrees and above for all grass seed types, with no frost, snow or extremely hot weather forecast in the first two weeks after sowing.

As most of us sow new lawns or overseed in spring/summer, temperatures and watering are vital to getting your grass seed off to the best start. When sowing any new grass seed, regardless of if you have an existing lawn, you must water it every day for six weeks. You can read about this in more detail in our how to water you lawn guide.

My grass seed is growing patchy; what’s wrong?

Nothing! New grass doesn’t all shoot up at once. Instead, it will grow in stages – so you may notice some areas of your lawn are fuller than others. This can be due to the availability of light, heat and water in these areas.

Knowing how long grass seed takes to grow in the UK

However, by the 6 to 8-week mark after sowing, your lawn should be fully grown with all these sparse areas filled in. When your grass hits 5-7cm in height, you can give it the first mow on your lawn mower’s highest setting.

After this, you can begin to drop the setting on your mower. For a lawn that gets a lot of use, keep your lawn height to 20-40mm. For an ornamental lawn that is just for show, you can drop lower to 10-20mm. To find out more on how best to mow your lawn, read our guide on how to mow your lawn.

Once you have a fully established lawn, it’s important to keep it healthy by feeding it regularly, removing moss and weeds as they appear and keeping an eye out for any lawn diseases or pests.

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Pre-Seed First Feed
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