A perfect seedbed for grass seed should include five things: be free of weeds and moss, stones or debris, and easy to rake through and level. You will achieve the perfect lawn if you have achieved these five things! If you’re unsure how to do each of these steps or where to start, so keep scrolling!

Free of Weeds and Moss

This is where many recently sown lawns fall foul. If weeds and moss haven’t been removed, they will spoil the look of a lovely new lawn. Although it takes a bit of extra effort, removing weeds and moss from your seedbed will produce a better-looking and healthier lawn in the long run.

Removing Weeds and Moss From Your Lawn

If you have only a few weeds in your lawn, you can remove these by hand or using a garden trowel. But make sure to remove all the roots! You can also use a handheld spray weedkiller, but always read all the instructions before and after use. Moss can be removed by regularly raking it out. But be aware it may return if you suffer from shade or flooding on your lawn. If you have many weeds and moss, you can use our 3 IN 1 Lawn Rescue that feeds your lawn and kills off weeds and moss. Read our full guide on how to remove weeds and moss for more information.

Free of Stones or Debris

Not only will your lawnmower forgive you, but lots of stones or debris in your lawn can affect the overall look. If your garden soil has stones, rocks or perhaps leftover builder's material if you are in a new build property, then your grass seed growth may become patchy and not as full as expected.

Remove Rocks and Stones for an even coverage

We want to achieve a nice full coverage with no gaps, so make sure to remove these. If you have a lot of rocks or stones in your seedbed, the quickest way to remove them is by using a sieve or a riddle.

Easy to Rake Through

If you try to sow seed on compacted soil, you might as well not have bothered! We realise that might sound a bit harsh, but your seed needs to be in amongst your soil to benefit from the heat, light and water it needs to grow. Ideally, your seed should be three-pound coins (stacked) deep in your soil to grow well. If your soil is hard and you can’t rake through it, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to get your seed in amongst it. Just because it isn’t easy to rake through at first doesn’t mean it can’t be!

Breaking Up Soil Straightforward

If your lawn is small to medium-sized (100m2 and below), we suggest you use a garden fork to break up and churn over your soil. Break up all the lumps and clumps, and flatten them down again by patting them with your garden fork. Once complete, you should be able to rake through your soil. If you have a larger lawn (100m2 and above), you may want to hire a rotovator to do this job for you.

Level Your Seedbed

A level lawn is key to a perfect seedbed, and it has many benefits. Besides looking great, it means less flooding or puddling on the surface of your lawn and can also help your mowing routine. Levelling your lawn doesn’t have to mean doing the whole thing. There may only be a few areas that need to be topped up.

Use Top-Quality Soil

The important thing to remember when levelling your lawn is to make sure that you use high-quality topsoil and not compost. Compost will break down over time, whereas topsoil will remain at the same level.

Once you have the perfect seedbed, it’s time to sow seed. Learn how to choose the best grass seed for you and how to sow a new lawn or overseed an existing one by reading our guide on how to sow grass seed.