Ideal temperatures to plant grass seed

How to plant grass seed comes down to a few steps, but the temperature outside is the first and arguably most important thing to consider before you go any further. And thankfully, finding out when you should or should not be planting grass seed is easy.

You should start by checking your local weather forecast to determine if you will get consistent day and night temperatures of 10 °C and above for at least two weeks – this will ensure your newly planted seeds will be warm enough to grow.

Next, since grass seed takes around 6-8 weeks to establish and grow fully, be aware that a cold weather front can appear suddenly at certain times of the year. For this reason, it is best to avoid planting seeds in the winter months, even if temperatures are acceptable.

However, you should also be vigilant in November and early spring because a cold snap could arrive unannounced and immediately halt your seedlings' growth, and you don't want to have wasted a lot of time and effort.

Pick the right grass seed for your soil

The next step in your plan to plant grass seed is choosing the right grass seed for your garden's soil type. We put a lot of effort, research and time into choosing the correct grass seed types in our grass seed mixes, and we are confident we have options to suit your garden.

For example, we have seed types that grow fast and durable grass seed ideal for lawns with heavy footfall from kids and pets. And we even have specialist seed types suited to lawns that receive less sunlight or for clay-based soils prone to flooding.

Seeds to suit specific situations:

• All Rounder Rapid Lawn is ideal for use anywhere; it grows fast and recovers quickly from wear and tear.
• Fast Grow Family Lawn is fast-growing and durable; it's ideal for a lawn that receives a lot of footfall from the family. And it also recovers quickly from wear and tear.
• Tough Stuff Lush Lawn is a hardy seed mix designed to overcome the wear added by dogs racing around and digging in your garden.
• Shade Supreme Lawn is a lover of shade and will grow in areas of your garden that receive very little sunlight. If you have places overshadowed by trees or hedgerows that never seem to grow, grass seed like Shade Supreme could be your answer!

Specialist grass seed:

• Super Fine Luxury Lawn is ideal if you want a fine grass lawn with a decorative finish – it is also a superb option for sandy, drought-stricken soils.
• New Build Dream Lawn is perfect for luscious grass growth over clay soils. It grows fast and is also hard-wearing and durable to handle the running around of kids and pets.

Prepare the seedbed

Preparing the perfect seedbed is important but doesn't have to be complicated - with the correct preparation, it becomes another easy process that gets the job done without too much work.

Tips for getting your soil ready for planting grass seed:

1. Remove weeds and moss - generally, weeds in your lawn can be removed by hand or using a garden trowel - and make sure to remove all the roots! You could also use a handheld spray weedkiller for individual affected areas or our 3 IN 1 Lawn Rescue if weeds and moss are a bigger problem.
2. Get rid of stones, rocks and debris – not only will you make life easier when it's time to mow your lawn, but you will also improve the look of your new lawn. The easiest way is to use a sieve or a riddle if you have lots of small stones in your soil.
3. Rake your soil to break it up - this enables your seeds to benefit from the heat, light and water they need to grow. Ideally, grass seeds should be three-pound coins (stacked) deep in your soil to grow well. However, if the ground is too hard to pull a rake through, your seed will likely not reach the depth it needs.
4. Level your lawn – this will look great and decreases the chance of flooding or puddles forming in your garden. A level lawn also makes your mowing routine easier and more enjoyable.

Planting your grass seed

Planting the seed is as easy as the other steps – but like them, you need to be aware of the details. For example, when seeding a new lawn, you should sow the seed at a rate of 50g per metre squared.

You can sow the grass seed by hand or using a seed spreader. First, measure the area where you will be planting and the amount of grass seed you need, then scatter the seed across the surface. After this, you can use your rake to rake the seed into the soil.

Then, walk across the seedbed to ensure the seeds are embedded into the soil. Finally, you should water your growing seedlings once a day for the first six weeks after planting – this is how long it takes for your lawn to be fully grown and ready for its first mowing.

Grass seed aftercare

Once your grass is sprouting from the ground, you may be tempted to get the lawn mower out and trim it. However, hold off until at least six weeks before mowing and then follow our guide on when to mow a new lawn.

Once your newly planted grass seed has fully grown, and your lawn is beautifully green and healthy, you are probably wondering if you can do anything else to aid its growth. And the answer is yes; you can help it flourish even more! For this, you should regularly feed it with lawn food fertiliser and remember to remove any weeds and moss when you see them appearing.