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Will grass seed grow if you just throw it on the ground?

A simple answer to this question is yes – some grass can grow if you just throw it on the ground. However, your garden will likely have uneven coverage that will lead to a patchy lawn, so it is better to prep your lawn properly. Below, we tell you how to get the perfect seedbed and ensure that your grass grows.

Will grass seed grow if you just throw it on the ground?

We have advice for knowing the best times to plant grass seed and the correct aftercare to ensure you get the beautiful garden lawn you’ve been dreaming of! Granted, this will take a bit longer than just throwing the seed on the ground, but the end result will be much more rewarding, and the grass seed will grow better!

Our helpful tips on how to make grass seed grow will give you a more vibrant and lush green lawn!

Preparing the perfect seedbed

We advise you to start by ensuring your seedbed is perfect. The seedbed acts as the foundation for your lawn and will encourage the grass to grow well when you take the time to get it right. Thankfully, it's not a challenging task and can be easily carried out by following our guide on preparing the perfect seedbed.

How to make grass seed grow

Planting grass seed is not difficult; you’ll find it easy if you follow our step-by-step guide that helps you plan ahead! This guide advises on how to plant grass seeds in ideal weather conditions, how to pick the right seed mix for your garden, and how to sow and water your grass to get the best growth.

A brief breakdown on how to plant grass seed:

  • Check your local weather forecast, as grass seed needs consistent temperatures above 10 degrees for at least two weeks to grow
  • The best times to sow grass seed are in Spring and Autumn
  • Do not sow in flood, frost, snow or sweltering conditions
  • Remove weeds, either by hand using a garden trowel or by using a selective weed killer
  • You can also apply a pre-seed lawn food, such as our Pre-Seed First Feed, to give your soil the nutrients it needs to speed up the growth of your grass
  • Create a level seed bed using a garden fork to break up the soil, then use a rake to level the surface
  • Sow the grass seed at a rate of 50g per metre squared – this can be done quickly by hand or by using a seed spreader to ensure an even spread
  • Firm the seed in and water it
  • Water your lawn once a day for six weeks
  • You will not need to water your lawn on days when there is rainfall
  • Keep birds at bay by covering your seed, use deterrents like CDs or offer them another food source like high-quality bird food
  • You can then mow your lawn around the 6-8 week mark or when it reaches 5-7cm in height

We have a complete guide on how to plant grass seed that goes into more detail on each procedure and the steps involved when doing your prep work.

You can also throw seed down for overseeding

Overseeding an existing lawn is an easy way to ensure your garden is beautiful throughout the year! Whether your lawn is wearing thin due to family gatherings, kids running riot or your pets digging pits, scattering seeds over the affected areas will help. But, as we mentioned before, if you do some prep work, your lawn will look much better when the grass grows.

We have a helpful guide on how to overseed a lawn, which talks you through the simple steps to breathe some life back into your garden.

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