How to repair your lawn with grass seed

Simple steps to patch your lawn with grass seed, repair damaged lawns and areas of dead grass.

Worn out lawns or damaged lawns can be renovated with grass seed following our simple steps. 

 

Step 1 - Prepare the grass

Set your lawn mower for a close shave. This avoids damaging your existing grass and increases the length of time the lawn can be left before trimming (giving your new shoots the best chance of healthy development).

 

Step 2 - Remove any dead grass, debris & thatch

Remove any debris and weeds and scarify or rake the surface to clear the area for your new seeds. If using a rake, it is best to rake in two directions (up and down, then left and right).

 

Step 3 - Create holes for improved drainage (optional)

Using a garden fork or aerator, create small holes - ideally around 1-2 inches deep. This helps the new seed to germinate, aerates the soil and ensures that birds do not eat the seeds before they grow!

 

Step 4 - Buy your grass seed

It is important to buy the best grass seed for your soil type and situation. We offer a wide range of mixtures tailored for specific needs, such as hard wearing grass seeds or dog friendly lawns and grass seed for shade. We also have a handy grass seed calculator so you know how much grass seed you need.

 

Step 5 - Sowing grass seed

When spreading grass seeds, it is important to sow the seed evenly at the recommended sowing rate. We advise using a grass seed spreader to make life easier and ensure an even result.

 

Step 6 - Tread/roll the grass seeds in

The new grass seeds must be in good contact with the soil to ensure effective germination. Treading or rolling the surface will ensure that emerging roots find their way into the soil. For larger areas, harrowing the area will ensure good contact with the soil.

 

Step 7 - Water!

Grass seed requires warmth, light and moisture to germinate. If the conditions are too dry in the first two weeks the seeds can die. Light watering for the first few weeks can help, but is generally not necessary with average rainfall over-watering constantly reduces soil temperature and will not aid germination.

 

Step 8 - Mowing the lawn

Grass seed should germinate within 14-21 days. Once it reaches 3 - 4 inches long, start to cut the grass. Gradually reduce the height by ½ inch (1cm) each time you mow the lawn until you achieve your ideal mowing height.