The step-by-step guide to growing grass from scratch
Soft grass under your feet is one of the better things about having a bit of yard, and whether you've just moved in or you're finally fixing the patch that never worked, growing it from seed is well within reach. Most of the job is preparation and the sowing itself takes about ten minutes, which is the opposite of what most people expect.
Step 1. Plan the patch
Walk around the yard and work out where the lawn is actually going. Watch how much sun the space gets through the day, because grass varieties differ a lot on that, and think about who's going to be running on it, because kids and dogs need a tougher grass than a patch nobody walks on.
Worth knowing
If your yard is part shade and part full sun, you don't have to pick one. Seed blends are made for exactly that, and we can help you pick the right one for your conditions.
Step 2. Clear the ground
Get the weeds, the debris and anything left from the last plants out of there. If you're dealing with stubborn weeds and you use a weed killer, give it the full time on the label to break down before you sow anything. Take out the stones and any lumps so the grass comes up evenly.
Step 3. Sort the soil
The soil is where the seed is going to live, so it's worth the effort. Test it to see what it's short of and whether the pH is out. Compost or a good soil conditioner dug through does a lot of work here, and it gives you the crumbly texture grass roots like. Rake it level while you're at it, because the lumps you leave now are the lumps you'll mow over for years.
Step 4. Sow the seed
Mix the seed with a bit of sand in a bucket before you spread it, which makes an even spread far easier to get. Scatter it over the soil, then rake it lightly into the top layer. You're not burying it, just tucking it in.
Step 5. Water carefully
Watering is the bit people get wrong. Too little and the seed dries out, too much and it washes away or rots. Mist it lightly and often, so the surface stays damp rather than soaked. Once the grass is up you can water less often and more deeply.
Step 6. Wait
Grass doesn't come up overnight no matter how long you stand there looking at it. Give it 7 to 21 days for the first blades, keep the water up, and keep feet and pets off the area while it establishes.
Step 7. Feed it
Once it looks like a lawn rather than a hopeful green haze, feed it. A slow release fertiliser is the right choice at this stage because it feeds steadily instead of pushing a burst of soft growth. Follow the rate on the bag, since overfeeding a new lawn burns it.
Step 8. The first mow
When the grass is around 7 to 8cm, give it its first cut. Set the mower blades high so you're only taking the tips, because a hard first cut undoes a lot of the work. After that, mowing becomes part of the routine and the lawn thickens up on its own.
Shop related products
- Brunnings Kikuyu Lawn Seed 1kg. Vigorous runners, good in full sun, repairs itself.
- Brunnings Tough Lawn Seed 1kg. Quick to germinate, good for a fast establishment.
- Seamungus Green 20kg. Seaweed and fish based, conditions the soil while it feeds.
- Neutrog Blade Runner Lawn Fertiliser 15kg. For once the lawn is up and running.
Did you know we also stock gypsum for heavy clay, top soil spreaders, lawn rakes and Katana 18V line trimmers in the shop. Not all of it is listed online, so give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 to check what's on the shelf.
Bags of soil and fertiliser are heavy, and we run a local delivery service on Tuesdays and Thursdays, $5 around Strathalbyn and $10 on the wider regional run.
The rest of the seed and soil range is in the garden centre, and if you're not sure what your soil needs, come in and have a yak with us.
More from the garden
- How to plant a kikuyu lawn in South Australia
- How to choose the right grass variety for your climate
- How to keep your lawn green, and what usually goes wrong
Preparation is the bit everybody wants to skip, me included. Still learning, same as everyone.
Cheers,
Candeece
