Grow Lawn From Grass Seed

If you have a lawn than you have probably had bare spots that you wanted to fix. The cheapest way to repair your lawn is to grow new grass from seed wherever it is needed. But growing grass that will stick requires some planning, preparation and technique. This installment will discuss the planning and preparation phases for growing grass from seed.

Grass likes to grow in moderate to warm temperatures, 65-80 degrees C. This means the chances of a freeze should be past and the high heat temperatures of the summer should be avoided. Plant your grass seeds in spring or in late summer.

Choose a seed that suites your needs. Some grass seeds do well in shade or high traffic areas while others may need less water or warmer temperatures to thrive. I look for a mix of grass seed that hits all those areas - this guarantees that I will at least some degree of success.

The area you need to seed needs to be protected while the grass grows from traffic. In my case this means keeping my big old German Shorthaired Pointer named Blue out of my work area. I had to go buy some chicken wire to mark off the section of the yard completely. The seeds need to establish roots and this process will be disrupted by footprints or paw prints.

The grass seeds need some nice dirt to grow in. Use a shovel or favorite garden tiller to loosen up the soil. Remove rocks and sticks along the way. This photo shows me half way done tilling up the area for my new grass.

Continue to remove rocks and sticks while you rake your planting area. Break up big chunks of dirt and rake the area smooth. See the photo of my handy work.

If you are taking the time to plant your own grass seed than take the time to throw down some starter fertilizer before you put down your seed. A starter fertilized will promote root growth while often times decreasing the amount of water required.

As we already know grass seeds grow best in dirt free of rocks and and packed with nutrients to promote root growth. Once your area has been prepared and amended with starter fertilizer it is important to employ the famous "heel-toe" method (see video) to lightly compact the dirt with just your body weight. This gives the grass seed roots something a little firmer to grow in. Once you packed things down a bit. Spread your grass seed liberally and then lightly rake again to mix the seed together with the dirt on the surface.

Grass seeds need warmth and water. In the beginning water 2-3 times a day until you see grass starting to sprout through. The ground and seeds should always be wet. Stay tuned for updates as I will post the photos of my progress along with tips on re-seeding, mowing and much more lawn fun.