How to Grow Grass from Seeds

Research the type of grass that grows best in your region. Most grasses are either cool season grasses and warm season grasses. It's important to find out which kind of grass grows best where you live to ensure a healthy lawn all year round.

• Cool season grasses are planted in the summer or early fall. Their vigorous growing season is mid to late fall. These grasses grow best in northern areas with cold winters and mild summers. Cool season grasses include the following:
  • Kentucky bluegrass, is a fine, dark green grass that grows well in shade.
  • Tall fescue, a low maintenance grass,is coarse.
  • Perennial ryegrass grows well in full sun. It is medium-textured.
• Warm season grasses are planted in the spring. Growth occurs in summer. These grasses grow best in places with late, mild winters and hot summers. Warm season grasses include the following:
  • Bermuda grass likes full sun, not shade.It is fine-textured.
  • Zoysia grass is a medium-textured grass that is hardier than most warm-season grasses during winter.
  • St. Augustine grass, is course grass and won't survive cold winters.

Decide what type of grass will grow best in your yard conditions. The conditions in your yard will affect the health of your grass as much as the climate in your region. Hundreds of seed varieties have been developed to grow in specific environments. Consider the following variables when choosing a type of grass:

• Does your yard have good drainage? Or does it dry too quickly? Some seeds are engineered to survive waterlogged soil. Others are drought-resistant.
• Does your yard have abundant shade or full sun?
• Is your grass for decorative purposes, or do you want to walk on it with bare feet? Some grasses are beautiful but coarse. Others are soft, perfect for lounging outside.
• How often do you want to mow your lawn? Some grasses grow quickly, and need to be mowed every week while others can be left alone longer.

You can buy grass seed at garden stores or online. Buy from a reputable source.

• Calculate how much grass seed you will need. Each kind of seed provides a different amount of coverage. After you calculate the square footage of the area where you're planting grass, talk to the salesperson at the home / garden lawn care store. Ask how much seed you will need to buy.
• Some seed sellers provide online grass seed calculators.

Till the top layer of soil. Breaking up the top layer makes it easier for grass seeds to take root. If you have a large area to cover, buy or rent a soil tiller to break up the soil. If you have a small area to cover, use a garden rake or hoe instead.

• As you till, break up large clumps of dirt so that the soil is fine and even.
• Remove rocks, sticks, and other debris from the lawn.
• If you're adding seeds to a lawn with bare patches, use a tiller or garden rake to break up the soil. Mow the rest of the lawn as short as possible.

Level the ground. If there are spots in your yard where water pools when it rains, they need to be leveled out. Seed planted there won't survive long. Level the ground by adding topsoil to low areas. Run the tiller over the area to even it out and blend it with the surrounding soil.

Fertilize the soil. Grass grows significantly better in fertilized soil. Buy a fertilizer specifically made to help grass grow.

Scatter the seed. For large areas, rent or buy a lawn spreader or a mechanical seeder, which shoots grass seed evenly across the lawn. For small areas, spread grass seeds by hand.

• Use the amount of seed recommended by the lawn care expert at your home and garden store. It is important to use the correct amount of grass seeds to ensure your lawn grows evenly.
• Do not overseed your lawn. Do not use up extra seed by spreading it over the lawn. Overseeded areas will grow thin, unhealthy grass, because seedlings will compete for limited nutrients.

Protect seeds with topsoil. Spread a thin layer of topsoil over the entire seeded area, by hand or with a cage roller. Newly planted seeds need to be protected from the elements until they take root.

Water the seeds. Set your garden hose head to the "mist" setting and lightly water the seeds until it is thoroughly damp.

• Don't use a powerful stream of water, or you will wash away the grass seeds.
• Newly planted seeds should be watered every day until the grass sprouts to a few inches.

Keep people and pets off the new lawn. Protect the newly planted seeds from trampling for the first few weeks. Consider putting up a sign or using a string or flags to cordon the area. If pets and other animals run loose, consider putting a temporary fence to protect the lawn from harm.

Keep it watered. After the grass has grown a few inches, it doesn't need to be watered every day. Water it deeply a few times a week. Make sure the soil gets thoroughly soaked.

• If the grass starts turning brown or looking dry, quickly water to revive it.
• Don't water your lawn after heavy rain or it could become waterlogged.

Mow the grass. Mowing grass encourages it to grow thick and healthy. If it grows too tall, it will get reedy and tough. Mow when the grass is 4 inches (10.2 cm) tall.

• Grass clippings in the yard act as a natural mulch to aid stronger grass.
• Consider a push reel mower instead of a power mower. Push reel mowers are better for the health of your grass because they snip it neatly unlike power mowers which tear and shred it, making it more susceptible to disease. Plus, push reel mowers do not emit pollution.

Fertilize the lawn. After six weeks, when the grass is healthy and tall, give it another application of fertilizer specifically made for grass. This ensures healthy growth for the rest of the season. Fertilize your lawn at the beginning of each growing season.