Unlike other countries around the world that benefit from a hot climate all-year round, the UK isn’t that lucky. Therefore, you’ll want to plant your grass seed from spring to the end of summer for the best possible results.
There are some exclusions because certain grass seed manufacturers may state when to plant the grass seed on their packaging. However, as a general rule, the best time to plant grass seed is between March and September.
Once you have chosen a grass seed, below we discuss why March to September is the best time to plant grass seeds.
Table of Contents
Ideal Temperature
As you can imagine, the cold and wet weather during winter isn’t the best time to plant seeds. The ideal temperature of 8 to 10 degrees needs to be met in order for the grass seed to grow quickly. At 8 to 10 degrees, the temperature is neither too cold or too hot, which is perfect for optimum germination of the seeds.
However, that’s not to say that the grass seeds can’t survive during the winter because they certainly can. It’s actually a common practice and planting grass seeds during the winter is known as dormant seeding. This means that the seed will simply lay dormant until the ideal temperature of the soil is met, which is usually mid-spring. However, it’s worth noting that if you plan to plant grass seed in the winter, you will want to use a dedicated winter grass seed.
Soil Conditions
Determining when to plant grass seed is mostly based upon the condition of the soil. As mentioned above, the ideal air temperature needs to be around 10 degrees, which is enough to heat the soil to around 6 to 8 degrees for optimum germination. As this temperature is often achieved during spring, you’ll often get the odd spells of rain, which also gives the soil plenty of moisture. However, if it doesn’t rain, you can always water the seedbed daily using a garden hose.
Competition With Weeds
Weeds that are in a seedbed can be an issue whilst trying to sow the seed and as you are trying to grow fresh grass, you can’t simply use a weed killer. Therefore, you will need to carefully weed the area by hand before they flower. Eventually the grass’s growth will defeat the growth of the weed but only if you keep on top of your weeding.
Aftercare
Once you have checked the two-week forecast and planted your grass seed onto a perfectly prepared seedbed, you’ll want to care for it in order to achieve the best possible growth. This involves watering it on a daily basis unless it rains, avoiding walking over it, carefully raking up any debris on the seedbed and much more. You should also avoid cutting the grass for the first time until it’s ready, which is usually when it reaches approximately 5 cm in height.
Conclusion
Watching your seeds eventually spout into grass can be very satisfying and transform your garden. However, to give the seeds the best possible chance of growing, you will want to plant grass seed between March and September.
