Great Lawns Made Simple: How to prepare your soil

No matter what soil type you have, to prepare your seedbed for sowing and to give grass seeds a healthy start it is worth putting in a little extra effort at this stage.

The more you do at this stage the less work you will have in the future.

Tips mentioned in this video:

• Grass can quickly be taken over by a variety of weeds that can spread, cover your lawn, and be difficult to get rid of. To remove them properly for a fresh seedbed, dig them out completely, as the roots can grow back again, or use a weed killer. Remember that you will still need to remove the dead weeds.
• If you plan to use weed killer it should be applied following all instructions on the label and usually takes a matter of days before you see the dead weeds.
• You can apply using a watering can or a pump sprayer for larger areas.• If you have plenty of time you can lay a heavy covering over the ground (like an old carpet) as this will block light and all weeds will die after a few weeks. It’s less effort initially and the soil will still need digging over to remove the weeds.
• Ideally after removing any weeds and debris, let the soil cultivate for a few weeks. This allows you to remove any new weeds that appear which can be then pulled out easily.
• You can dig by hand using a spade and fork if you have a small area but if it’s a large garden you will more likely need a machine called a rotovator to dig over your soil. You can hire one for this purpose.
• Dig the site to a depth of at least 15cm. This breaks up the soil, adds oxygen and helps prepares the soil for sowing. Remove any large stones, weeds and roots you come across. It is useful to have a bucket or wheelbarrow nearby for putting them in.

Using Fertiliser:

Fertiliser can be used in two ways when sowing grass seed. One option is to apply a fast-acting pre-seed feed just before sowing. This will boost the soil and kickstart your seed. Alternatively, you can apply a slow-release fertiliser a few weeks after sowing, which will ensure steady growth for 8-12 weeks.

• View our range of fertilisers here

It’s really important to prepare a good surface for sowing seeds. The ideal seedbed has no weeds, big stones, or debris and has been raked to level it out. Next, you need to tread the ground to get rid of air pockets. Take small shuffle steps over the surface to even out the soil. Think of it like a penguin walk. Do this in rows to make sure all the areas are covered. You now have a prepared seedbed.

Want to know more? Check out the rest of our Great Lawns Made Simple series.

• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to create a new lawn
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to sow grass seed
• Great Lawns Made Simple: Types of soil in your garden
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How and when to cut grass
• Great Lawns Made Simple: Aeration for lawns
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to feed your grass
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to repair your lawn
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to remove moss