When to sow grass seed

Once the cold mornings have disappeared and winter’s crispness has lifted from the air, it will be time to start sowing grass seed again. The easy way to determine when you can start sowing again is to keep an eye on your local weather forecast since the ideal sowing temperatures will usually return earlier in the south of England than in the highlands of Scotland, for example.

Tips for sowing grass seed again

We have included some tips below for preparing your garden lawn for sowing grass seed again after winter, along with a few videos that go into detail to ensure you get the best results from your lawn this year!

Repairing your lawn after winter

When reviving your lawn after winter, the first thing to look for is thinning bare spots and any areas where weeds and moss have appeared. The best solution in instances like this is feeding your lawn nutrients using Feed, Weed and Moss Killer to encourage healthy growth and combat weeds and moss. After this, the next step is overseeding the bare areas with fresh grass seed.

Suppose your lawn looks poorly after winter, but weeds and moss are not an issue -  in that case, we recommend applying a slow release fertiliser to give your lawn the boost it needs to bring it back to life. Using a quick release fertiliser in mid-summer will help keep your grass growing strong all season long and give it the strength to resist common lawn pests.

• SLOW RELEASE: Spring / Summer fertiliser feeds your lawn consistently for four months, ensuring your grass grows strong and stays lusher for longer.
• QUICK RELEASE: Spring/Summer is a fast-acting lawn fertiliser that works quickly over six weeks to promote healthy grass growth.
• Make it Grow is a quick-release, fast-acting liquid fertiliser that enriches your lawn with nutrients and continues to feed it for 6-8 weeks after applying.

Choosing the right grass seed for your lawn

Selecting the right grass seed for your lawn will help ensure that you get the best results. Our grass seed range includes hardwearing grass seed and specialist seed mixes for lawns that see a lot of use from kids and pets, seed mixes for new build houses with gardens that have clay soils or lawns struggling to grow due to shade from large trees and tall fences, hedges and walls.

Preparing your soil for spring sowing

How to sow grass seed

Overseeding an existing lawn

• Remove any dead grass, weeds or moss by scarifying/raking the area
• Rake the area enough so that the soil is loose and the seedbed is level
• Allow the area to cultivate for 10-14 days; this will encourage any dormant weeds to appear on the surface, which can then be removed by hand
• Apply a Feed, Weed and Moss Killer or a Quick Release / Liquid Fertiliser or Slow Release fertiliser (depending on the needs of your lawn as mentioned above)
• Sow the seed at our recommended rate of 35g per m2 by using a seed spreader or your hand
• Rake the seed in after sowing so that the seed is in amongst the soil
• Firm down by foot or by using a roller to improve seed-to-soil contact
• Lightly rake the area to cover the seed and water well

Sowing a new lawn

• Dig the soil over to a depth of 20-25cm
• Remove weeds by hand or use a weed killer
• Add topsoil if you believe the soil to be poor quality
• Rake the area to get a level seedbed
• Allow the area to cultivate for 10-14 days; this will encourage any dormant weeds to appear on the surface, which can then be removed by hand.
• Sow the seed at our recommended rate of 50g per m2 by using a seed spreader or your hand
• Rake the seed in after sowing so that the seed is in amongst the soil
• Firm down by foot or by using a roller to improve seed-to-soil contact

For further reading, we have guides on how long it takes grass to grow and when you should first mow your lawn.