Lawn seeds

Our seed packets complete with detailed growing instructions

The best time to start lawns from seed early autumn when the soil is still warm from the summer and less competition from weeds. If you miss the opportunity to sow in autumn, try in mid-spring, but only when you can give the new grass plenty of water. Once the ground had been prepared, its quick and easy to sow.

Dig the area roughly to loosen it and remove existing plants, especially perennial weeds. Rake the area to create a fine surface, removing larger stones, roots or other debris as you go.

We supply the Self-repairing lawn seed, it starts to self-repair by spreading about 6 months after germination. 

How to prepare for a New lawn and how to sow a New lawn

Turn over your topsoil, rake it thoroughly and take out any stones or clumps.

Fertilise the Soil with an organic fertiliser (i.e. dried cow manure) and rake this through the topsoil. If you have a loamy type of Soil, improve the top by spreading some compost and raking this through the topsoil together with the fertiliser.

Spray the topsoil to moisten it. Sow the grass Seed in a double pattern (up and down, top to bottom, and left to right). It is easier to spread the Seed evenly if you mix it with some fine dry sand (birdcage sand!). After sowing, rake the surface very gently and then press the topsoil with a piece of boarding which will trap the seeds down in the top layer. Once the lawn has sprouted, give it a very light fertiliser. Mow only when the lawn is completely green. Mow gently with the mower set to 2.5cm (1 inch).

Enhance your Lawn

A well kept lawn is the mirror of any gardener. It requires a good basic set up and regular care but hates too much fertiliser, too much water and to be cut too low.
If your lawn gets damaged you can cut out the bad patch and replace it with a less visible good patch from somewhere else, then sow some New grass Seed on the damaged patch.

For a Healthy lawn it is important to have good drainage and aeration. If your lawn is walked or played on regularly the Soil can become very compact preventing the roots from getting the required oxygen to grow and absorb nutrients and water. Aerating breaks the Soil surface by poking holes into the earth. If your Soil is clay, then it is recommended to aerate twice a year. If you have sandy Soil, you should aerate once a year. Avoid aerating when weed seeds are prevalent.To make things easier lawns should be thoroughly watered a couple of days prior to aerating, aeration can either be done by a machine hired from a garden center or you can simply do it with a garden fork (stick it into the lawn and ease it back and forth). You can apply Fertilizer and addition lawn Seed after aeration if necessary.

If you are against using chemicals in your garden you can use a daisy grubber but the best way to kill weeds and feed your lawn at the same time is to mix weed killer and a fertiliser dressing together and apply it to your lawn. Try to even it out as much as possible. Moss will keep re-appearing unless it is dealt with. Firstly clean off the moss and from your local garden centre you can buy a moss killer; apply this to any New bursts of moss.

You can make your lawn more interesting and beautiful by naturalising some bulbs through it, this is best done in areas of rough grass which you are happy to let grow wild in spring(see 'naturalising spring bulbs in your lawn' Bulb tip category).

Weed Killers

There are lots of different weed and grass killers used for different purposes. So take the time to read the label or ask in the shop, telling them exactly what you need it for. Some are specifically designed for gardens while Others may be more suited for lawns. To reduce and discourage weeds a tip is to apply a good supply of mulch around your plants each winter.

If you use a non-selective broad leaf weed killer such as Roundup or Finale, all green plants will be killed, including the grass. So you have to be extra careful to apply it to the specific areas and not all over the plants, as what ever it touches it will kill, so if you can spray weeds without spray drifting onto your preferred plants.

Soil acting or residual weed killers poison the Soil, killing any plants within the treated area. Soil-acting weed killers reduces Seed germination as well as causing photosynthesis (bacteria) in the Soil. Some of these weed killers remain in the Soil for months or even years. These types of weed killers are best suited to areas used along paths or between pavings and not in the garden with Other plants.

Systemic weed killers are taken up by the foliage and then carried to the remainder of the plant down to its roots. With this type of weed killer, it can take up to two weeks before plants are completely eradicated. These may also be applied to specific plants without damaging Others that are close by. Since only systemic weed killers affect the plant material, the Soil should be suitable for Other plantings.

Lemon juice is also said to be highly effective in killing weeds of all types and it will break down very quickly. Like the vinegar-based products, they are most effective when used on dry Soil on hot days.

Neat white vinegar is good as an earth friendly broad leaf weed killer. But only to be applied on sunny days. The acid readily degrades in water, decreasing the pH of the Soil, causing the weeds to die off, but within 48 hours the pH balance is back to its original state. Remember regular kitchen vinegar contains only 5 percent acetic acid won't control weeds, but vinegar concentrates of 20 percent acetic acid are, in fact, very effective herbicides.

Weed killers that include glyphosate - is probably the lesser of the evils in terms of popular herbicides. Sold under hundreds of different brand names, glyphosate supposedly breaks down very quickly, It can take up to 7 days after application before the weed starts to turn brown, particularly if it's a large one. Glyphosate should be applied when there's no chance of rain within 6 hours of application.

Whatever your choice, always follow the directions and apply them safely and sparingly.