How to seed a lawn

Want to know how to seed a lawn? Right now is the best time of year for spring sowing: the weather's mild but not hot, which means better moisture retention in the soil. Besides, seeding a lawn is an easy and fun gardening activity that can be done together with your partner or family. 

Note that the better quality your seed and soil, the better looking and healthier your lawn will be. If you have poor quality soil in your garden (clay, for instance), you will need to purchase some top soil. 

Find the best lawnmowers to do the job well once your lawn's grown, plus advice on how to mow a lawn in our guide (yup, there's a right way to do it!). 

How to seed a lawn

For a small to medium sized lawn, you'll need:

• Lawn seed, about 30 grams per square metre
• A garden spade
• A rake
• A bag of well rotted manure or grass fertiliser
• A contact weed killer or DIY weed killer, e.g. soap solution, in a spray bottle
• A garden hose with a sprinkler attachment or a large watering can with rose attachment

Method:

1. begin by digging up or rotovating the soil where the lawn will be, removing any weeds as you go along.

2. Mix in manure or fertiliser into the dug up soil and let rest for a couple of days.

3. Remove any newly germinated weeds by hand or using a weed killer. Spot treating is preferable than treating the entire area, and always use weed killer a few days before seeding your lawn, or the residue will kill your grass.

4. Now create a level surface for your lawn: simply tread all over the soil, gently flattening it. Then, go over the top with a rake in different directions. 

5. Seeding: to achieve an even result, seed in a grid, separating your lawn into square metres. Sow the seed in rows, first lengthways, then widthways. You'll want to use about 30 grams of the seed per square metre to get a dense coverage. 

6. Water the lawn gently with a sprinkler attachment. Leave to germinate for between seven and 10 days. If the weather is very dry. water every three days.

7. Once the grass has grown to about three inches tall, trim a third off with a lawnmower. A lightweight mower is best here, or if yours is heavy, remove the front cylinder to avoid damaging the grass. Continue mowing every three to five days throughout the fast growing spring season.

• Small garden? Check out our best small lawn mowers