How long does grass seed take to grow?

When comparing the differences between laying turf and sowing grass seed, the time it takes to look great is bound to be playing on your mind. And the biggest question you have is probably –

How long does grass seed take to germinate and grow?

The general rule is to give the seed up to 4 weeks to come through and establish. However, grass seed will continue to germinate for up to three months.

The truth is, different species of grass seed may take different lengths of time to germinate fully. Some are fast growing and have good recovery rates. Others are more luxury and may take a little while longer. Some have creeping rhizomes which continue to germinate over the months that lie ahead.

While that’s the general rule, there are many things that may impact the length of time that the seed takes to grow.

Technically, you can sow grass seed in the UK at any time of year and it will germinate eventually. But to achieve the fastest route to growth, you should sow in either Spring, Summer or Autumn.

Here are some of the things that affect the rate of growth.

The weather

The weather is arguably the NUMBER 1 factor in determining whether your seed will take to the soil bed or not. What I’m about to say may seem very precise. Don’t worry though, if you don’t have the perfect weather after sowing, you will still achieve germination but it will take longer.

So here’s the key weather factors you need to make sure of

• Soil is above 8 degrees Celcius (remember it’s slightly warmer in the ground than it is in the air)
• Seed must be kept moist. So, if no rain is forecast, be sure to water it every day – or just wait until the rain comes if you’re patient enough.

Nutrition of the soil bed will affect seed germination rate

Different soils have different levels of nutrition. They may even have a different density e.g. clay vs sand. If yours is low in any of the macro-nutrients that grass plants need to germinate, then it may take a little while longer.

If you apply a pre seed lawn feed, then you can improve the levels of nutrition in your soil. It’s almost always necessary to apply a pre seed lawn feed to give your new lawn the macro-nutrients. But getting a soil test will also tell you if it’s short on any micro nutrients.

Different grass seed will grow at different rates

Rye grass is known for growing at a faster rate than fescue. Meaning if you’re going for a luxury 100% fescue mix, then you’re going to be a little more patient than if you choose a fast growing Rye mix.

Protection of the seed will affect how long seed takes to grow

While not directly impacting the time it takes for the seed to germinate, it will determine whether you have patches or not. The biggest culprits in gardens for stealing your seedlings is birds.

If you don’t protect the seed fro the birds, they will likely feast on it for most of the time before it germinates. This post will tell you How to stop birds eating your Grass Seed

What you do while the grass seed growing

How you treat the area will have some impact on the time it takes to grow. For example, if you keep the seeded area moist, you’re likely to see the first shoots come through within just a couple of weeks. However, if you don’t water the area every day and there’s no rain forecast, then you’re going to have to wait a bit longer to see the first shoots coming through.