How to Grow Grass (Seed)

Considering that we have been in our house for a little over a year, we still have a lot of landscaping projects to complete. One of such projects is growing grass in the open patches in our backyard. I was speaking with a friend the other day, who suggested that it was too late to grow grass. To that, I say Bah, Humbug! In order to grow grass, the soil needs to be anywhere between 60 to 80 degrees in order for the seed to germinate, so it is definitely not too late. However, if you wait a few more weeks, then the summer heat may just fry the grass seed and prevent anything from growing.

Because my friend asked me how I grow my grass, I figured, why not put it on here to share with the world. :) I know, you guys are just so interested in this. (I promise a better post later on today.) Growing grass is a relatively easy process. First, you need to lay a layer of soil in the area in which you want to grow grass. It has been my experience that using a seeding soil, such as Scotts® Turfbuilder® Seeding Soil, is more effective than using ordinary top soil and mixing in fertilizer. Then you need to scatter the grass seed on top of the soil you just laid. You can either utilize a seed spreader or scatter it by hand, in a similar motion as feeding a chicken. For those that have never fed a chicken, the motion is merely a flick of the wrist. You want to make sure that there is seed scattered throughout the soil, but not a bunch of seed in one place. If you over-seed, then the grass seeds would be competing with each other for the nutrients in the soil and the water, which could lead to disaster. Lastly, you need to cover the grass seed to ensure that the birds and other animals, such as chipmunks and squirrels do not eat your seed. I have found that it is effective to either use a grass growing fabric cover or another very thin layer of soil work. From there, you just need Mother Nature to take its course and you to water it twice a day for at least two weeks.

Good luck!