Grass Seed

ec_pc

I have a freshly rotavated front garden which I have then covered with screened topsoil this week. It's all raked out, stones etc removed and ready to be seeded and then rolled.

I don't know anything about grass seed, the area is approx 16 m x 6 m. Ideally I don't want something that grows too fast once established. Also, how much grass seed would I need to cover this area?

Any recommendations (pm is fine) for places to get grass seed in South Kildare? THanks.

legend99

Hi,
Absolutely no link whatsoever but I bought from seeddirect.ie as they deliver etc.

hirondelle

Liffey Mills on the Kildare road from Athy will definitely do grass seed- and it is open now because it is agriculture supplies. Basically check the packet for sowing rate- you won't need a huge amount. I would say all grass grows quickly if it is the right conditions in terms of heat and moisture, so you should probably focus on the seed blend- some is chosen for a lawn as a playground with lots of foot traffic, other types are good for the manicured stripey lawn look etc.

twowheelsonly

A 5kg bag should do you but you'll be using it all.

Any local garden centre of Co-Op should have something suitable.

Get a fertiliser as well that designed for helping new seeds / roots to establish. i.e. Don't use anything like 4 in 1 that contains weed or moss killer until the grass is fairly established. I'd be pulling weeds by hand for the first 12 months at least.
The rate of growth will very much depend on the fertiliser as much as the type of grass. High nitrogen, high growth basically. Use CAN fertiliser and you'll need someone following you around with the lawnmower as you spread it !!

Make sure you keep the seed / soil moist for a minimum of two weeks - try not to let it dry out at all in that time, watering 2, 3, 4 times a day or whatever is needed. Don't create pools of water though - just enough to ensure moistness at all times. Even when it has germinated in that time try to keep up the regime for a few weeks to give the slower germinating seed time to catch up.

Do it right in the first few weeks and you can save yourself a lot of grief in the next 12 months.

EDIT: I'd be buying a 10kg bag and using the surplus to fix any bad patches or overseed in the future. Around 40 quid instead of 25 or so and you'll have matching seed rather than something that turns out differently and looks patchy.