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Over seeding the lawn

MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
in Problem solving
I have been waiting for some rain to start over seeding but it has not arrived yet and the lawn is is resembling a Ryvita at the moment!  :/ Will it be too late now or should I just get the sprinkler out? Many thanks in advance.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    You can get seeded Ryvita nowadays 😂 

    But is it warm enough for sowing grass seed where you are?  The soil needs to be 10C and above for good germination ... cold and wet means the seed will rot. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
    @Dovefromabove, Thanks Dove, I am in the South East (Surrey) it has been getting very cold with low temps at night but then becomes sunny and warm(ish) later in the day. I am mainly worried about the lawn being so dry that the seed won't take hold. At the moment it would be like scattering seed on a bed of concrete! :/ Should I soak the lawn, 'scratch it' up a bit then scatter the grass seed? Many thanks.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I would do exactly that ... but not until mid May. 

    It is said that the way farmers used to check whether the soil was warm enough to sow seeds was to pull their britches down and sit bare ar$ed on the earth. 

    Only when the soil feels a comfortable temperature against bare skin is it warm enough to sow the seeds. Otherwise it’ll either rot in the soil or it’ll just stay there for the birds to eat before it germinates. 

    I’m from a farming family ... pretty certain my brother doesn’t do that now 😉... but the principle’s the same 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    Hi,

    I overseeded my back lawn about three weeks ago. Given it a light sprinkling every day. Seed has taken. Blades just need to thicken up a bit now.  

    Going to start the front lawn tomorrow. Just didn't want to keep moving the sprinkler every day so did one lawn at a time. 

    Now's a good time to do it. Just a shame there's no rain at all, hence the daily sprinkling! 


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