Seeding lawn.

Good evening people. As in other posts, have got rid of old grass and weeds. I wasn't happy with the quality of grass. I have got rid of the clay, levelled off and added topsoil. When is the earliest I can put seeds down? Could I cover with fleece to give a head start?
Thank you.

 

I'd say first week of April, weather permitting. Grass seed needs to be about 10 degrees C to germinate. Less than that and it will just rot/get eaten by birds.

You can speed things along a little bit by mixing the seed with sharp sand before scattering it, then a bit more seed over the top of that for good measure. The birds will find less of the seeds, less will get washed away, the germinating seeds will find it easier to send roots through the sand, and if you have to walk on it, the sand will help protect the delicate grass and the soil below.

Worked for me. I had a semi useable lawn in the summer of thesame year I sowed it.

 

Over the years I have sowed a couple of acres of grass seed (and husband used to be a farmer and sowed many many acres). The optimum time is March (or September) but as you are in the NE of England maybe the end of March would be best, weather and soil conditions permitting of course. The main thing is that the soil should be warming up and should not be claggy (as in wet clay). If the weather turns out to be dry in the next few weeks, prepare the soil and get ready.

I don't think covering it with fleece is a good idea.

If there is a dry spell after sowing you will need to water but do not soak it. Grass seed does not like to be flooded and will not germinate well if it is. If it pools, you have given it too much water. Good luck.

 

Thank you for replies. I won't be impatient and will heed your advice. It's a shame to see it as just soil but it still looks better than clumps of grass and mud. I'm thinking that it will give me a clue to if the drainage is working properly. Cheers.

 

Great advice from the other two members. what mix of seed are you going for. if your not planning on getting your bowls out on the lawn a good hard wearing seed mix would be perfect. your seed suppler would be able to give you advice on the best mix they sell. best to buy online line and then you get a better choice unless you have somewhere local.