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Seed Rates: Time of year: Weather conditions:
Some species establish more quickly than others and can out compete each other at the early stages.  It is never wise to use excessive quantities of seed and one should stick as near as possible to the recommended sowing rates and depth. Sowing seed at the extreme end of the growing season are inadvisable particularly unseasonably mild conditions. The season can be effectively extended. Dry periods are the worst times to sow but at the other extreme heavy rain and water logging will not aid establishment.
Preparing the Ground Sowing:
Initial ground preparation is very important. Do not rush this part. Good preparation will save you much angst in the future so time spent on preparation is seldom wasted.  Try and work when the soil is not saturated.  If it sticks to your footwear it is too wet. Let it dry out.  Dig the area over or rotovate it mechanically and while doing so remove large stones, bricks, roots of trees and perennial weeds that you come across.  If you are able, leave the ground to settle for a week or so.  If during that time some weeds germinate they can easily be hoed out. If there is heavy weed growth apply a non-residual weed killer containing only Glysophate which will not contaminate the soil.
Rake the soil until it is roughly level always removing stones and other debris that have been brought to the surface in the process.  A Landscaper rake is very useful for this activity.  It is at this point you need to consider whether or not to enhance the soil with additional topsoil, sand or turf compost, again rake this out to a rough level.

Next you need to fall back on some old basic greenkeeping skills.  Treading in is the term applied to walking up and down the area with your weight on your heals.  Involve the family or ask your friends round to help.  Many heals make light work.  The process finds out the soft parts and generally firms the surface without causing compaction.  Ground conditions are critical at this stage.  If the soil is wet or sticky – keep off.

Once again get the rake out but this time working in different directions across the area to obtain a smooth seed bed free of debris.  Finally, apply a pre-seeding fertiliser or an organic fertiliser and lightly rake it into the top few millimetres.

 Having purchased seed from our selection of professional mixtures to best suit your area, divide the area into one square metre strips or squares.  Stick to our recommended sowing rates and allow an extra 10% to keep back for subsequent over seeding of any areas that comes through a little thin.  Don’t be tempted to skimp on seed.  It costs very little relative to the value of a mature lawn.
If practical decant your seed into a large receptacle and mix, as different seeds are of differing sizes and may settle out in the bag during storage and transporting.  It’s not essential but good practice.
Using a suitable container weigh out the recommended seed rate for a square metre and mark the container so that subsequent quantities may be easily measured.  If you want perfection you may divide this quantity into equal part or quarters and sow in two or four directions. Overdoing the seed rate will not produce a better lawn indeed may result in losses of seedlings to disease.  The objective throughout is to establish an even cover over the area.  Avoid windy conditions as you will loose seed and the subsequent grasses may become undesirable weeds in other parts of your garden.
When you have finished give the area a very light rake.  Seed needs to be in soil for the resultant plant to survive not on soil where the seedling may shrivel up and die.  So gently rake it into the surface of the soil.  A general rule of thumb in gardening is to sow seed to the depth of the seed itself.  Grass seed is very fine compared to pea and bean seeds and if too deep will not be able to germinate and establish properly.
 
Preparing for grass seed - Stewartsturf Grass one germinated - Stewartsturf
Weed Invasion:
 Depth of Planting:
It is important to take out broad leafed weeds, as early as possible, with a suitable herbicide.  Broad leafed weeds tend to blanket out the young grasses emerging and will out compete them. Seeds sown too deep cannot allow the plant shoots to reach the soil surface before the seeds food source is exhausted.  Equally seeds left lying on the surface are prone to stress through lack of moisture.
Sward failure is unlikely and the failures will almost certainly be due to the weather or poor preparation.  
Moisture:
 Consolidation:
Seeds require moisture to germinate but if the ground is permanently too wet the seeds will rot, probably the riskiest process is when moisture is available allowing seeds to germinate and then followed by subsequent drought where the young seedlings shrivel up Seed beds that are not firm enough have excessive amounts of air and again will inhibit establishment.  Conversely if the ground is too hard the young root systems cannot penetrate the soil
Temperature:
 Fertility:
Excessively low temperatures, below 4-5 degree centigrade means very slow growth and poor establishment. Poor thin soil will not assist fast establishment and sowing may be prone to failure.  A suitable fertiliser should be applied in advance to ensure a good source of nutrient for the young plant.
PH levels must also be suitable although grass will establish within very wide intolerances.
Frost:
Both air and frost will severely check the growth of seedlings and can also kill them off by heaving the soil surface and leaving the young root system suspended in mid air.
Water Logging: Watering:
Permanently soaked soil prevents roots obtaining sufficient oxygen and carbon dioxide to maintain their growth process and so they will die. Water well, but do not saturate.  Use a sprinkler.  Keep watering during dry weather every 2/3 days and it will not be long before you notice a fine green covering developing.
Rolling: Mowing:
When the seedlings reach 50 to 75 mm try and give the area a light roll perhaps with a cylinder mower with the cutting height set to maximum height.  Make sure it is a good dry day and the surface is not wet. This just nicely consolidates the surface and encourages the young grasses to tiller.  Make sure all surface stones have been removed first. In a day or two the grass plants will pop back up again and the lawn may be mown for the first time.  The mower must be sharp and set to remove only the top 12mm or no more than 10% of the green leaf.  Mowing excessively close at this juncture may result in severe stress and permanent damage to the sward.  In subsequent mowing very gently reduce the height of cut as the lawn gains vigour and the plant population increases.
   
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Photographs copyright © 2007 Stewart & company Seedsmen Limited