Okay, you’re ready to plant a new lawn, and you need to know how to grow a Lawn fast. You probably know there will be some waiting time when you try to improve your lawn by increasing grass from seed.
Especially if you’re trying to figure out how to grow grass under challenging conditions like Shade.
We’ve got you covered – and trust us – the short amount of time spent waiting for your new grass to come in will be well worth it – as long as you do it right 🙂
How To Grow Lawns Faster
(Follow these 10 Simple Tips To Speed up Your Lawn Growth)
Step 1: Choose The Right Grass Seed
If you’re thinking about how to grow grass fast, the first and arguably most crucial step is to choose the right type of seed.
The fastest-growing grass seed varieties tend to be tall fescue and rye. For even more rapid growth, you can select a grass seed paired with a pre-fertilized seed starting matrix.
These seed mixes are used for patching bare spots – and tend to produce the best growth rates of the various grass seed products. When selecting your seeds, you must also know which varieties to avoid.
The “Two Seasons” of Grass Type – And Best Type of Seed for Each Location
Best Cool Season Grasses – Mid to Northern U.S. Locations
- Tall fescue mix seed – Drought tolerant with deep roots
- Creeping fescue seed – Low maintenance and can tolerate shade better.
- Bentgrass seed – Used primarily on Golf courses – And you can keep it short.
- Kentucky bluegrass seed. – A classic for northern lawns, it Needs full sun.
- Fine Fescue seed. It can tolerate poorly drained soil areas.
- Ryegrass – Quick growth and tolerance for lawns with kids or heavier activity.
Best Warm Season Grasses – For Southern (hot climate) States
- Bahiagrass seed. Coarse but very heat tolerant
- Bermuda grass seed. Hardy and holds up to high traffic (golf courses, etc.)
- Buffalograss seed. Native to North America – Highly tolerant and traffic-friendly.
- Zoysia grass seed. This grass grows slowly – but is one of the most sought-after, best-appearance warm-season grasses you can install.
Quick Note; St. Augustine is not mentioned in our grass seed for warm-season areas – it is only produced and sold as “sod,” not as grass seed.
Video: Choosing the Right Grass Seed By Region (Jonathan Green)
Consult your “local landscaping or nursery” expert about the type of grass seed they recommend planting in your area. You can also visit this easy link to view the best type of grass seed for your region.
Step 2: Run Soil Test
Before planting, you should run a soil pH test to determine the acidity of the dirt in your yard. Ideally, you’re looking for something between 6.5 and 7.0 pH, with anything lower than 6.5 being acidic enough to hamper grass seed growth.
If your soil’s pH level is too low, you may want to consider spreading a light layer of lime on the ground you’re going to plant. Lime will naturally increase the soil pH, improving conditions in very acidic dirt.
However, one thing to remember is that Lime needs time to leech into your soil. You must wait two months after spreading Lime to plant new grass seeds.
To quickly determine the pH level of your soil, check out this top-rated testing kit at Amazon to check your soil quality accurately. Do the soil test in early spring; you will be ready to plant your grass seed before the summer heat.
Step 3: Plant Grass Seed Correct Depth
Beyond just having the right seed, you need to plant it correctly to maximize its growth rate. The first thing you need to remember with the planting if you’re wondering how to grow grass fast and green is planting time.
Best Temperature for Growing Grass Seed
Because of temperature and moisture conditions, spring and fall are the best times to plant new grass seeds.
The ideal temperature to grow grass varies depending on the variety you’re planting, but most varieties grow best when daytime temperatures are between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 4: Rake Ground To Prep for Grass Seed
When you’re ready to sow the seeds, thoroughly rake out the area you’re seeding to remove any debris and pull any weeds that have moved into the thin spot.
Step 5: Add and Spread New Topsoil
Method #1 – Add “New” Topsoil
Next, you’ll want to spread a 5-6″ thick layer of good topsoil to cover the area and suppress any remaining weeds you may have missed.
Quick Tip: You can find local landscape supply companies that will deliver topsoil to your location. They will determine the amount of topsoil you need based on the lawn size, seeding, and the required thickness.
Method #2 – Use Garden Tiller to Add New Topsoil
If you think you have decent topsoil already in place, and again, the “soil test” came back positive for proper pH soil levels – you can use the “Garden Tiller” method to reuse the existing topsoil and add a smaller amount of new soil on top, for new lawns.
With this method, you can apply less new topsoil—only 3 – 4″ thick—and then till that mixture into the existing ground to prepare for grass seed.
Step 6: Smooth the Soil
Once the topsoil is in place, rake out the area you intend to plant smoothly.
Step 7: Spread the Grass Seed
Once the topsoil is in place – spread your grass seed with a suitable broadcast spreader. (don’t pinch pennies – this is the essential tool you will use – next to a good rake)
This top layer will help with moisture retention and prevent high winds from scattering the seeds away from the area you’re trying to improve.
Step 8: Apply Starter Fertilizer
Using the broadcast spreader – spread an even thin layer (read instructions for recommended spreader settings) of good “Starter Fertilizer” on the topsoil. Check out Scott’s Lawn Starter Fertilizer at Amazon.
Important Note: Regular fertilizer can damage new grass seed—only use “starter fertilizer” for this step! Check out the helpful table below to see the differences.
Step 9: Rake In The Mixture
Carefully rake the fertilizer and grass seed mixture into the topsoil. By the way, you can check out our favorite Rake for Grass seed here at Amazon.
Quick Tip: After raking the grass seed and starter fertilizer mixture into the soil, you can “Overseed the lawn” by throwing handfuls of extra grass seed over areas that appear not adequately covered.
After 10-15 days of germination, you can do this step for any bare grass spots on your new lawn.
Step 10: Water Lawn Regularly
Last but certainly not least – you need to water the seed. Use your lawn irrigation, a sprinkler, or a set of sprinklers.
Don’t apply water using any method that delivers too much pressure, as this could disturb the new layer of soil you’ve just laid down.
Water the ground “Daily” until it is evenly saturated—this may take as little as 15 minutes. The main thing is to water without any pooling or flooding.
This consistent “soft watering” daily cycle will start the seed and encourage rapid germination.
How To Care For Grass Seed After Planting
Germination Time
“The Germination Time for Grass Seed to grow is typically between 5 and 30 days – Depending on the weather and the type of grass seed you’re attempting to grow”.
To learn the “technical route” to growing grass from seed, check out this article from my son’s alma mater, Michigan State University: “Establishing a New Lawn from Seed.”
Provide Adequate Moisture For New Lawns
After you’ve planted the seed, you’ll need to care for it properly for it to grow. The most critical part of new grass care is keeping the soil in which the seeds have been planted “moist” for 3-4 weeks after the grass seed has germinated.
Letting seeds dry out will slow down or kill early germination and give you a patchy, thin lawn.
The amount of time and number of days to water will depend on the area you live in and the season you’re planting, but in most cases – water 15-20 minutes 3 days a week – for the first 30 days.
After the lawn matures, you can set your watering cycle to achieve healthy lawn growth.
Additional Fertilization
Once your new grass establishes itself, you should also consider fertilizing it. After all – We’re talking about How to grow a lawn fast!
Generally, the best time to give your grass its first “regular fertilizer” is between four and six weeks after germination. Our favorite Scott’s fertilizer for New Lawns is available at Amazon.
You can take this opportunity to fertilize all areas of your lawn since what helps the grass grow in the areas you’re patching will also contribute to the health of the rest of your yard.
Remember to use a lawn aerator at least once in early spring or fall. This allows the nutrients, water, and oxygen to reach the grass’s roots.
Check out this handy table below – courtesy of natureseed.com which explains the stark difference between fertilizer types. Use Starter Fertilizer When Planting New Lawns.
Let Grass Grow Before Cutting
New blades of grass need to be allowed to grow to a suitable height before being mowed the first time. Ideally, you’ll want to let new grass reach 3.5-4 inches before cutting it.
Your patience will allow the plants to establish themselves fully and conduct the right amount of photosynthesis before being subjected to the stresses of regular mowing.
Are you a “Happy gardener” who is not afraid of a DIY Project? Learn How to Build Compost Bins From Wood Pallets!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Long Does it Take To Grow Grass?
Grass germination varies between 5-30 days, depending on soil temperature, watering schedule, and available sunshine.
If those conditions are ideal, you will see fine blades of grass up to 1″ in height within 5-7 days, but longer if any of those conditions are not fully met.
Should I Install Sod Instead of Growing Grass?
The idea of laying down sod instead of new grass seed – may have crossed your mind at least once. Unlike seeding, laying sod provides you with a new lawn almost instantly.
The problem, though, is that the cost of sod is probably much too high for most homeowners to want to take on.
Depending on the type of grass you’re getting – sod can cost between $.50 and $1 per square foot, making it very expensive to install in larger areas.
While laying sod can be the right choice for redoing your lawn, seeding offers a much more reasonable solution for lawn repair in most cases.
How Do You Grow Grass in Shade?
Growing grass requires Oxygen, Water, Nutrients – And Sunshine! To grow grass in the shade, you need to plant grass seeds that are “shade-tolerant.” Check out Scott’s Turf Builder’s top-selling grass seed for shade at Amazon.
How Do You Kill Weeds and Grow Grass Instead?
Weeds – Like Grass – Need Sunshine to grow and spread their roots. A healthy lawn with lush grass will choke out weeds before they can root and multiply.
Use a seasonal fertilizer such as Scott’s Thickr Lawn at Amazon to thicken and grow a healthy lawn.
How Fast Does Grass Grow?
The germination time for grass seed to grow is between 5 and 30 days. The time required to develop a lawn depends on outside temperature, sunlight, and water.
This article from besthomegear.com explains how long grass seed takes to grow.
How Do You Grow Greener Grass?
Grass naturally “greens up” through nitrogen. Some of that exposure occurs naturally through atmospheric conditions, like lightning.
However, if you want to speed up the green, you can add nitrogen through a good high-based nitrogen fertilizer, such as Scott’s Green Max lawn food at Amazon.
Conclusion
Various factors influence knowing how to plant a new lawn, whether in bare spots or an entirely new yard.
For example, if you grow in an area with many trees and shade, you must expect that it will take longer for your grass to germinate and reach a mature height.
Likewise, if you live in an area that is statistically cooler than other parts of the country, your grass may grow a bit slower.
Overall, the best way to grow grass fast is to optimize conditions as much as possible, take the proper steps to plant grass, and let nature take its course!
Given time, your grass seed will germinate, and you’ll have a thick, healthy lawn to enjoy!
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References & Further Reading:
How To Plant a “Permanent” Privacy Hedge
5 Reasons your lawnmower may not be starting.
