Sowing Lawn Grass Seed

Spring is the best time to sow lawn grass seed.

This season Dactyloctenium Australe, the well-known and ever popular LM or Berea grass, is available in seed packets on the local market. This indigenous lawn grass spreads by means of stolons or runners, forming a lush green carpet in sun and shade. It has been planted for decades by means of runners or plugs. Being able to sow large areas of Berea grass lawn by seed is going to be a major benefit to gardeners and landscapers. It is simple and easy to sow and only 3 g of seed is required to cover 1 m².

What you Need to Sow Lawn Grass Seed

Garden fork, metal rake, lawn dressing, superphosphate, balanced fertiliser, garden spade or roller, fine sand, garden hose, sprinkler

What to Do

Prepare the planting area by turning over the soil with a garden fork. Rake the surface to a fine tilth.

Add compost or lawn dressing to the soil surface plus 50 g of superphosphate per square metre. Dig in thoroughly and rake the surface again.

Mix the grass seed with some fine, dry sand to bulk up the sowing mixture. This helps to spread the seed evenly over the surface area. Scatter the contents of one 30 g packet evenly over 10 square metres of soil surface. Rake in extremely lightly so that the seeds are covered by 3 mm of soil. Roll the surface with a garden roller or pat down with the back of a spade.

Water thoroughly with a garden hose or sprinkler, ensuring that no large puddles form. Keep the surface moist until the seeds have germinated and the grass is growing well.

Where does Dactyloctenium Australe grow Best?

•It grows best in sun or shade in the warm subtropical regions. It also grows in colder climates, although winter frosts can be damaging. It recovers rapidly in spring when the weather warms up.

•Dactyloctenium Australe prefers rich, loamy soils. It grows in sandy soils if sufficient water is applied during dry periods.

Post-planting Care and Maintenance

Once the seed has germinated and the grass is about 60 mm tall, mow it for the first time with your mower on the highest setting (about 40 mm). Continue mowing once or twice a week depending on the selected height. The suggested height is 30 mm for sunny positions and 50 mm for shaded areas. Water the grass regularly while it is establishing itself. It can tolerate dry periods once established but may turn brown during protracted periods of insufficient water. Feed your lawn with a slow-release fertiliser four times per year.