How Long Does It Take New Grass To Grow?

How Long Does It Take New Grass To Grow?

When you see those bare spots in your yard, you want to cover them up as soon as possible. Before you start, you will want to know when the grass seed will take off and grow in your lawn. For many people, they want quick results with little effort. However, it is not always that simple to get a lush lawn for your home or business. Many factors can affect the growth rate of your grass. Here are a few tips that you need to know about the growing rate of grass.

Learn About the Germination Process

The germination process is the timeframe from when you plant grass seed to the time it sprouts in your lawn. If you want to achieve a luscious green blanket, then you will have to wait. The general germination time for grass seed is between 5 to 30 days. However, there are many factors to take into consideration, such as the weather and type of grass seed.

You need to know that not all seeds will sprout at the same time. In some cases, you might have a mixture of seed varieties that will have different growing characteristics. Before you plant, you should know how these seeds will behave in your yard.

As you can tell, the germination time will vary from one grass species to another. In general, you can expect grass seeds to grow according to certain germination times, such as:

  • Bentgrass: Between 10 to 14 days
  • Bermuda grass: Between 10 to 30 days
  • Buffalo grass: Between 14 to 30 days
  • Centipede grass: Between 14 to 21 days
  • Fescue: Between 7 to 14 days
  • Kentucky bluegrass: Between 14 to 30 days
  • Rough bluegrass: Between 7 to 10 days
  • Ryegrass: Between 5 to 10 days

If you are waiting for your grass seeds to show some signs of life and nothing is happening, you may have to look at your growing procedures. There might be other factors causing your seed germination to fail.

Contributors to Germination

Water and soil temperature are the two biggest factors for grass germination. It can be difficult to know your soil temperature without testing it. This factor will determine the type of grass that you should plant for your climate. For starters, you will have to see whether you have a cool-season or warm-season variety of grass. You can find cool-season grasses in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, and Northern parts of the United States. Warm-season grasses are often found in the Southwest and Southern States.

Cool-season grass grows best when the temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. These grass varieties include bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass. On the opposite end, warm-season grasses love temperatures between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. These grasses germinate slower than their cool-season counterparts. These warm-season grasses include Bermuda, zoysia, buffalo, and bahiagrass.

If you want your seeds to germinate, you need to add the right amount of water to your newly seeded lawn. With too little water, your seeds will dry out. By adding too much water, those new seeds can rot. In both cases, the seeds will not germinate, and you will be left with a bare lawn.

For the best results, you want to have enough water to keep the top two inches of the soil moist. Before you seed the lawn, you need to water the area. If you notice a pool of water, then you are watering too much. You can skip a day of watering until the ground dries up.

Growing grass is not a complicated process, but you need to know what you are doing. If you are lost about the process, you need to contact the lawn professionals at Charlestown Landscaping.

Avoid Some Common Mistakes

You need some dedication when growing that perfect lawn. Some pitfalls can affect your grass growing performance. You can grow grass in an existing lawn or a new bed. Whatever you choose, you need to avoid some mistakes that can harm your new grass seeds.

For many people, they do not choose the right species of grass for their lawns. Before you plant, you need to find the best varieties that will grow in your climate. If you fail to do this, then you could be out some money and time. For example, you might expect to grow luscious Bermuda grass, but that variety can only grow in certain climates. The United States is divided into planting zones. You need to find the zone for your area and choose the right grass for your lawn. By doing this step, you can avoid planting the wrong grass species in your yard.

You also need to be aware of your selected product’s seeding recommendation. Many people believe that more seeds will mean more grass in your lawn. However, when you add more grass seeds than recommended, they will all be fighting for water and other nutrients to grow. You also need to till the soil to protect the grass seed from drying out. This process will help improve the seeds’ chances of germinating in your soil.

If you have an established lawn, you can add cast grass seed into the lawn without much work. An established lawn will protect those new seeds with its grass blades. Finally, you want to seed your lawn at the right time. You cannot just throw out the seed when you feel like it. You need to know the type of grass that you want to plant. Cool-season grasses need to be planted in the late summer to early fall. Warm-season grasses should be seeded in the early spring to early summer.

With these few tips, you can have a lush and green lawn for your yard. If you want some expert help, make sure to contact the team at Charlestown Landscaping. Our landscaping professionals will help you choose the best grass variety for your home’s lawn and take out the guesswork of yard maintenance.

If you want to schedule a consultation, please take a few minutes to fill out the contact form.

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