How to Grow Grass Fast

These 5 tips will help speed up the lawn growing process.

Want to grow a lawn without having to wait forever for it to fill in? If you’re hoping to grow grass fast, don’t be intimidated or confused—we’re here to help! While you might not think that you can grow grass fast by using grass seed, you absolutely can if you know what you’re doing and use the right products. Just follow these 5 basic steps and you’ll be on the fast track to growing a beautiful lawn.

1. Choose the Right Seed

Not all grass seed is created equal. We bet you already know this from looking at all the different types of grass seed out there. In most cases, when shopping for grass seed you’ll be choosing between two types of grass—cool season or warm season grass—depending on where you live. Cool season grasses grow best where there are large temperature swings during the year, this means in the Northeast. Warm season grasses thrive in warm weather where there’s less of a temperature difference.

Once you’ve figured out which grass is recommended for your area, it’s time to choose your grass seed. The Scotts® Turf Builder® line of grass seeds offers premium grass seed for most popular lawn types. Each Scotts seed is wrapped in a unique coating that absorbs twice as much water as uncoated seed, fertilizes to jumpstart growth, and helps protect against disease. The result? Grass will grow thicker, greener, and more quickly.

2. Prep the Soil

We know it’s exciting to get out there and sow grass seed, but there are a few important things to do first:

• Start by removing any existing grass, weeds, and large rocks from the area you’re planning to plant.
• Fill in low spots with soil and if your existing soil is really compacted, consider renting a tiller and loosening everything up.
• Finish by using a hard rake to even everything out—then give yourself a huge pat on the back, because soil prep requires the most elbow grease!

3. Seed and Feed

One of the most effective ways to get your grass to grow fast is to fertilize right after you plant. For use on all grass types, reach for Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food for New Grass, which helps grass grow up to 70 percent thicker and 35 percent more quickly (vs. unfed). If you’ve opted to skip the seeding and lay sod or plant grass plugs instead, use Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food For New Grass Plus Weed Preventer right after planting to prevent weeds from establishing themselves.

To apply both seed and feed easily and efficiently, you’ll want to use a spreader. If you’ve got a small lawn, use a Hand-Powered Spreader, which covers up to 1,500 square feet smoothly and evenly.

As with any product, be sure to read the package directions carefully. This is no time to guess or eyeball, and more definitely does not mean better! Package directions will tell you how much product to use, how to spread it, and when to spread it so that you can grow grass fast and get the best results.

4. Water and Protect the Grass

It's critically important to keep your seeded area watered, but you want to do it incrementally as the grass develops. Use a “mist – lightly water – deeply water” process like this:

• After seeding and fertilizing, you’ll want to keep the top inch of soil moist until the seeds start to germinate (aka sprout). This means misting the area once a day, maybe twice if it’s unusually hot out there—but don’t let the area get soggy.
• After seeds begin to germinate, you’ll need to keep the top 2 inches of soil moist with light watering until the grass is about 3 inches tall.
• At this point, your grass is developing its root structure, so you want to begin watering deeply so that moisture reaches down through the top 6 to 8 inches of soil.
• As you’re watering and the grass is growing, you’ll want to keep foot traffic and pet action to an absolute minimum (avoid rousing games of fetch and tag, for example). Plan to keep people and pets off the grass for at least a month, during which time your other yard spaces or nearby parks will become your best friends.

5. Mow the Right Way

When that new grass is 3 inches tall, you can start mowing, but remember to adjust your mower to a high setting and never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blades. If you mow too low, you’ll be inviting weeds in—and we’re guessing that’s not part of your lush lawn vision.

Seems pretty simple, right? That’s because it is! If you follow these five steps, it won’t be long before your yard is transformed into a lush oasis of green.

For more information, contact Monnick Supply in Framingham and Marlborough, MA.

scotts.com