A lush, green lawn is the envy of any neighborhood, but getting that perfect grass carpet can seem impossible. Whether you’re starting from scratch or rejuvenating patchy areas, this guide will walk you through transforming a bare yard into a thriving lawn in the shortest time possible. We cover everything from selecting the right grass type to proper care techniques.
We also offer advice on hiring a professional for help. TruGreen is one of the best lawn care companies to assist. It delivers science-based lawn maintenance and soil fertilization to optimize growth potential and make your lawn weed-free and thick.
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How to Grow Grass Seed Quickly
Here are the steps to help your lawn grow lush and green as soon as possible.
1. Test the Soil
Conduct a soil test before planting to determine pH and nutrient balance. A quality soil testing kit can provide insight into what fertilizers and amendments you need to create an optimal growing environment. The right soil pH and nutrient levels make for a suitable foundation for your new grass.
2. Prepare the Soil
Preparation is the key to successful grass planting. Remove debris, rake the soil smooth, and add any required amendments based on your soil test results. Aerate compacted soil to enhance root penetration and water infiltration. Add organic material, such as compost, to enrich the soil. This is also the time to level out any dips and remove the soil from structures to prevent drainage issues.
3. Sow the Seed
Use a garden spreader to distribute the seed evenly across the prepared area. Aim to use about one pound of grass seed for every 250 to 400 square feet. Select quality seeds and check the seed packaging for proper coverage rates. We recommend purchasing slightly more seed than estimated to ensure complete coverage. This reduces the chances of bare patches developing.
Read also: Hydroseeding Your Lawn: The Complete Guide
4. Apply Topdressing
Add a layer of top dressing to help retain soil moisture and prevent seeds from blowing or washing away. We recommend peat moss, hay, or a thin layer of compost mixed with fertilizer. Top dressing also provides additional nutrients to the soil surface, fostering a robust environment for seed germination.
5. Water Consistently
Proper watering is critical for rapid germination and growth. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water two to four times daily for about 10 minutes per section for the first week or two. This maintains the necessary moisture levels for seed germination. After this initial period, reduce watering to once daily. Early morning or evening are the best times to water, reducing evaporation loss and maximizing absorption.
6. Mow at the Right Time
Once the grass reaches 3 to 4 inches, it’s time for the first mowing. Set the mower blade to the highest setting to avoid stressing the young grass. Keeping the height longer allows the grass to develop a strong root system. We recommend trimming every two weeks until the lawn is fully established, then gradually transitioning to a more regular mowing schedule.
Laying Sod Vs. Planting Seed
While seeding is a common method for establishing a lawn, laying sod is an alternative that provides instant results. Sod consists of pre-grown grass strips that create an immediate lawn. The convenience of laying sod makes it a quick lawn solution. It can also help with erosion control.
Sod installation still requires proper soil preparation and consistent watering but eliminates the wait for seed germination and initial growth. However, sod roots need adequate time to integrate with the soil beneath. Traditional seeding may be more cost-effective and easier for smaller areas or patchy spots.
Professional Lawn Care Services
Professional services can be invaluable if you want expert assistance or lack the time for DIY lawn care. Experts bring specialized knowledge, soil testing, and tailored maintenance plans for rapid grass growth and a healthy lawn.
Professional lawn care services can provide:
- Expert advice on grass species selection: Tailoring the lawn to your region and intended use
- Soil testing and amendment recommendations: Ensuring optimal soil conditions
- Precise application of fertilizers and treatments: Customized care plans to foster healthy growth
- Ongoing maintenance and care: Including mowing, aeration, and pest control
Our top pick for professional lawn maintenance is TruGreen. This company has highly-trained technicians who know your area intimately and can provide expert advice, conduct soil testing, and perfect your soil for fast growth in a breeze. TruGreen has many service plans that offer everything from simple soil preparation to full-scale property maintenance. They are remarkably affordable, especially given the value they bring to the table. Read our review of TruGreen.
Tips for Faster Grass Growth
Consider our tips to accelerate grass growth and quickly achieve a lush lawn. These strategies can turn your lawn into the centerpiece of your property:
- Choose fast-growing grass species such as ryegrass for cool climates or Bermuda grass for warm regions.
- Ensure even seed distribution to prevent bare patches or overcrowding.
- Keep foot traffic to a minimum until the grass is fully established, allowing the lawn to mature without compaction.
- Consider using a starter fertilizer formulated for new grass to stimulate initial growth.
- Remove weeds promptly to reduce competition for nutrients and water, giving your grass every opportunity to thrive.
Identifying the Right Grass Type
Choose the right grass species for your climate and growing conditions. The two main categories of grass are cool-season and warm-season varieties. They thrive in different environments. Pick the correct grass type that will grow quickly and remain healthy.
Cool-Season Grass
Cool-season grasses, which you normally find in the northern United States, flourish in moderate to cool climates. These grass types prefer temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees and are often ideal for shaded areas.
Common cool-season grass species include:
- Kentucky bluegrass: Known for its rich color and texture, can be slow to germinate
- Fine fescue: Often combined with other cool-season grasses to create mixtures that thrive in shade
- Tall fescue: Known for its adaptability and resilience, particularly in drought conditions
- Creeping fescue: Best for shaded and low-maintenance areas offers moderate growth and fine texture
- Perennial ryegrass: Quick to germinate, ideal for temporary coverage and overseeding
- Bentgrass: Primarily used on golf courses, requires precise upkeep
Plant cool-season grasses in early fall or early spring when temperatures are mild. This takes advantage of the lower temperatures and seasonal increased precipitation.
Warm-Season Grass
Typically found in the South, warm-season grasses thrive in hotter climates. These grass types prefer temperatures between 75 and 90 degrees and can withstand hot summer days up to around 95 degrees. Their growth patterns align with warm weather, making them less suitable for cooler climates.
Popular warm-season grass species include:
- Bermuda grass: Fast-growing with incredible heat tolerance — perfect for southern lawns
- Zoysia grass: Offers a dense, hardy turf but is slower to establish
- Centipede grass: Known for its low maintenance needs and tolerance of acidic soils
- Carpetgrass: A coarse-textured grass suitable for sun and shade — and low-maintenance
- Bahiagrass: Highly drought-resistant and excellent for erosion control
- Buffalo grass: An eco-friendly choice requiring minimal watering or mowing
- St. Augustine grass: Offers plenty of shade tolerance but requires regular watering and care (read our article on tips for rejuvenating St. Augustine grass)
Plant warm-season grasses when temperatures are consistently warm in late spring or early summer. This allows the grass to establish roots quickly before the peak summer heat.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The biggest mistakes to make on your lawn are in various areas, from soil preparation to watering habits to cutting schedules.
First, don’t neglect your soil preparation. Test the soil and know what you’re working with. Once that’s done, pick the right type of grass to plant, one that’s appropriate for your climate.
Then, you must water your new grass correctly. Be consistent so that you don’t stress the new grass.
Between seasons, if you overseed, don’t overseed too much. Too much grass seeds leads to too much competition for water and nutrients.
Finally, don’t mow your grass at the wrong height. That also stresses your lawn, creating dead spots.
Frequently Asked Questions
The fastest way to grow grass is to lay down sod, which yields an instant lawn at a hefty price. Laying down sod still requires maintenance, but you’ll spend less time overall watering than you would with traditional seeding or even hydroseeding.
Hydroseeding is the next fastest solution but is still more expensive than traditional seeding. This process involves spraying a mixture of grass seed, water, fertilizer, and mulch over the area you want to be seeded. Although the aftercare is just as time-intensive, the application process is significantly faster than conventional seeding. Hydroseeding yields more immediate results, with germination taking place in as little as seven days in many cases.
If you opt for traditional seeding, it’s best to complete a soil test and add fertilizer and amendments accordingly. Lay down your seed evenly, cover with peat moss or another top dressing, and then water three to four times a day for about 10 minutes each for a week or two. Scale down to one or two times a day until the grass is about 3 to 4 inches tall.
Sod is better than seeds in some respects, but it’s not better for everyone. The most significant benefit to laying sod is that you’ll have an instant lawn and don’t need to wait for your grass seed to germinate or grow in. Laying down the strips is less time-consuming than seeding but far more expensive, often more than four times as costly.
Sod also isn’t available in all grass types, whereas conventional seeding allows custom mixtures of grass species. You’ll also need to water the sod diligently and prepare the soil beforehand so the preparation and aftercare are equal.
If you live in a cool climate, ryegrass is one of the fastest-growing grass species. Bermuda grass is widely regarded as the fastest-growing warm-season grass species. These species take an estimated 10 days to sprout in ideal soil and climate conditions instead of 20+ days for others.
Grass seed varies in price based on the species and the quantity you buy. On average, you can expect to pay between $3 and $10 per pound.
Overseeding can be an issue. Too many seeds lead to competition once seeds germinate and grow. All blades compete for nutrients, sunlight, and water, limiting growth. It’s best to use about a pound of grass seed for every 250 to 400 square feet, ensuring you get even coverage across your entire property.
Today’s Homeowner Rating & Methodology
At Today’s Homeowner, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each lawn company/service according to our methodology.
Our research team dug into the fine print of contracts, combed through more than 100 customer reviews, and investigated each lawn care service’s services, costs, and products. We’ve done the homework for you by researching nearly all the lawn care companies on the market so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home.
We developed a formula to objectively determine the best lawn care companies and give each a score out of 100 based on the following criteria:
- Plan Options (30): Do they provide various options? We looked at the number of plans each company offered and the flexibility of adjusting the plan.
- Services offered (20): How many services are in each plan? We looked at the number of lawn care coverages, including weed control, seeding, irrigation, aeration, dethatching, and more.
- Trust (10): What do customers say after servicing their lawn? Does this company offer a guarantee? We considered how satisfied customers are post-service if the company does what it says it will, BBB accreditation, and service guarantees.
- Prices (10): How reasonable are the costs of the plan or service in comparison to the industry average? We compared each company’s costs to competitors offering the same lawn services.
- Unique perks (10): Does the company offer discounts or special services such as organic treatments, pest control, or a mobile app? We looked for the perks each company offers that set them apart from the competition.
- Customer Service (10): How is the customer experience when contacting the company? We considered the speed of response, weekend/holiday availability, and ease of communication through phone calls, email, and online chat functions.
- Nationwide availability (10): How many states does the company offer its services? Companies that operate nationally and in all ZIP codes are favored over those with limited availability.
