With so many grass seeds on the market there will be something for every garden, but the sheer amount of choice can often seem overwhelming. Don’t worry as we’ve got it all ‘sown’ up!

When to Sow?
The best time to sow seed is late spring and autumn, when the soil is warm and slightly damp. Don’t worry too much if you need to sow seed slightly earlier or later as there are mixes that have been specifically blended to cope with lower temperatures or drier conditions such as the larger seeds found in Any Time, who’s seeds germinate and grow in temperatures down to 3°C.

Which Product?
Maybe you have a tree casting shade over the lawn? Try Shady Place with its specially formulated dry or damp shade formula. Does your lawn have a busy life coping with budding footballers, cyclists or toddlers? Tuffgrass will be the one for you as it contains a stronger variety of grass seeds that are quick to establish and are hard wearing.

Maybe you just want to sit back and enjoy looking at a luxuriously green lawn? If so try Luxury Lawn. It contains a seed mix blended to give a fine dense lawn, ideal for close mowing and those regimental stripes we all love. Alternatively, for those of you that don’t have time to devote to continuous mowing there is Quick Lawn. It has ‘Gromax’ applied to the seed which attracts beneficial bacteria to help the roots grow, and once established is more of a slow growing variety meaning less mowing more relaxing!

Seed manufacturers are always looking at ways to improve their products’ germination and lawn quality. This means some seeds have been given a special coating of fertiliser to feed the seeds. Johnsons Lawn Thickener has a coating of both fast and slow release fertiliser to boost germination and help the roots establish more quickly. Many of you will have heard of Rootgrow, usually added to roots of shrubs and trees when transplanting into the garden.

Empathy Supreme Green has added Rootgrow, coating the seeds so providing the benefits of Mycorhizzal fungi boosting the roots which enables better uptake of nutrients from the soil.

Don’t let it all go to seed!
So, you have scarified, sown seed, kept off the birds, watered continuously and finally have a beautiful looking lawn and are looking forward to sitting back in the sunshine and enjoying your hard work when out of the corner of your eye you spot…. a bare patch! Don’t panic you can quickly banish the blemish with Patch Magic from Miracle Gro. It includes their special formula of seed, feed and Coir, which means it needs less watering as the Coir soaks up moisture to release to the seeds in drier times.

Although a dog may well be man’s best friend he is not necessarily your lawn’s! Miracle Gro have also developed Dog Spot Repair. It contains Gypsum which rebalances the soil after the high salt in Fido’s urine has caused the grass to burn, and will have your lawn looking flawless in no time.

The dreaded moss! It loves shady, damp areas, nutrient poor and very short grass. The answer could lie in another product, After Moss. The seeds are coated in a Calcium Carbonate shell that gently raises the pH level of your soil to help deter the moss’s return.

Once your lawn is growing, it will benefit from a feed. New Westland Safe Lawn, is a feed that is perfectly safe for children and pets. Promoting stronger growth to outcompete weeds and moss to limit their growth, it has ‘friendly’ bacteria which transforms dead leaves and moss into much needed nutrients.

All we need now is a balmy sunny summer to show off and enjoy those luscious lawns. Fingers crossed!