4 days ago
I tested best grass seed from £4 for a lush green lawn – and winner is perfect after heat spells
IF you want to grow a healthy, green and hard-wearing lawn, you'll need to pick the best grass seed.
Which seed you choose may depend on the condition of the soil in your garden, how much sunlight it gets and how much wear and tear you expect it to receive.
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We tested our grass seed mixes by planting them in March and waiting for the grass to grow.
By June, we had a patch of grass to review for softness, robustness, consistency and colour.
Grass seed is much cheaper than buying turf, but it's best to germinate either in Spring or Autumn.
Here Lynsey Hope shares her verdict on some best-selling seeds:
Sprogs and Dogs Ultra Hardwearing Grass Seed (500g)
£8.99,
Need to know: Suitable for pets and children. The 500g covers 15 square metres.
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This mix of dwarf ryegrass and red fescue has been developed over a decade by Lawn UK to create a thick, "sports strength" turf for lawns that regularly double as football pitches, dog playgrounds and heavy footfall.
They say this germinates quickly - and can happen in just five or six days - but our shoots appeared in ten days.
The grass that grew was fine and soft with a lovely rich green colour and it seemed to bounce back well after being trodden on.
Long-term user reviews are very positive, saying the grass grows back well even after snowy winters and heatwaves.
Performance: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Overall score: 10/10
Verve Universal Lawn Seed (500g)
£4,
Need to know: Sow from March until October.
I was impressed by the thick and lush green grass that grew from this literally in a matter of days.
In two weeks, it had covered a good patch of soil. It germinates at speed, providing good coverage.
You can use it to create a new lawn, for overseeding and patching.
For just £4, this box provides a total coverage of around 20 square metres so I thought it was great value.
There were no weeds in it either. A versatile, budget-friendly option.
Performance: 3/5
Value: 5/5
Overall score: 8/10
Johnsons Nature's Lawn Grass and Wildflower Seed (400g)
£7.99,
Need to know: Contains wildflower seeds, attracts bees and butterfiels. Ideal sowing time is mid-March to May and late August to mid-October.
An innovative seed mix for gardeners who wish to enjoy wildflowers without sacrificing the functionality of their lawns.
The perennial wildflowers - 4% versus 96% grasses - can tolerate regular mowing and attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees.
The grasses included are durable and the wildflowers included black medick, black knapweed and meadow buttercup.
There's enough here to cover up to 20 square metres and we loved the grass that grew from it, which was a rich green, soft and luscious.
Shoots appeared in around 14 days.
Performance: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Overall score: 9/10
McGregor Multi-Purpose Lawn Seed (1kg)
£6.40,
Need to know: Sow from January to October and covers up to 40sqm.
Fast acting and easy to sow, the grass that grew was very fine.
It came up a bit patchy and looked a little burnt after recent hot temperatures, then never grew back.
The box says keep out of reach of children and pets, so can only assume it's not a great option if you have kids and animals in the garden.
Suitable for sowing from January until October.
This worked reasonably well on bare patches and it's a good value 1kg box.
But the grass that grew wasn't as lush as others.
Performance: 2/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 5/10
Gro-Sure Fast Acting Lawn Seed (390g)
£8.29,
Need to know: Bird deterrent, applicator included. The pack covers 30 squares metres.
A blend of quick-growing and hard-wearing grass varieties.
It is ideal for overseeding worn grass and filling in patches.
You can also germinate at lower soil temperatures, 7C, so it's great a great option if you want to seed your lawn earlier or later in the year and get fast results.
The seed is treated with a protective blue coating to deter birds - the coating was also helpful in seeing where the seed had been sown.
The seed applicator in the box was useful for simple and even application.
The resulting grass was thick and maintained it's earlier well during hot temperatures.
