A beautiful lawn with a closed cover and a lush green color is the desire of many garden owners. Care plays a crucial role in this. The question of the speed of growth is justified, because the growth of the lawn determines the mowing cycle. How fast a lawn grows, however, depends on various factors. The growth can be promoted by special measures.
Influencing factors
Every lawn takes a different amount of time to grow. It can take between seven and 20 days for the first stalks to sprout. The way from the seed to the blade of grass is a complex affair, the duration of which depends on various factors:
- Grass type: Fescue, meadow panicle, ryegrass, ostrich grass
- Lawn type: Ornamental lawn, sports lawn, shadow lawn
- Environmental factors: Temperature, light, precipitation
Types of lawns and types of grass
Ornamental lawns consist of fine-leaved species that
show slowed growth. The need for care is therefore comparatively low, because the leaf mass does not increase as quickly and the lawn does not have to be mowed as often. Sports and play lawns are characterized by their high durability. They consist of particularly fast-growing and robust types of grass, which also close bald spots again in a short time. Due to the faster development, this lawn has to be mowed more often. Shadow lawns contain different types of grass that can cope with little light. Development is a little slower in shady conditions, so this type of lawn requires less attention. Many of the grasses are also found in other mixes. Shadow lawns contain high proportions of grove, rib grass or lager panicle.- Ornamental lawn: Ostrich grasses, fescue
- Sports turf: Ryegrass, meadow panicle
- Shadow lawn: Fescue, ryegrass, bluegrass
Germination time
The types of grass
take different lengths of time to germinate. The germination time must therefore be taken into account in freshly laid lawns in order to obtain information about the growth rate. Like the growth of the grass, it depends on the environmental conditions. On average, these grasses have the following germination times:- Ryegrasses: about seven to 15 days
- Fescue: between ten and 20 days
- Ostrich grasses: twelve to 20 days
- Bluegrass: approx. 14 to 24 days
Note: Even if the first grass tips show up after a week, you should allow some time to pass before the first mowing. You can mow for the first time when all the grass has reached a height of about eight centimeters.
Environmental factors
The growth is animated by a certain temperature. The decisive factor is the soil temperature at a depth of around five centimeters. For healthy root and shoot growth, the temperature should be between 15 and 18 degrees Celsius. Once the seeds have developed cotyledons, sunlight plays an important role in their subsequent development. Grasses use the sun's energy to produce nutrients. Sun-drenched lawns therefore grow faster than grasses in the shade. However, this only works if the water balance is right. Too much sunlight leads to the
Note: In autumn, the speed of growth decreases steadily due to falling temperatures and reduced incidence of light. The stalks stop growing at an air temperature of around five degrees Celsius, while roots stop growing at -0.5 degrees Celsius.
Accelerate growth
Thoroughly loosen the soil before sowing. As a result, the seeds fall into protective crevices in which uniform conditions prevail. Cover the seeds only thinly with substrate so that the sprouts can grow faster from the surface of the earth. Unwanted species should be removed quickly. Although most types of grass are rather competitive and can hold their own against other plants, so-called weeds rob the grasses of nutrients. Provide the seeds with a starter fertilizer. They provide the young grasses with important nutrients for fast and healthy growth, with phosphorus making up a large proportion of the starter fertilizer.
- Nitrogen: Growth of leaves
- Potassium: increases resilience
- Phosphorus: Root formation
Tip: The young grasses must be able to utilize the nutrients as quickly as possible. Apply starter fertilizer one to two weeks before sowing.
