Grass seed is best sown in warm, moist conditions so that it will germinate and establish quickly; early autumn is usually best. Seed may also be sown in spring, but the soil will be colder than in autumn and there will also be more competition from weeds. Sowing in summer should generally be avoided; the dry, hot weather will cause the grass seedlings to shrivel and even die.

Seed may be sown either by hand or, faster and more evenly, by machine. Both methods will require you to work out the amount of seed you will need by multiplying the size of the area to be sown (in square metres or yards) by the recommended sowing rate (the amount of seed per square metre or yard).

Machine Sowing

Sowing by machine is the best way to sow grass seed over a large area.

1. Measure out the correct amount of seed for the entire lawn and divide it in half.
2. Put the first half batch of seed into the machine, ensuring that the spreading holes are closed before you do so.
3. Sow the first half batch of seeds in one direction, working up and down the site in strips; each strip should join but not overlap the last. You may want to set out canes on the ground or use a garden line as a guide - both can be moved as you proceed.
4. You can create a well-defined lawn edge by laying hessian or plastic sheeting at the lawn edge and running the machine just over it; this will also prevent any uneven distribution that may occur when stopping the machine at the end of a strip.
5. When you have sowed the entire area in one direction, put the second half of the seeds into the machine, and then sow them at right-angles to your initial rows.

Hand Sowing

1. Divide the site into small, equal-sized areas (usually 1 square metre or 1 square yard), using string and pegs or canes; this will make it easier to sow the seed evenly.
2. Measure out the recommended amount of seed for one section and accurately divide the batch of seed in half.
3. Transfer this half batch into a small pot or cup, accurately marking the level. This will make it easier and faster to measure out each subsequent amount.
4. Working on one section at a time, scatter one half batch (a full measure of your marked pot) evenly in one direction, then sow another half at right angles to this, before moving on to the next section.