How Fast Does Lawn Grass Grow?

How Fast Does Lawn Grass Grow?

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 about the speed of growth has its justification, because the growth of the lawn determines the mowing frequency. However, how fast a lawn grows depends on various factors. The growth can be favored by special measures.

Influencing factors


Every lawn takes a different amount of time to grow. Between seven and 20 days can pass before the first blades sprout. The journey from seed to blade of grass is a laborious affair, the duration of which depends on various factors:

  • Grass type: fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass, bunchgrass.
  • Lawn type: ornamental lawn, sports lawn, shade lawn
  • Environmental factors: temperature, light, precipitation


Lawn types and grass species


Ornamental lawns consist of fine-leaved species that show slow growth. Their maintenance requirements are therefore comparatively low, because the leaf mass does not increase as quickly and the lawn needs to be mowed less frequently. Sports and play lawns are characterized by high durability. They consist of particularly fast-growing and robust grass species, which also close up bare patches in a short time. Due to the faster development, this grass needs to be mowed more often. Shade lawns contain various grass species that can cope with little light.

How Fast Does Lawn Grass Grow?

little light. Under shady conditions, development is somewhat slower, so this type of lawn requires less attention. Many of the grass species are also included in other mixtures. Shade lawns contain high percentages of grove

  • ripgrass or lagergrass.
  • Ornamental turf: Ostrich grasses, fescue
  • Sports turf: Ryegrasses, bluegrass
  • Shade lawn: Fescue, ryegrasses, meadow grasses
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Germination period


Grass species take different lengths of time to germinate. The germination period must therefore be taken into account for freshly established lawns in order to obtain information about the growth rate. Like the growth of grasses, 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
  • bunchgrasses: twelve to 20 days
  • standard grasses: about 14 to 24 days


Note: Even if the first grass tips appear after only one week, you should allow some time to pass before the first mowing. When all grasses have reached a height of about eight centimeters, you can mow for the first time.

Environmental factors

Wachstum Rasen

Growth is animated by a certain temperature. The decisive factor is the soil temperature at a depth of about 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 subsequent development. Grasses use the sun’s energy to produce nutrients.

Sunlit lawns therefore grow faster than grasses in the shade. However, this only works if the water balance is also correct. Too much sunlight causes the grasses to lose a lot of water through evaporation. In the summer months, the water requirement per square meter is about five liters. If the sky is overcast, the liquid requirement is reduced.

Note: In the fall, the rate of growth steadily decreases because of falling temperatures and reduced light. Culms stop growing at about five degrees Celsius air temperature, while root growth stops at -0.5 degrees Celsius.

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Accelerate growth


Loosen the soil thoroughly before sowing. This will allow the seeds to fall into protective crevices in the soil where conditions are uniform. Cover the seeds only thinly with substrate to allow the shoots to grow more quickly from the soil surface. Unwanted species should be removed quickly. Although most grass species are rather competitive and can hold their own against other plants, so-called weeds rob grasses of nutrients. Provide seed heads with a starter fertilizer. They will provide the young grasses with important nutrients for rapid and healthy growth, and phosphorus should be a major component of the starter fertilizer.

  • Nitrogen: growth of the leaves
  • Potassium: increases resistance
  • Phosphorus: root formation


Tip: The young grasses must be able to utilize the nutrients as quickly as possible. Therefore, apply starter fertilizer one to two weeks before sowing.

Author

  • James Jones

    Meet James Jones, a passionate gardening writer whose words bloom with the wisdom of an experienced horticulturist. With a deep-rooted love for all things green, James has dedicated his life to sharing the art and science of gardening with the world. James's words have found their way into countless publications, and his gardening insights have inspired a new generation of green thumbs. His commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship shines through in every article he crafts.

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