Start by removing any weeds and rotovating the soil to a depth of 15-25cm. Leave the seedbed to settle for several days. Apply a lawn seed fertiliser a few days before sowing.

1. Sow the seed at 35grams per square metre. The easiest way to do this is to divide the area into sections (ideally square metres).
2. Divide the seed mixture in half.

• Sow half the seed in parallel rows from left to right
• Sow the other half in parallel rows from top to bottom
• This ensures even distribution of the seed and decreases the chance of missing patches.
• Lightly rake over the newly seeded area, this covers the seeds with a light layer of soil.
• Water gently with a sprinkler.
• The grass should begin to establish after 7 days.

For overseeding an existing lawn, sow at 25g per square metre following the same instructions as above. Lightly water the overseeded area.

Try and keep off a newly seeded lawn for around 6 weeks, or until the grass has had a chance to establish.

Putting effort into preparing the ground is essential to achieving superb results when sowing a new lawn. Start with the basics; remove stones, weeds or debris from the area. Thoroughly dig up the soil to a depth of about 15-25cm and break up any clods that may make a heavy texture. You want to achieve a soil that crumbles but is not too dry. If you want to correct the soil structure add in some peat or sand to make it less heavy and clay-like.

It is vital to get a level surface on the soil so that when the grass starts to establish, it doesn't have any bumps and hollows. Applying a lawn fertiliser a few days before sowing will help the plant establish and result in a healthy, green lawn once developed.

Try and keep the shape of your lawn as simple as possible, gentle curves and straight edges are the easiest to mow and maintain. Make a plan of what it is you want from your garden, for example, if you have a family with an active lifestyle, create a lawn with plenty of space to move around.

Some things to think about are:

• If you're going to put in narrow entry points such as steps and paths, high levels of compaction may occur from foot traffic, so keep access points as spacious as possible
• Try and avoid too many obstacles within the lawn such as trees, birdbaths or ponds, as these can be time-consuming when mowing
• Think about the amount of light that would reach the lawn, if there are shaded areas, consider using a lawn seed that is designed for shaded areas
• It is important to think about practicality when planning a lawn, the look of your lawn will be important however it needs to be durable and suit the needs for you now, and in the future.

Realistically, you can sow grass seed anytime between mid-February to October. As long as the seed bed is kept moist, and the soil temperature is around 6-8 degrees Celsius the grass will germinate.

• Late summer to mid-autumn is the best time to sow the seed.
• This is down to a few factors:
• There are less weeds that will compete with the new seed for light and water
• The soil is warm which will aid germination
• Rainfall should have made the soil damp
• These all create a perfect seedbed for maximum establishment. Mid spring is also alright to sow, however make sure you give the new grass plenty of water.

Lawns are fairly low maintenance to look after, however, there are certain things you can do to keep your lawn looking its very best.

• Lawn Fertilisers: Feeding your lawn will improve the root system, making it more resistant to heat, cold, drought, foot traffic and other stresses. Putting effort into regularly feeding your lawn will make it a lot more lush and green.
• Weed and Moss Control: Getting rid of weeds and moss can make a massive difference to the overall appearance of your lawn. Using a weed killer once a year will get rid of any unwanted weeds in your garden. Weeds tend to germinate during spring, so May is a good time to use a weed killer to get rid of any that have sprouted during the mild weather.
• Water can also be necessary to keep your lawn looking healthy. Using a sprinkler in long periods of dry weather can make your lawn look a lot greener.
  Raking: Use a rake to get rid of any dead grass after mowing. Focus on heavily used areas such as around washing lines or paths, this relieves compaction when the air has been crushed out of the soil.