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What kind of soil do I need to grow grass from seed?

Hi guys,

Hope everyone's well and happy new year!

I am planning to remove approximately 10 cm of existing soil from the marked area and replace it with fresh soil, with the intention of establishing kikuyu grass from seed. What type of soil would be most suitable for this purpose?

The property is located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

thanks,

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @rbaus. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about growing grass.

Kikuyu isn’t too fussy, but the soil you choose can make a big difference in getting your lawn established quickly. Using good-quality topsoil is ideal for the 10 cm layer you’re planning to replace. Before adding the topsoil, it’s a good idea to aerate or lightly loosen the existing lower soil layer. This helps roots penetrate more easily and prevents compaction, giving your new grass the best chance to establish. Once the topsoil is in place, you can level it, sow your kikuyu seed, and keep it consistently moist until it germinates.

Here's a helpful guide: How to grow grass from lawn seed.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

rbaus

@MitchellMc - thank you for the info.

I have got the old soil removed (have to do a bit of cleanup) and am now prepping to install the irrigation system. My question was around prepping the soil itself. Do I need to use the roller, if yes, can I hire one or is it cheaper to buy. The video you shared earlier shows how to grow the grass once the soil is in place and I was wondering if you can provide some insights into how to prep the soil too. Or for that matter anything else I should be prepared for.

I also saw some videos about using a net to lay on top of the seeds to protect from birds, the area I live in has lots of birds, should I be worried about them?

thanks,

JacobZ

Hi @rbaus,

When you say roller, were you referring to the cultivator that was used to break up the soil in the video?

This is usually recommended because grass seed must make direct contact with loose soil to absorb moisture and begin growing, and spreading seed onto hard, compacted ground or over debris greatly reduces success rates. Loosening the soil improves air circulation, allows water to soak in rather than run off, and reduces compaction that would otherwise restrict root growth. It also makes it easier for young roots to penetrate deeply, resulting in a healthier, more drought tolerant lawn over time.

The loose soil should be about 50-100mm deep, so if your existing soil is not, it would be worthwhile running a cultivator over it to loosen things up. They can be hired through our partnership with Coates Hire. This Rotary Tiller is what you are looking for.

The alternative to this, if you feel that your soil is not quite up to scratch, is to bring in new topsoil which will come loose and just needs to be spread out. The caveat to this is that you will increase the height of the lawn by 50-100mm, which can cause misalignment with paths and edging, and for an area of this size it would come at a considerable cost. Just looking at your soil, it looks pretty good to me, so I don't think it is really necessary, but if you'd like to look into this option, I'd suggest you have a chat with your local store's Special Orders team about ordering topsoil in bulk. Our bulk landscape suppliers are regional, so you'll have to have a chat with the team at your local store to see what is available.

Once you are happy with the depth and quality of loose soil, you can use a soil spreader to spread and level the soil. This step is essential as any dips or bumps will be set in place after the grass starts to germinate, so taking the time to get things nice and even before seeding is definitely worthwhile.

After applying the seed, as in the video, you will also want to go back over the seed with your soil spreader. This helps with seed to soil contact, by gently pressing the seeds into the soil, which will increase germination rates.

In a residential setting, spreading the seeds with your spreader so that they are lightly buried will usually be enough. If birds become an issue, you can always put some netting down, but it needs to be removed as soon as germination begins, otherwise it can negatively affect the growth of the grass. I'd just make sure you spread them well so that the majority of seeds get buried in the loose soil. If you find that birds are becoming an issue, you can always put some netting down after the first couple of days, but it needs to be monitored to ensure it doesn't hinder growth.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

rbaus

Hi @JacobZ,

I meant this https://www.bunnings.com.au/saxon-30l-water-filled-poly-garden-roller_p0675650, I saw in some videos that after putting the top soil they run this.

Ta,

JacobZ

Hi @rbaus,

Generally, I have seen them used after the seed is put down and it is to help with soil to seed contact. Personally, I wouldn't bother. The soil spreader does much the same thing without compacting the soil.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

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