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In the meantime, it has become de rigueur for an area of lawn to be planted in every garden in this country. A few factors are important, such as the germination time. Everything about this and to shorten it below.
Germination time and claims
Anyone who wants to create a lawn in their garden knows that a little patience is necessary for a good result. In addition to thorough soil preparation and correct sowing, the germination time also plays a crucial role. This can be a period of between 7 and 21 days before the lawn seed finally germinates. The duration depends on various factors such as
lawn seed
- quality of the seed
- available oxygen in the soil
- important for root formation
- high air and soil humidity
- Soil temperature of at least 10 ° C
- ideal sowing date April/May or August/September
At this point, the seed does not yet need to be supplied with nutrients from the outside. However, it is important to have water and a suitable level of moisture, as this can cause the lawn seeds to swell. Meanwhile, the enzyme diastase converts starch into sugar. Then germination can begin, the stored nutrients are available to the seedling. Only after the seeds have germinated and the first roots have formed are the seedlings dependent on nutrients from the soil. If necessary, a starting fertilizer can be administered there. Irrespective of this, there are ways to accelerate germination, whether this makes sense in any case remains to be seen.
Notice: The individual lawn seeds in a seed mixture germinate quite differently, since it is made up of different types of grass. Furthermore, the trade offers so-called cheap mixtures and more expensive but high-quality lawn mixtures. As a rule, the cheaper variety germinates faster, but the result sometimes leaves a lot to be desired.
Cover with foil
In order to accelerate the germination time for lawn seeds, i.e. to shorten them, all the factors already mentioned for successful germination must be present. However, the weather can sometimes not always play along here. Strong temperature fluctuations and variable rainfall can quickly affect the germination period. Covering the sowing area with foil can remedy this and definitely accelerate the germination of the seeds. use should
- special growth film or
- alternatively transparent plastic films
Find. In any case, the foils used must
- translucent
- water permeable and
- be air permeable.
Why cover?
By covering the surface with foil, a kind of "greenhouse climate" is created by the sun's rays underneath, which allows the lawn seed to germinate faster. The slide offers
- Protection against dehydration caused by wind and sun
- Soil stays evenly moist
- Protection against heavy rain
- This protects the seeds from being washed away
- faster heating of the soil
- even distribution of seed
- Protection against entering the area
- Protection against bird damage
This method is quite simple but very effective in speeding up germination time.
Cover properly
A few things have to be done before the tarpaulin is stretched over the lawn in question:
- Rough up the soil thoroughly before sowing
- ideally use a motor hoe
- Sow seeds evenly
- no deeper than 1 cm
- thereby increasing the germination rate
- Lightly roll the lawn seed
- this creates good ground contact
- Thoroughly water the surface
- do not completely soak
- then spread the tarpaulin flat on the ground
- Lanes should overlap by at least 30 cm
- fix foil webs on the sides
- use of stones or wooden boards
The foil must not lie flat on the ground, because the seedlings need space to grow. The overlapping of the film strips is necessary so that the partial areas cannot be covered in strong winds or rain. Otherwise the seeds can easily float away and poor germination will result.
Notice: The film must not be used as a cover for too long. It should be removed when the first roots are firmly anchored in the soil. The plants now need enough oxygen, enough air for their development.
seed germination
This is a method to increase germination and resistance. Here, too, various conditions are necessary such as
- sufficient oxygen, air
- warmth and
- according to humidity
If these factors are met, germination can begin:
- Spread kitchen paper on baking sheet
- spray with water
- Cloth should be damp but not wet
- Spread seed evenly
- Avoid overlaps
- Set up in a warm place
- Windowsill is ideal
- Avoidance of drafts
- regular humidity control
- Spray with a spray bottle if necessary
- use of warm water
Notice: The seed does not tolerate drought. The seeds can die quickly.
The germination of the seeds can be further influenced by covering them with a transparent film. In this case, the seed tray can also be in a slightly cooler place, for example in the conservatory. In any case, the lawn seed must not be allowed to stand for longer than five days. As soon as the first roots have formed, they need ground contact to provide themselves with nutrients. In principle, the seedlings can then be brought to their intended place.
Notice: A lawn mixture always consists of different types of grass, which also have different germination times. If the pre-germination is too long, it is possible that one type of grass has already died and another is just about to germinate.
Does pregermination make sense?
In principle, pre-germinating seeds makes sense for other plant species. But normally, when the lawn seed is pre-germinated, the germination time is not really accelerated. In principle, this is merely a matter of preponing the respective germination process. This is already completed for the most part before sowing has taken place. However, this method is also advantageous because it causes the lawn to grow faster. The area is greened earlier than with normal sowing. However, it must be stated that when laying out a new lawn, pre-germination is very time-consuming and therefore not really useful. It should be considered that countless seedlings are needed for a normal area. Here the effort would be much greater than with a normal sowing.
The situation is different with reseeding, however, when gaps have to be closed on a lawn. Pre-germination is ideal for this.
Notice: So-called turbo reseeding is commercially available. Due to a germination accelerator, the germination period can be brought forward by 30 percent. The first little plants are already visible after seven days. This seed is excellent for repairing gaps.