'This fast-growing grass seed repaired my lawn in a couple of weeks'
I'm a keen gardener. Definitely not Alan Titchmarsh levels, but I like to keep my outdoor slice of paradise looking in good nick. So I was dismayed to discover the absolute havoc winter wreaked on my lawn.
Add in a project that involved me digging up half the garden and having to shift a load of topsoil, and it was in a bit of a state. After taking a look at the price of turf and gulping, I turned to grass seed, only to be delighted with the results - and how quickly the lawn is looking back to normal.
Combing through the reviews of the tidal wave of options, it's really difficult to know where to start. I settled on the Pronto Seed Premium Grass Seed, which comes in a 1.4kg box and is priced at £14.49 on Amazon.
Said to be "fast acting and hardwearing" it sounded good to me, so I decided to give it a whirl. With the usual Amazon Prime speediness, it arrived the next day and I set to work sowing it.
This wasn't my first rodeo when it comes to rejuvenating the lawn, so I made sure to use a fork to disturb the compacted soil a bit and mixed the seed with some compost to ensure the best chance of success. Similarly, we'd had a pretty dry spell with next to no rain, so I made sure to keep the seed watered with a hosepipe, and to my delight, after just over a week the seed began shooting up.
There was no stopping it once those green shoots started appearing and within a matter of days after that it was really making an impact, with the grass almost back to normal after just over two weeks. The product description claims it works within 7-14 days, something I've found to be true, while it promises "lush, green coverage in no time", a statement that's also stood up in my experience.
The only downside I've discovered is how it's grown in some of the shadier parts. There's a beautiful acer tree in my garden that's stunning but also sort of takes over a bit and hogs a lot of the sunlight.
As such, it means there are a couple of spots that spend much of the day in the shade.
It's noticeable in these areas that the seed hasn't grown as well, and while it has sprouted, the grass definitely isn't as thick here, so it's worth considering if your garden has shady areas. Specific shade-tolerated grass seed is also available, like the Gro-Sure Shady Lawn Seed that's priced at £9 at Wickes.
That particular seed is designed to thrive in drier, shady conditions. It also has a clever blue coating that helps to keep birds away and nourishes the seed, while the pack features a handy built in easy to use seed applicator.
As I've already mentioned, there's a whole variety of grass seed out there. One product worth flagging if you have a dog is the Pegdev Pet Friendly Grass Seed (£17.20) at B&Q. Promising "fewer bare patches", the seed is said to be "low maintenance" and has "rapid recovery from pet damage".
Other shoppers also seem to be very happy with the Pronto seed. One said: "I used this Pronto Seed to overseed some patchy areas in my garden, and the results were impressive. Within a week, I noticed new grass sprouting, and by two weeks, the lawn looked much fuller and healthier."
Another wasn't quite as impressed, giving three stars: "I had high hopes for this grass seed, but the results were just OK. The germination rate was decent, but it took longer than expected for the grass to fill in."
But a different shopper was delighted, adding: "I recently purchased Pronto Seed Grass Seed to rejuvenate my lawn, and I am thrilled with the results! After carefully preparing my garden and ensuring the right conditions for growth, I can confidently say that this product has exceeded my expectations in delivering a lush, green lawn."
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