Growing a lawn is one of those pastimes that have begun to fall out of favor due to environmental concerns, yet it won’t be going away any time soon. Your turf is a cultivated weed that, on its own, isn’t necessarily bad for the environment.
However, as many species can become invasive and lawns require a lot of chemicals to maintain appropriately, lawn lovers have been searching for ways to keep their grounds healthier with fewer chemical treatments.
One of these is a resurgence in the practice of overseeding, which has turned into an annual tradition for environmentally-minded grass lovers.
But new grass can be somewhat fragile, and simply walking on your freshly seeded lawn can ruing the effort you just put into it. It raises a vital question:
How Long After Planting Grass Seed Can You Walk On It?
As a general rule, you will need to avoid stepping on new grass for at least four weeks, although some slower-growing species will need twice as long.
Turf Grasses
Numerous grass types are presently routinely utilized for turf, some of which are also considered weeds by certain lawn-keepers.
Here’s everything you need to know regarding how long you need to wait before stepping on the lawn and how to keep it protected.
The Truth About Grass Seedlings
While grass is the world’s doormat, seedlings tend to be quite fragile.
Whether they’re emerged or are still in the process of germinating, the weight of your feet can crush new grass plants.
It means that stepping on a barren patch of ground where you’ve sown grass seed can still kill the new grass, even though it hasn’t fully germinated.
It’s usually best to block off the lawn from children and pets right after sowing to help ensure the seeds have a fighting chance.
Growth Rate Affects Wait Time
It should seem like a no-brainer, but it can be easy to forget that not all grasses grow at the same rate despite often germinating in the same amount of time.
For example, in about four, fast-growing grasses such as perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) can be trodden on. Fast-growing grasses, for example, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), can be tread on in roughly four weeks. Still, slower turfs, such as carpetgrass (Axonopus spp.), will take eight weeks.
The rule of thumb here is that the new turfgrass needs to pass 3″ inches in height before you can hit the next step before.
The Big Catch
While you should avoid trodding on your lawn until the new grass has established itself, one of the best ways to determine this requires you to walk on the grass.
Whether you use a traditional rotary lawnmower or a powered one, the wheels can crush young grass or even yank it from the ground.
That said, one of the best ways to tell your grass is ready is by waiting until you’ve mowed it 3 to 5 times. So how does this work?
After sowing new grass seed, pay attention to the height of your lawn.
Once the fresh grass (not just the old) has reached a height of around 3.5″ inches, it’s time to give the lawn its first mowing.
If possible, set the blade height to 3″ inches, and never cut off more than ⅓ of the total size.
Don’t spend too much time in one place, so your feet will put minimal strain on the young grass.
By the time you’ve had at least three mowing sessions, the new grass should have a robust enough root system to allow for everyday wear and tear.
Ornamental Grasses (And Grasslike Groundcovers)
One crucial category of grass is often overlooked until you’ve experienced it for the first time – the ornamental grasses and closely related groundcovers.
Unlike regular turf, ornamental grasses sometimes establish themselves faster and are better for the environment. These often have unique characteristics which make them stand out, such as color, scent, or growth habits.
Similarly, many of these plants are used along sidewalk edges to present a tidier alternative to turf or to keep the lawn and sidewalk divided.
While many different flowering plants could be considered (for example, baby’s breath), we’ll focus on groundcovers that often replace grass and might even release a pleasant scent when trodden.
Ornamental Runners
Ornamental grasses tend to grow in either clump or as runners, the latter of which has a similar growth habit to traditional turf grasses.
As a result, they tend to take about the same amount of time for seeds to establish as regular turf, although they’re more likely to spread out independently.
However, be aware that many ornamental grass species are considered invasive, readily escaping if you become lax in your lawn care, so check local restrictions to verify the ornamental grass you intend to use is allowed.
Fescues
Fescues (Festuca spp.) are a taller genus of ornamental grass that can be walked on around the same time as normal turfgrass.
Red fescue (Festuca rubra) is sometimes grown as turfgrass, but many other species are also used in borders, including along the edges of lawns.
Great Turf Substitutes
These plants are all perfect substitutes for regular turf, requiring fewer chemicals, less maintenance, and often handling foot traffic in around 2 to 3 weeks after initial seeding.
- Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus)
- Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii)
- Miniature Speedwell AKA Thyme Leaf Veronica (Veronica oltensis)
- Rupturewort (Herniaria glabra)
- Scotch Moss (Sagina subulata)
- Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae)