Too Early To Seed In March?

Thinking of seeding in March? Read this first.

Right now, air temperatures are higher than normal, and people are rushing out to seed their lawns.

Don't do it.

Yes, today is officially the first day of spring. Yes, the air feels warmer. But your soil hasn't caught up.

Nightly temperatures are still cold. While some seed will technically germinate from 5°C, that doesn't mean you won't get far better results if you wait.

If you hold off until the soil averages 10°C, you will get a thicker lawn, much faster, and with a fraction of the effort.

My personal favourite dates for seeding are the 1st of May and the 1st of September.

Saying that, I hate putting exact dates on things. What works perfectly for me here in Nottinghamshire might be terrible advice for you up in Inverness.

It's pointless relying on a calendar.

If you want to guarantee better results, stop guessing and use these two free tools instead:

👉 Tool 1: The Soil Temperature Check
Head to the Farmers Guide Weather Tool. Type in your postcode and check the soil temperature, not the air temperature.

Once your soil is consistently averaging above 10°C, you're good to seed.

👉 Tool 2: The Frost Risk Check
Check when the last chance of frost is for your exact postcode using Last Frost Date.

Here is the reality of seeding in March:
❌ Slow results: The soil hasn't had a chance to warm up yet.
❌ Wasted time: You will spend over a month watering every single day waiting for something to happen.
❌ The mowing trap: Your existing grass will keep growing and look untidy, but you'll be too worried about ruining the new seed to cut it.
❌ Wasted money: A sudden late frost can undo all your hard work overnight.

Wait a month. You'll thank me later.

As promised, lawn tips in under a minute.

Liam
Founder, Great British Lawn Co.