I’m sure we’ve all heard or even used the term “its like watching grass grow” from time to time. However when you actually go to plant grass seed, waiting for your new grass to grow and find out if you were successful or not may be anything but boring!
There are numerous different factors that go into determining how your grass grows as well as affecting grass seed germination. While Mother Nature Herself has a large role to play in determining if your efforts are successful, there are some things that you can do to insure you get the green grass that you are looking for when planting grass seed.
What is Grass Seed Germination?
Germination is the complex process that happens when a seed transforms itself into a plant. This is the miracle of life happening right before your eyes! 
The nitty gritty aspects boil down to whether or not a seed gets the right combinations of heat, moisture, and light to begin sprouting. Once your grass seed does sprout, any sudden changes in the weather or environment may cause the new growth to die prematurely. These changes may include sudden extreme temperature changes; heavy rainfall, flooding, or winds that may wash away new sprouts before they are fully rooted, or even foot traffic that tramples out the new sprouts.
Grass Seed Needs the Following Conditions for Proper Germination:
Moisture
Grass seed must receive a constant supply of adequate moisture. If there is too much, you may drown the seeds or cause them to rot before they have a chance to sprout and grow. If there is not enough moisture, the seeds will dry out or new sprouts will wither and die. You should water during this time so that the top inch or so of soil remains adequately moist but not soaked.
Warmth
Ideal soil temperatures for grass seed germination will depend upon the variety of grass that you are planting. Generally speaking there are cool season and warm season grasses. As their names imply, cool season grasses prefer cooler temperatures for germination and growth while warm season grasses prefer warmer temperatures. It is best to contact the seed manufacturer or your local agricultural extension if you have questions as to the best soil temperatures for your type of grass seeds. Plan to plant grass seed during times of the year when the soil temperatures have consistently stayed within the optimal range for some time rather than when the temperatures are still fluctuating daily.
Air
While people breath oxygen, plants breath carbon dioxide and transform it into oxygen. Irregardless, grass seed will need access to air once it has broken through its sheath and sprouted. If the soil you plant grass seeds into is too saturated with water, the sprouts will drown and not be able to grow.
Light
After breaking through the seed and sprouting, the new grass must be able to break through the soil and start receiving light. All plants use photosynthesis in order to transform light into food for the plant to continue to survive. If you plant grass seed too deep, it will not be able to survive long enough to break the surace.
Keeping these factors within the ideal range will insure that your grass seed is given the best chance possible to mature into a beautiful green lawn.
