Does Walking on Newly Seeded Grass Kill It? Many homeowners love to see a yard full of fine, healthy grass. But it takes some work to have a yard packed with lush grass from planting to full-time tendering. Many homeowners are wary about walking on seeding grass or disturbing their growth. But will walking on grass seed kill it?
Let’s face it: the appearance of your grass might leave you feeling everything is fine. However, the grass seed needs some TLC to germinate correctly and establish strong root systems. You won’t have to be apprehensive about stepping on them.
Further, grass seed often takes around four weeks to settle before sprouting and growing roots. If you want to avoid causing issues with your lawn, read on to learn whether walking and other activities affect your grass.
Does Walking on New Grass Seed Kill It?
Straight answer? No, at least not necessarily immediately. But then, there is immense pressure on the seed. If you are new to lawn care or it’s your first time seeding, you shouldn’t walk on the grass seed.
Various types of grass have varying tolerance levels to foot traffic, but seeds differ. They are more delicate, and damage is often swift. As a result, walking on grass seed is discouraged.
If you must walk on your lawn while the seeds are sprouting, take extra care, especially with areas with recently planted seeds. Give your seed time to grow into a stronger, healthier lawn before confidently walking across.
Why avoid walking on newly seeded grass
Grass seeds pass through different maturity levels, so it’s only normal that ‘rules’ apply to each stage. Until they reach early or full maturity, here are reasons why you shouldn’t walk on grass seeds:
1. Outright Death to the Grass Seeds
While this title looks exaggerated, walking on such seeds could kill them. Looking closely, you will notice brown patches in newly seeded lawns. People walk on the grass before they have enough time to grow. Also, it’s much worse with wet grass seeds, as walking on them can cause them to rupture and die.
2. A Compacted Soil
Compact soil usually holds the biggest dangers of walking on new seedlings and new grass sprouts. One step of planting grass seed is aerating the soil before seeding. This helps ensure that their seeds have enough space to grow and thrive.
Walking on the grass seeds will lead to the compact nature of the soil, which prevents the grass from accessing the air and water needed to grow. Further, the roots endure a more challenging time penetrating compacted soil, thus studying its growth. In some extreme situations, your lawn might not grow at all.
3. Damage to The Seedlings
Short of dying, the grass seeds can get damaged. During the germination period, the grass seed is most vulnerable. Even at the slightest misstep, the seedlings can get damaged beyond recovery. That means no growth or thriving lawn.
In addition, the seeds already have fragile stems. So, walking on and damaging the grass seeds means they won’t properly photosynthesize. This also stunts their growth with patches all over the place.
When is it safe to walk on a newly seeded lawn?
You have applied the seeds and feel so good about it. You take a step back to admire your newly seeded lawn. Now, it’s time to give it the time to grow into a complete spectacle. You can’t help but wonder, “How long after planting grass seed can you walk on it?”
The sprouts may be visible, but the seed may be biding their time to grow. That means you should stay off the lawn during this period. Wait for the sprouting grass to reach at least three inches tall. Moreover, the grass variety you pick might grow faster to reach three inches in only four weeks.
At three inches, it is safe to walk on the grass, and you can even mow your lawn at weekly intervals. However, you must avoid walking on the grass indiscriminately unless it is necessary to do so. There’s still a potential risk you will do well to avoid.
In addition, mowing is essential to lawn care because it helps your grass become denser and thicker. Walking freely on your grass once you have mowed your lawn about three to five times is much safer. There is less impact at this time.
Are Grass Seeds Ever Too Much to Plant?
Like many things, you should only have a little grass seed planted. If you want the best results, follow the manufacturer’s suggestions to plant your preferred grass seeds.
Planting more grass seeds than you need is not a recipe for an excellent lawn or yard. You will be creating unnecessary competition between the seeds. That means a fight to survive since plenty of seeds ultimately struggle to grow roots and absorb nutrients. Such seeds are likely to die eventually.
If you feel the urge to cover your yard with too many seeds, consider getting a larger space of prepared soil. Ideally, it’s best to plant enough grass seeds so that each one touches the soil. Water and nutrients will let them grow and thrive naturally.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know walking on new grass seeds can kill, damage, or displace them, you should avoid situations where you must walk on them. Walking on them can compact the soil and kill the grass. Further, the growth of the seeds can be compromised with stunted sections, leaving you with patches.
No matter how tempting those greens look, please resist the urge and give them enough time to grow. According to research, you can begin controlled walking on a new lawn at about three inches of growth. The same thing applies to mowing it, which is okay at a weekly level.
After a couple of mows, your grass is strong enough to withstand heavy foot traffic from yourself, pets, and kids, if you have any. Still, do not go prancing about trying to on your lawn if you want a great-looking spectacle on your hard.
