Question:

What Grass Seed should I Use for a Gravelly Surface?

I come from Southern Cornwall and my front garden has pretty decent grass, but my back garden essentially just looks like gravel. I’m thinking about getting some tall fescue seed since I can get more of it cheaper than Scott’s ez-seed. Is this a good idea? Or are these two options incorrect?

Answer:

You have obviously researched this a little as tall fescue is indeed very drought tolerant, but as your front garden has decent grass cover, which is unlikely to be tall fescue, then there has to be more to it than grass types.

I would suggest working some organic matter, compost or good loam, along with some seaweed meal, get here, into the top ten centimetres or so to increase the fertility and water holding capacity of the lawn.

I would then sow a grass seed mix containing the new dwarf perennial rye, with red fescue, as mono stands very seldom give a good lawn. The mix we sell on our shop is the hard wearing turf with perennial ryegrass, to give a good tight grass sward which is extremely resistant to drought. You can get here as well.

I hope this of help to you,

Duncan.