Can You Use Too Much Grass Seed?

Fewer Seeds Germinate

• Piling too many seeds over the soil can lead to fewer seeds germinating. Not as many touch the soil, and those that do might be covered by other seeds that block nutrients and light. Grass seeds typically germinate in seven to 21 days, but it can take much longer if there are too many seeds. Those that finally germinate might be spread apart and sparse instead of close together, which you need for a lush lawn.

Competition

• When too many grass seeds fill an area, they compete for nutrients, moisture and space. Their roots can't spread out as far, and you can have seedlings competing with each other instead of sharing space and growing quickly. Nutrient-deficient grass tends to fail beside the seedlings that win the competition, leaving bare spots in the area you just seeded.

Spindly Blades

• When seeds don't have enough light, food or water, they don't flourish. Instead of making tall, thick blades, the grass blades can be short and narrow, giving it a spindly appearance. These blades don't take up as much space, keeping your lawn from looking full. Also, they don't absorb as much light, which is necessary for grass growth. This can keep their growth stunted for the season.

Doing It Right

• Instead of casting seeds with abandon, check on the bag to determine the right coverage rate. Most grasses require 1 to 3 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet of space. For the most even coverage, set your seed spreader to half of the correct distribution rate and go back and forth across your lawn. When finished, turn at a right angle and go back and forth across your lawn again in the new direction. For example, if you start spreading seed parallel to the driveway, turn 90 degrees so you are walking perpendicular to the driveway for the next layer of seeds.