There are many factors that can affect the germination of those new grass seeds you just planted in your yard. On average, the germination time for grass seeds is anywhere from five days to thirty, depending on the type of grass seed that has been planted. In some cases, you may wait over 30 days and still see no signs of growth in your yard.
There are a few issues that may cause this, but the most common is the depth at which the seeds are planted. Grass seeds should only be planted about a quarter inch into your yard, and if they are planted deeper, they may have trouble germinating. Another factor that may affect the timing of your seeds’ germination is whether you use hulled or unhulled seeds. The type of seed you use can affect the time of germination, or if your seeds germinate at all, so this article will go into more detail about what each type of seed is, so you know which one is the better option for your yard, courtesy of A-1 Erosion Control.
Hulled Seed
Many grass seeds develop a tough outer hull around them so that the seed is protected until it is ready to germinate. A hulled seed is protected in wilder environments and has a better chance of germinating despite unfavorable conditions. The downside to hulled seed is that it often takes a fair amount longer for it to germinate than an unhulled seed, due to the tough outer hull slowing the germination process.
Unhulled Seed
An unhulled seed is a seed that has the outer hull removed. This allows a faster germination process and makes unhulled seed the more convenient option if you are trying to grow your grass in a controlled environment. However, the lack of protection that unhulled seeds have means that they may not germinate at all in wilder climates where they would need protection from the hull.
If you choose a hydromulching option, then unhulled seeds are going to be used. This is because hydromulching offers its own protection from the elements, so the hull of the seed is no longer needed. This is a major advantage over other options as hydromulching can offer better protection for your seeds than regular unhulled seeds while still offering a faster germination time than hulled seeds.