How long should it take grass seed to germinate?

5 to 30 days Click to see full answer. Then, how do I speed up grass seed germination? Prepare the ground carefully. Rake the soil to an even level throughout. Pregerminate the grass seed. Spread the pregerminated seed over the prepared soil. Cover seeds with a very light mulch of compost or straw, according to Lawncare.net. Water the pregerminated seeds frequently. Subsequently, question is, will grass seed germinate on top of soil? Unlike larger seed types, grass sprouts cannot push through a thick soil layer because the new growth is tiny and sensitive. However, the seed cannot be fully exposed on the soil’s surface either. Grasses depend on a warm soil niche with surrounding moisture for germination. Moreover, how often do you water new grass seed? New grass should be watered twice a day (or more under dryer conditions) to keep the top two inches of soil moist at all times. Water daily until all of the grass seeds have germinated, then it will be ready to begin a regular watering schedule.Why is my grass seed not germinating?All grass seed needs some level of sunlight to grow. If the soil and air temperatures are too cold, newly seeded grass may take longer than expected to germinate. If there is not enough moisture in the soil, or if proper watering directions are not followed, grass seed germination will be delayed.