Grass Seeds, Where To Buy?

[sid1967]

Grass seeds, where to buy? (Not the grass "carpet" which is usually sold!)

[LivinLOS]

I could do with a big bag of this too.. tho presume it may be better to wait until the rains start to seed ??

Funny.. I was in Homepro.. And asked about grass seed.. Got mangled in translation and baffled looks.. Got the missus to help.. Now everyones baffled.. When I finally got understood the (now crowd) of helpers were "ahh grass not have seed" ohh really I thought, this will be good.. "grass not come from seed, grass comes in rolls" !!

Tho later I wondered if maybe it doesnt germinate here and they are right ??

[Marksamui]

I am stuck where to buy Grass Seed from also.

We don't have a massive garden and so will probably just returf it when the hot hot season is over!

[stuandchris]

I had this problem a couple of years ago, I was eventually told that one family holds the 'concession' on seed and they grow the turf themselves and sell it on to garden centres.

No-one else is allowed to have seed.

Sounds about right to me, a grass seed mafia to along with all the others.

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Go ask the nearest golf course, i am sure they use grass

[nicegirl2]

I've also looked around supercheap (where they have some seeds for vegetables and flowers) and asked at a lot of nurseries. It seems that we cannot get grass seeds here, and I also have been told that grass doesn't have seeds (and looked at quite strangely). I guess it would be illegal to bring some from Aus. My grass is just really patchy, so instead of buying the 'carpet' I just put a bit of the potting soil on top in hopes that it might spread a little bit. Ask me after the rainy season if it works

[HughJampton]

Yes, any ideas on how to make my lawn green would be good.

It is lush in some areas and looks like an ill dog in other areas.

I think they were arbitrary in the use of top soil.

Would spreading potting soil on the bald patches work?

Hugh Jampton

[mrjohn]

A very good friend of mine (English lady, and a good, conscientious gardener) told me some years ago (when I was relatively new to Phuket) that a rich and influential Chinese-Thai family had a monopoly on supplying turf on the island. They made sure that grass seed was, therefore, not available.

I was sceptical back then, but now, as I have yet to find a shop selling grass seed and I have learnt much more about the Phuket Thai mentality and their business practices, I am more than prepared to believe that she was telling the truth.

[LivinLOS]

So are we really to conclude that there is a 'grass seed mafia' operating here

It would be comical if I didnt actually think it might be true..

[fiddlehead]

I was told basically the same thing: No seed

The reason I was given was that it was too hot to grow grass from seed in the open and that it must be a controlled environment.

I think the mafia story sounds much better. (and has a better chance of being true in this culture)

Let's see, there's a big field near my house where they let the grass grow, maybe i should try collecting some seed and selling it to see what would happen???

[doverinphuket]

Seed is generally (but not always) used in cool season areas but not in Tropical areas. Reasons are many but primarily it is because "sprigs" (small pieces of grass with nodes still attached) grow much quicker than seed and generally warm season grasses do not produce viable seed. Commercial seed for Bermuda grass (Couch for Australians), some Zoysia (known as Manilla grass here) and some Paspalums now are available overseas but there are no suppliers here in Thailand due to the difficulty in registering the product. Bahia grass, a pasture seed, is available some places but I have been unable to source in Phuket.

The best option is to use sprig. It is quite easy, get some turf, rip small parts (approximately 1cm diametre) and plant into the soil. Then keep moist constantly for the first week the same as with seed. All turf available here is possible although generally it will be either Malaysia grass or Manilla grass, both of which work.

With this you can get 10m2 of turf for every m2 of sod. Water is the key though so best to do during the monsoon season.

Hope this helps.

[starkey_rich]

I had this problem a couple of years ago, I was eventually told that one family holds the 'concession' on seed and they grow the turf themselves and sell it on to garden centres.

No-one else is allowed to have seed.

Sounds about right to me, a grass seed mafia to along with all the others.

Now I understand the meaning of "Turf Wars"

Amazing Thailand.

It certainly ceases to amaze me.

[stevenl]

Post # 10 looks very plausible to me, and seems written by someone who really knows what he is talking about.

[LivinLOS]

OK I really need to sort the garden out and while the wet is here makes sense..

Can it be ordered by the sack from other parts of the country ???

[David006]

OK I really need to sort the garden out and while the wet is here makes sense..

Can it be ordered by the sack from other parts of the country ???

My wife once pointed out grass seed for sale at one of those Buddhist holiday expo markets in Trang..not seen it since,

I have used a transplanted "tuft and clump" method to produce something which I euphemistically call a lawn..the sprigs and tufts/clods came from various locations around the farm..lol very hardy grass though...looks a bit like that stuff growing in the rough on golf course fairways in Florida...

[grumpyoldman]

"grass not come from seed, grass comes in rolls" !!

This is great, gotta love Thai education.

[David006]

"grass not come from seed, grass comes in rolls" !!

This is great, gotta love Thai education.

off topic but...

I think the little lady can be forgiven that one....I once thought that coconut milk was the watery liquid that you found in a coconut.. which grew on the trees in a brown hairy state and a rubber tree was that green bushy thing in the pot in the corner of fancy restaurants and hotel lobbies, rice was just something what mum used to make rice pudding.. not to mention my visions of a "bread" fruit tree...so much for a grammar school education......

My FIL once watched me put butter on toast and asked my wife why I was putting ice cream on my bread...

...and what about the "school boy" opinion that a certain part of the oriental female anatomy was 180 degrees different from Europeans....

[ESB7]

Yes, any ideas on how to make my lawn green would be good.

It is lush in some areas and looks like an ill dog in other areas.

I think they were arbitrary in the use of top soil.

Would spreading potting soil on the bald patches work?

Hugh Jampton

Grass needs watering almost daily and feeding each 3 months. If your grass is patchy its not been cared for. A thin layer of potting soil does help and this may ned to be done 2 or 3 times depending on the size of the patches. Any garden center or ironmongers sell grass feed,...bags of white pellets 15-18 baht kilo. scatter sparingly on the lawn and water in well for a week, your lawn will be greener and thicker, repeat each 3 months.....dont worry when at first after feeding some small brownish pathes appear, this is just where too much feed has been scattered and will go after a few days of watering.

[grumpyoldman]

...and what about the "school boy" opinion that a certain part of the oriental female anatomy was 180 degrees different from Europeans....

What! It's not! Bloody hel_l, what am I doing here then?!!!

[deazoff]

There is a nursery in Baan Manik which sells Bermuda grass seeds. Going from the Heroines Monument towards Cherng Talay it is on the right hand side across from the Tropical Landscape office, and next to a basic car repair place.

[LivinLOS]

Your a gentleman and a scholar.. thanks..

[bunta71]

Grass needs watering almost daily and feeding each 3 months. If your grass is patchy its not been cared for. A thin layer of potting soil does help and this may ned to be done 2 or 3 times depending on the size of the patches. Any garden center or ironmongers sell grass feed,...bags of white pellets 15-18 baht kilo. scatter sparingly on the lawn and water in well for a week, your lawn will be greener and thicker, repeat each 3 months.....dont worry when at first after feeding some small brownish pathes appear, this is just where too much feed has been scattered and will go after a few days of watering.

There is an alternative to using the chemical fertilizer also that works well. When you mow the grass do not cut it too short to begin with, and leave the cut grass where it lies. It will do two things: act as mulch and retain moisture and after decomposing will become natural fertilizer and will allow the soil to become alive with the microbes and other living parts of soil that are killed by the chemical fertilizer mentioned earlier. If you do this you will not need to "feed" the petrochemicals every few months as the soil then will become self sustaining as Mother Nature intended.

[BigC]

I've also looked around supercheap (where they have some seeds for vegetables and flowers) and asked at a lot of nurseries. It seems that we cannot get grass seeds here, and I also have been told that grass doesn't have seeds (and looked at quite strangely). I guess it would be illegal to bring some from Aus. My grass is just really patchy, so instead of buying the 'carpet' I just put a bit of the potting soil on top in hopes that it might spread a little bit. Ask me after the rainy season if it works

can get someone to send some over

[Benjie]

Last time I needed some grass seed we had to get it shipped down from Issan.

[denishuahin]

Last time I needed some grass seed we had to get it shipped down from Issan.

where in Issan did you get it from? i trying to find grass seed and live in Issan. Anyone know any telephone numbers of a place that sell it anywhere?

[denishuahin]

Grass seed is it like gold dust? I can't find anywhere to buy grass can anyone who has bought any can i have address or telephone numbers if anyone has any. Turf prices from 65 to 85 baht per sqmt i need to cover abount 2000+ mt. maybe cheaper to tile it!!!!

[thaiIand]

buy them over the internet and get it delivered through regular governement mail. Order 4 or 5 of them to make sure it gets through. Once you get one, send me a private message and ill pay double for 1 dose isaan post offices are less crooked

Edited March 13, 2012 by thaiIand

[MissChris]

isaan post offices are less crooked

Off topic, but clearly you have not been the recipient of the excellent service the Chalong postal service has provided for each & every parcel & letter I have sent from OS over several years...

[thaiIand]

chalong isnt in isaan. Im not ordering anything semi illegal here because of my old experience with the fine gents at the chalong office.

[MissChris]

chalong isnt in isaan

Really? Thanks for that