Is It Too Late To Overseed Today
The answer is almost always, No. If you havent overseeded your lawn this fall, today is better than tomorrow, and tomorrow is better than next week. In fall, days get shorter, and nighttime temperatures drop. Crabgrass, foxtail, and annual grassy weeds turn yellow and fade, leaving room for turf seed to germinate in cold soils. Fall overseeding helps thicken existing turf eliminating bare spots. Next spring, if no bare spots, there will be no weeds.
The Purpose Of Overseeding
Reseeding is the process of planting grass seed into existing turf without tilling the soil or the roots or removing old grass. Its intended to improve the overall density and appearance of a lawn. Before you reseed your lawn, though, consider its overall condition.
There may be things causing the grass to deteriorate that wont be corrected by reseeding. For example, poor soil conditions such as improper drainage or compaction will not go away just because you apply seed. If you reseed, the grass may appear healthy at first, but it will quickly deteriorate unless the drainage or compaction issues are resolved. Likewise, overseeding a lawn with weeds will not necessarily control weed growth.
How And When To Overseed Your Lawn
Are you an avid gardener taking the best possible care of your lawn – watering, weeding, mowing, fertilizing and everything else needed for it to flourish? Do you still have issues with your lawn looking worn out, thin and unhealthy despite that? Dont worry, this is something that happens more often than not and we have just the solution you need.
Overseeding is the process of sowing new seed into an existing lawn. This method is used by professional gardeners and knowledgeable garden enthusiasts and will turn your tired lawn into a fresh and vibrant paradise. Overseeding could take some time and effort, especially if you have a bigger lawn, however, its very useful, produces great results and is environmentally friendly as it reduces the need to use chemicals to support your lawn. Read on if you want to learn how to overseed the right way.
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Change A Lawns Appearance Or Tolerance
Overseeding allows you to gradually change the appearance of your lawn or increase its tolerance in different ways.
For example, lets say you have an ornamental lawn that doesnt cope very well with the kids and pets running around on it. Overseeding with a mix of harder wearing grass types will create the best of both worlds a good looking lawn thatll cope with the stresses your family puts on it.
On the other hand, you might have shady areas on your lawn where the grass is patchy and sparse. Overseeding with a grass blend that grows well in shady areas will improve both the look and tolerance of your lawn in those areas.
How To Overseed A Lawn
This article was co-authored by Jeremy Yamaguchi. Jeremy Yamaguchi is a Lawn Care Specialist and the Founder/CEO of Lawn Love, a digital marketplace for lawn care and gardening services. Jeremy provides instant satellite quotes and can coordinate service from a smartphone or web browser. The company has raised funding from notable investors like Y Combinator, Joe Montana, Alexis Ohanian, Barbara Corcoran and others.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 94% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 698,510 times.
Overseeding is one of the most important tasks involved in growing a healthy, lush lawn. While fertilizing your lawn is important, grass plants slow down their rates of reproduction after a few years. Over time, lawns that have not been overseeded will grow thin and unhealthy, making it much easier for weeds to overtake the lawn. Overseeding can be time-consuming if you have a large lawn, but it is not difficult, and the results are well worth it the effort.
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Is May Too Late To Plant Grass Seed
In many cases, planting grass seed in summer is not preferable, considering that many popular grasses are warm-season grasses. For these types, planting grass seed in May or around May is the last opportunity. However, there are many types of cool-season grasses that can be grown after the middle of May.
The Grass Seed Also Matters When Overseeding The Lawn
In addition to ensuring that the soil conditions are optimal with a lawn aeration service, you also want to make sure that you are putting down a high-quality grass seed if youre expecting great results. We find that most homeowners arent aware how dramatically grass seed can differ. To get the best results, you need the best seed.The best grass seed for Tennessee is a blend. At Master Lawn, we are seeding with a premium blend that is 80 percent Tall Fescue and 20 percent Ryegrass to provide the best of what each of those grasses has to offer.You also want to make sure that youre overseeding the lawn at the right time. By late summer, most lawns in Memphis TN and Northern MS are struggling due to the intense heat. Lawn aeration is best performed in the fall as the temperatures begin to drop a bit. The soil is still warm but the air temperature is cooler, providing better growing conditions for your new grass.The grass will thrive through winter but really start to perform its best in the spring, growing quickly and steadily.While some people ask about lawn aeration in the spring, the problem with this timing is that it starts to heat up too quickly. Ultimately, the summer sun can fry your brand-new and fragile grass. Thats why we recommend aeration and overseeding a lawn in the fall.
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When To Overseed A Lawn
When learning how to overseed a lawn you must also pay close attention to when you do it. You want to make sure the new seed germinates and grows as quickly as possible.
Overseeding a lawn should be done when growing conditions for grass are at their best. This means plenty of sun, warmth and rain.
There are two times of year that provide these conditions.
Autumn and Spring.
I prefer to do it in Autumn. The soil still holds the warmth of the summer, theres plenty of daylight and the rains bring the moisture. Plus, there are much fewer weed seeds floating around later in the year, when compared to spring.
That said, if youre removing moss in the spring that has grown over the winter, you should definitely overseed.
Avoid doing it in the heat of the summer as youll likely not be able to provide the soil with enough moisture.
When To Overseed Lawn In North Carolina
Overseeding your lawn in North Carolina is a great way to get a thick healthy lawn and fill in bare spots, but its important to find just the right time of the year to do it. Our goal at Jonathan Green is to help you grow a vibrant healthy lawn, and we provide everything you need to accomplish the task.
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Is It Too Late To Seed My Lawn
Cool season grasses should be laid down in late summer and early fall. Put down grass seed too late and if the seeds do not sprout before the first frost then they will lay dormant until the next growing season. However, if the seeds begin to sprout before the first frost then the seedlings will not survive the winter.
Three: Watering And Maintenance
Watering is one of the most important aspects of successful overseeding. You need to water the seeds into your lawn immediately after spreading, and continue to water daily until the seeds germinate, which can take up to two weeks. The first watering should be a heavy watering . After that, your watering can be lighter. Once the grass has germinated, be sure to water every few days giving the grass a good deep soaking. When the grass is fully established and the same height as the existing lawn, water it according to the instructions for that type of grass. While the new grass is getting established, try to limit activity on the lawn and avoid mowing as long as possible. Once the grass is the same height as the existing lawn, you can continue to mow as you normally would.
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Diy Or Hire Professionals
There are some benefits to hiring a professional lawn service A professional lawn care company can help you make sure that overseeding is something your lawn actually needs. Since patchy, scraggly lawns can be caused by other problems, you could be wasting your time and money on overseeding. A professional lawn care service can thoroughly evaluate your lawn and come up with a more complete plan to get your lawn green and healthy.
Professional lawn service also have more advanced equipment than most homeowners. Tools like de-thatchers, power rakes, and slit seeders get the job done quickly, accurately, and more effectively than you can with a rake and a seed spreader. Ensuring that the job is done right the first time is often well worth the investment.Regardless of your approach, overseeding is an easy and effective way to give your lawn a boost and help it look great for years to come.
With Overseeding Timing Is Everything
Overseeding, like most things in lawn care, requires proper timing. If you do it at the wrong time of year, youll be wasting your time and money and youll be disappointed with the results.
Here are some great general timing considerations for different types of grass:
- Cool-season grasses the best time to overseed this type of grass is in the late summer or early fall. Overseeding for this type of grass happens the most successfully when the grass is already thriving and growing vigorously. The warm soil from the summer months will encourage germination, and the cool air in the fall will help to stimulate growth.
- Warm-season grasses The best time to overseed this type of grass is in late fall or early winter. For tougher grasses, it is recommended to overseed at least 45 days before the first frost, or if you live in warmer climates, 45 days before it hits the coldest time of the year.
Many people want to overseed in the spring, because this is the time of year when their lawn is top-of-mind.
While you can have success overseeding in the springtime, I dont recommend it, because the hot summer months inevitably put stress on your young grasses, and you wont have the same return on your investment when overseeding in the spring.
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When Is It Too Late To Aerate And Overseed
Knowing when it is too late to aerate and overseed your lawn depends upon the type of grass grown there.
- For warm-season grasses it is too late to aerate once the growing season has passed in late summer into early fall.
- For cool-season grasses, late fall into early winter is too late to aerate.
New grass needs about six weeks to take hold before winter hits. In either case, it is best to wait until the next growing season to aerate.
Late Season Fescue Overseeding
Macho Mix turf-type tall fescue is a blend of top-performing tall fescues plus 5% turf quality perennial ryegrass. Next-generation turf-type tall fescues in Macho Mix are narrower in leaf texture, darker in color, denser growth habit, and superior disease resistance. Perennial ryegrass blended in Macho Mix gives the fastest germination in cold soils. Its an excellent grass seed for late fall overseeding and spring spot repairs. Macho Mix is a proven performer for kids play areas and dog runs and is an outstanding performer for sun or shade areas. The turf-type tall fescues in Macho Mix retain great color during the winter months and provide a year-round green lawn.
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Overseeding Your Tired Grass Can Give It A Much
Summer can take a lot out of your lawn. Hot, dry conditions and heavy shade cause the most grass damage. Outbreaks of disease and insect activity can make matters worse. And if you have kids or pets, your lawn may be worn to shreds, exposing the soil beneath. Not good!
General yard maintenance helps. But like other home assets, such as your exterior walls and kitchen appliances, the amount of TLC you give your lawn can go a long way. Overseeding after a summers worth of stress and abuse will pay dividends, keeping your lawn looking and performing its best once the snow melts next spring.
Your lawn cant dodge general wear and tear caused by Mother Nature. And the way you and your family use your lawn can add to your maintenance woes. By seasons end, your lawn is tired and showing signs of stress.
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How To Overseed And Fertilize Your Lawn
Now you can spread your grass seeds evenly around the lawn using a broadcast spreader, drop spreader or handheld spreader.Then, apply the lawn fertilizer that works best for your type of grass. Slow-release fertilizer provides nutrients gradually, for as long as three months in some cases.
Lightly water the lawn immediately after overseeding. Continue to water it frequently, about three to four times daily for the first several weeks, to help the seeds germinate. Once the grass is an inch tall, cut back to watering once a day.
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How To Overseed A Lawn Without Aerating
Overseeding the one activity we do a lot in the fall to fill in the bare spots and choke out weeds. The standard procedure usually starts with aerating and probably dethatching, but when you dont want to do these, how do you overseed a lawn without aerating?
To overseed a lawn without aerating, start by mowing it lower than 2 inches and follow it up with raking to remove debris and loosen up the topsoil. Spread the grass seed and then rake over it gently. Fertilize with a starter fertilizer and then water the lawn lightly until the grass grows to a good mowing height.
How Long To Wait Before Mowing An Overseeded Lawn
After overseeding your lawn, you should wait long enough before you start mowing again to prevent causing stress on the newly germinated grass. Since youve been watering the lawn a lot, youll end up tearing up the new grass easily if you mow too soon before the roots take hold.
Also, mowing when the grass is wet due to the heavy watering can easily cause lawn diseases such as fungus or brown patch disease and derail the growth of your overseeded lawn.
When to mow after overseeding will depend on the grass type. If it is perennial ryegrass, you might want to mow after 10-14 days because this variety of turfgrass grows a lot faster than most other species.
You might want to wait a little longer if you overseeded with bluegrass because this grass establishes and grows slowly to reach the recommended height for mowing.
While you wait before the grass seed establishes, you can cut the grass to allow the seeds access to sunlight. However, as soon as you see the seeds start to come up, stop mowing and allow them time to grow to a good height.
- Colorado State University Extension: Renovating the Home Lawn 7.241
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How To Maintain Your Lawn After Overseeding
Grass seed takes seven to 21 days to germinate.
- Youll need to keep your lawn moist during this time to trigger germination. If you have an irrigation system, this is easy to do. Otherwise, youll need to set out a sprinkler or water smaller areas by hand.
- Once you see seed popping up, dont stop watering. These little seedlings need to be nurtured during their first eight weeks of existence. Without a mature root system they can dry out quickly and die.
- Applying a starter fertilizer at the time of overseeding is not necessary. If you normally fertilizer your lawn, there are enough nutrients in the soil to get the new seed growing. Applying fertilizer to your lawn after overseeding can create unnecessary competition from existing grass, making it difficult for new seedlings to get established.
With the help of a few basic tools, a nearby rental store and a free weekend, you can restore your lawns original health and beauty. Fall is a great time for other lawn care projects, too. Aerating and fertilizing are perfect companions to overseeding, as long as they happen a week or two before you overseed.
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Overseeding An Existing Lawn
You can overseed at other times of the year. Spring , is also a favourite time for overseeding. Just remember grass seed germination relies on two main factors soil temperature, and moisture. Grass seed needs soil temperatures to be at least 7-8 degrees celsius, and frequent rainfall is important to ensure the seed germinates. See also: How long does seed take to grow.
The area to be over-sown should ideally be closely mown and then scarified or in some way prepared in order that the seeds can be carefully incorporated into the surface mineral soil bypassing any thatch or organic matter present at the surface.
Select a suitable mixture of grass seed using the Lawn UK lawn wizard.
Ideally, sow the seed after the ground has been thoroughly wetted by a good fall of rain.
Mix the seed in a bucket with equal proportions of a suitable carrier such as general purpose compost and sand a light garden soil could be used but would need to be sterilised in order to eliminate the numerous weed seeds liable to be present.
For best results, the mixture needs to be moist and spread evenly over the target areas.
The use of a compound fertiliser such as a proprietary lawn feed which is low in nitrogen is also likely to be necessary and would be instrumental in hastening seedling establishment and recovery of the existing lawn.
Keep off the newly over-seeded area if possible until new seedlings are firmly anchored.
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