How Often Do You Need To Overseed
How often you need to overseed a lawn can depend on your lawns condition and the weather. If you have a lawn that frequently suffered through drought or contracts disease frequently, overseeding may need to be carried out up to once a year. For more stable lawns, overseeding may only be needed every few years when it looks patchy.
Should You Aerate Before Overseeding
After the turf has been aerated, you should run your irrigation system. Aeration will help ensure your soil is ready to absorb all of the seeds that come with topdressing. Its a good idea to aerate before you topdress or watch your turf. If youre not aerating your lawn, its time to start.
If you dont have a lawn mower, you can use a garden hoe to mow the lawn. You can also use an electric lawnmower to cut the grass, but be careful not to over-mow, as this can cause damage to the soil.
How To Overseed Your Lawn
Your lawn care company may be able to perform lawn overseeding, which take the pressure off you as a homeowner. Your lawn care company know the best grass varieties for your region of the country and your specific lawn needs. If your lawn care company isnt able to overseed, you can do it yourself. Overseeding your lawn isnt a difficult process, but you need to follow all of the steps to ensure successful germination.
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Pro Tips For Overseeding
- Select the best seeds for your lawn. The quality and type of seed you choose are crucial for the overseeding process. You can buy the same type of seed as your current lawn, or choose a couple of different options that go together nicely.
- If your lawn has not been fed for some time, use pre-seeding fertilizer up to a few days before overseeding. This will contribute to the overall result.
- Apply topdressing this is not a must-do. However, topdressing along with the overseeding will provide your lawn with much-needed nutrients for the new grass, so we highly recommend this. You simply need to apply a very thin layer of dressing to your existing lawn and use a rake to spread it around evenly. In case of doubts, you can review this article for more details.
- Aerating essentially this is the process of perforating the soil with small holes by forking the lawn or removing small plugs of thatch. Aerating will help reduce soil compaction and allow vital resources to go deep into the roots, ultimately improving the quality of the soil.
- Make sure you dont overdo it. Apply only the needed amount of seed. We already mentioned a few times that if youre not certain how much to use, you can follow the instructions on the seed packaging.
- Minimise the traffic on the newly overseeded lawn for about 7 to 21 days.
When To Overseed Your Lawn In Fall
The fall months are the best time to overseed your lawn to bolster your backyard ideas, explains Rachel Crow, garden editor for Homes & Gardens. Between late August and early October, the grass is typically at its thinnest, meaning grass seed can more easily reach the soil and germinate before the harsher, colder winter months.
It is a good idea to choose a day with mild weather, preferably after rainfall, so your lawn is moist but not muddy. Selecting a day with little wind will also reduce the chance of your grass seed being blown away.
The still-warm earth and natural rainfall that tends to arrive in September will help to nourish and stimulate the newly sown seed, as well as reduce the time youll have to spend watering or trying to beat any hosepipe bans, says Guy Jenkins consumer manager for Johnsons Lawn Seed. By waiting until later in the year you will avoid the summer droughts which spell death for tender young seedlings that havent managed to reach deeper groundwater.
Another benefit of September is that any weeds which find their way into your newly sown lawn will have a chance to germinate and can be easily removed before their own roots have a chance to develop. In the meantime, your grass can grow strong roots in later autumn and will be in the best possible shape to withstand early droughts come the following spring or more serious summer droughts that might be on the cards, Guy adds.
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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.
Why Should I Overseed My Lawn
One of the main benefits of overseeding a lawn is that it revitalizes a thinning lawn without having to start from scratch and reseed the lawn. Over time, even the best lawns can begin to lose the vigor they once had. Factors such as excess traffic, too much shade, weather conditions, and disease can take a toll on your lawns appearance and cause the grass to thin. Overseeding can help to thicken those thinning areas by filling them in with new grass seed.
Overseeding also increases your lawns ability to resist weeds and disease. Thinning, worn-out lawns create ideal conditions for weeds to grow because there is plenty of space available. Overseeding is a quick and easy way to crowd out weeds by thickening the existing lawn and denying space, light, and nutrients needed for weeds to grow. Remember, the best way to keep weeds from taking over is to have a healthy, dense lawn.
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When Is The Best Time For Overseeding Lawns
When to overseed lawn depends on the type of seeds you are planting. In northern climates overseeding should be performed 45 days before the planting zones first frost. This is ideal for strengthening a weak or thinning lawn. Strengthening turf in the spring is best done when the threat of all freezes has passed their region.
Those living in southern climates with warm-season grasses should overseed to obtain winter colour, when temperatures have dropped below 65 degrees at night consistently. Prepare the area properly prior during elevated soil temperatures to promote germination.
How to Overseed a Lawn
You will need:
Step One: Mow and Rake
Begin the overseeding process by mowing your lawn on the lowest setting and bagging the clippings. Next, rake the lawn to remove any loose grass or debris, further exposing the soil to accommodate the new seed.
Step Two: Amend the Soil
Add a thin layer of one-quarter of an inch or less of enriched soil over the existing grass and gently rake it in to provide a healthy environment for the new seeds to settle into.
Step Three: Add the Seeds
Fill the seed spreader and adjust the settings according to the directions on the label, and apply over the entire area, refilling as needed. For smaller areas, you may want to use a hand spreader while a drop or broadcast spreader is more suitable for larger lawns.
Step Four: Feed the Grass
Step Five: Water the Lawn
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Overseeding Q& a Yes You Can Grow Grass Reliably From Seed
Have a close look at the frequently asked overseeding questions below to learn a lot more about overseeding an existing lawn successfully.
How Early In The Fall Can You Overseed? For cool season lawns best practice is to overseed at least 6-8 weeks prior to average first frost dates. Many cool season grass types like Perennial Rye, Bluegrass, and the Fescues can withstand mild frosts even in the seedling phase but they will grow better and stronger when started early. Many northern locations can successfully overseed as early as mid-August just fine.
How Late In The Fall Can You Overseed? You can overseed as late as temperatures stay high enough to support germination. I have sprouted cool season grass seed in soil temperatures as low at 45 degrees which can be found in many norther lawns well into late October. The later into the season it gets the fewer sprouts youll get and the thinner the grass will be going into winter but if you experience mild winters this may be better than dormant seeding or Spring seeding.
Will Overseeding Kill Or Prevent Weeds In The Lawn? Overseeding a lawn will not immediately kill off weeds but as summer fades and cooler fall temperatures take hold new grass will fill in bare spots on the soil where weeds used to be. In subsequent year there will be less space for weeds to grow and you will likely have fewer weed in the yard and more desirable turf grass.
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Why Should I Overseed The Lawn
Overseeding the yard allows you to strengthen the lawn without tilling up the existing grass. Your lawn wont reseed itself because we cut it back before it can reach that size, and while some grasses fill in by stolons and rhizomes, others, particularly rye and fescue, grow in small bunches from seeds.
Even rhizome grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia will benefit from your seeding services to fill in gaps where they arent reaching. While grass wants to fill up as much space as it can, sometimes seeding the established lawn for more individual grass plants will be the best support for full coverage.
Can I Mow The Day After Overseeding
Overseeding is one of the best ways to promote a dense and vibrant turf. There are several ways you can prepare the yard to accept new grass seed, one being to cut the grass to better expose the soil surface. Cutting the grass at the time of planting also coordinates the period of rest your lawn will need as the new grass grows in.
While it wont harm or disturb the seed to mow the day after sowing, you should incorporate mowing into preparation because germination will begin in the days following a seed application, during which time you should hold off on mowing for a few weeks. If you mow too soon after overseeding, it might interrupt the new growths successful establishment.
In This Article
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How To Overseed Lawn Without Aerating: All You Need To Know
If you want to overseed your lawn without aerating, you must mow the existing lawn and loosen the soil with a rake or dethatcher. Next, add the new seeds and use your rake to spread them evenly. Lastly, you should fertilize and water the seeds to help them establish.
Is your turf looking a little worse for wear? If so, you may be looking for how to overseed lawn without aerating. This process can rejuvenate your grass, fill in any gaps, and make it more healthy overall.
Because you skip the aerating step, it is a lot less labor-intensive and can still yield excellent results. Read on to discover why and when you should overseed your lawn and how you can do it without aerating.
Contents
Preparing Your Lawn For Overseeding
Seed germination and establishment requires good contact of seed with soil. Inspect your lawn for presence of thatch. If too thick, its best to aerate your lawn before overseeding or if filling in patches remove the thatch and dead grass before spreading seed in bare areas of your lawn. To prepare your lawn for overseeding, cut the grass short, using the lowest setting on your mower. Dont forget to reset the blades to a higher setting after the overseeding is complete and resume a normal mowing height as you typically dont want to cut the grass this short. If cutting your lawn short before overseeding, bag the clippings. While you might normally leave them to help feed the lawn, you want to remove the clippings so that the grass seed can make good seed:soil contact for faster germination. After mowing, rake your lawn to remove any remaining debris and thatch, and to loosen the top layer of soil.
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How Often Should You Overseed The Lawn
The answer to this largely depends on the environmental conditions. If harsh weather, such as repeated droughts, takes its toll, grass could need overseeding annually to keep up with the damage. However, in most cases overseeding will only be necessary every couple of years. Essentially, if you notice your grass is looking thin and worse for wear, thats a sign that its time to overseed.
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 Mow New Grass
Continue your normal mowing schedule and when the grass reaches a height of 3 to 4 inches. Mow to a height of 3 inches with a sharp mower blade at a time when the grass is not wet. Avoid making aggressive turns that may cause damage in newly repaired areas. Mowers moving straight across repaired areas should have minimal effect. Continue to mow your lawn as needed during the season.
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Can I Just Throw Grass Seed On My Lawn
Yes, you can just throw grass seeds on your lawn to fix bare patches. As long as you can ensure an even spread when scattering seeds by hand, you will be fine.
However, you will have better results if you do some preparation first, such as mowing, aerating, and spreading a thin layer compost over your lawn. Doing these steps will give your seeds the best chance of growing.
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The Benefits Of Overseeding
Many older lawns were established with common type turf grasses not suited for the needs of todays homeowner. Theyre often more disease and insect prone, requiring more fertilizer and water.
Overseeding newer turfgrass varieties into an older lawn can help it better withstand insects, disease, drought, shady conditions and heavy traffic. The investment in overseeding pays off by reducing the amount of fertilizer, water and pesticides required. Most importantly, a renovated lawn stays greener and looks thicker and healthier!
How Long Does It Take For Grass Seeds To Start Growing
Grass seeds can sprout after about 48 hours of being put in the moist ground. They put out a small root first, then grow a green sprout that will emerge from the ground after a couple of weeks, the exact timing varying by grass type. All grasses have in common that from their time as seeds in the ground to maturity a few weeks later, they will need a lot of moisture: about 7 to 10 minutes twice a day, compared to once or twice a week for mature lawns.
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How To Overseed Lawns
Preparation is an important part of the process. Rake and aerate the seedbed. Remove rocks and debris. Use the correct amount of seed in a seed spreader. Every species has a specific recommended seed rate.
Use a starter fertilizer to get the plants off to a healthy start. It is also a good idea to use a pre-emergent herbicide safe for young grass seedlings. Once you apply the seed, you may top dress lightly with soil but in most cases, the aeration holes will catch the seed and they will grow there without top dressing.
Keep the area evenly moist until you see the seeds sprout. Then you can reduce irrigation gradually to match normally watering schedules. Wait to mow the grass until the area has filled in and the blades are at least an inch high.
