How Often Should You Overseed Your Lawn

How Do You Overseed A Lawn

This first thing to consider when overseeding is if it is appropriate for you and your lawn.

If your lawn currently has at least 50% coverage of your desired grass type, then you would be a candidates for overseeding.

However, if your lawn is less than 50% desirable grass or is overtaken by weeds it might be better to kill off or remove your existing grass and start over. For the purpose of this guide we will focus on the overseeding process.

The second thing to determine is what type of grass are currently growing in your lawn?

Lets start by looking at cool season lawns. When youre working on creating a great looking lawn, it is important to try and maintain a consistent mixture for a more uniform look and a more consistent growth pattern.

Aerate For Your Soil Type

Aeration frequency often depends on the soil type you have around your home. The traffic levels it receives can also influence the work.

Here are the principles youll want to follow with todays three common soil types.

• For homeowners with a high-traffic lawn or clay soil, its usually necessary to aerate twice per year. These areas tend to experience the most compaction. ]
• When loamy or silty soil is present with moderate traffic levels, an annual aeration appointment with your lawn is usually enough to meet its health needs. ]
• If sandy soil is present, or the grass doesnt get much foot traffic at all, it might be sufficient to aerate every other year. ]

Its often better to time aeration work with the other lawn care tasks that need to be finished. If you plan to overseed, youll want to do that right after youve done the aerating work. Weed control, fertilization, sod establishment, and watering all influence how successful the results will be with this investment.

Water Deeply But Not Too Often

• Too much watering can lead to poor growing conditions and disease problems.
• Water only when your lawn needs it, usually no more than once a week when there is no rainfall.
• Apply at least 2.5 cm of water. Put a tuna or pet food can on your lawn to measure how much you’ve watered. Stop watering when it’s full.
• Consider the soil type and surface features. Grass growing on compacted, fine soil or on slopes needs lighter, more frequent watering.

Recommended Reading: Best Time To Water Grass In Utah

How To Tell If The Soil Is Compacted

Detecting when the soil is compacted is relatively easy, as long as you know what to look for. Be on the lookout for these signs:

• Puddling
• Trees with shallow roots and plants with stunted growth
• The soil has a reddish tint
• Water runs down from high areas
• Rock hard soil that is very difficult to penetrate
• Bare areas and spots with patchy grass .

If none of these signs are present and your lawn is green, healthy, and thick, the soil is probably in good shape. Until conditions change, you should aerate your lawn once a year.

Products To Use On Your Lawn

To ensure the best results, you should use the best products.

First, remove as many weeds as possible and get rid of rocks, sticks or other debris. Then cut the lawn short from one to two inches in height. Use a soil pH tester to ensure that the pH is between 6.2 and 7.

To regulate the pH, we recommend our MAG-I-CAL Plus formula. It not only rapidly corrects the pH but it also breaks up clay and compacted soil. This allows for better root growth and air and water penetration into the soil. It is also specially created to feed the soil microbes, making the lawn soil more alive and porous.

For proper seed germination, the soil should be fertilized. We have developed a fertilizer that supports the growth of fresh seed. Our Green Up Lawn Food for Seeding and Sodding gets new seeds off to a fast start for a lawn that is thicker and more vibrant. It is also formulated for building a vigorous root system.

The most important part of the entire overseeding process is the grass seed itself. Our Black Beauty Ultra grass seed mixture is the pride of our company and is the result of generations of research and experimentation with the best varietals of cool season grasses. Made with elite varieties of tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass it is a naturally dark green grass. It is drought resistant, heat tolerant, and has roots that grow up to four feet deep. It is the choice of homeowners and commercial sod growers alike.

Recommended Reading: Rent To Own Lawnmowers

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.

How Much Seed Will You Need

Now youre finally ready to plant your seed!

The amount of seed that you will use will depend on the type of seed you have picked.

Seeding rates are based on 1,000 square feet intervals so it is important to know the size of your lawn. To do this you want to measure the length and the width and multiply those numbers together to obtain your square footage.

For example, a lawn with a length of 40 feet multiplied by its width of 50 feet will give you a measurement of 2,000 square feet.

Now that you have determined the size of your lawn lets figure out how much seed you need.

As mentioned before seeding rates will vary depending on which grass type you are using. Our recommended rates by seed type are listed below.

Note more seed is not necessarily better as the seedlings will compete for nutrients and will ultimately lead to overcrowding and poor germination.

Using our example of the 2,000 square foot lawn, you would want to use about 20lbs of Tall Fescue to overseed your existing lawn.

If using Perennial Ryegrass you would use somewhere between 20-30lbs of seed.

Lastly if you were overseeding with Kentucky Bluegrass you would use between 4 and 6 pounds of seed.

The difference in seeding rates are due to the size of the seed. 10 pounds of Tall Fescue and about 2 pounds of Kentucky Bluegrass will have about the same number of seeds as Kentucky Bluegrass seed is much smaller.

Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Cheatgrass

When To Overseed Lawn In Minnesota

If you are planning to overseed your lawn in Minnesota, it is essential that you do it at just the right time to ensure the best results. At Jonathan Green, we have been researching the best ways to grow and care for lawns for over 100 years and have developed a foolproof system. Today we supply genetically superior grass seed and an innovative family of products that will help you get the most out of your lawn.

When To Overseed A Lawn

The best time for overseeding your lawn is determined by the type of seed. For most species, spring is the best time to overseed the turf.

When you are overseeding for winter coverage, you may put down seed in early fall, but it requires quite a bit more management and irrigation to get the seed to take off.

Most grasses need a germination temperature of 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit . Do not seed when heavy freezes or snow are expected.

Don’t Miss: What Is Turf Builder Used For

What Type Of Grass Seed Is Best

Your choice of grass is generally determined by your areas climate. Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, Bentgrass and the Fine Fescues, are used primarily in western, northern and eastern areas of the United States. They tolerate moderate summertime temperatures but will also survive severe cold associated with northern winter conditions.

Warm-season grasses, such as Bermudagrass, Centipedegrass and Bahiagrass, are used in the south, southeast, and southwest United States. Theyll withstand extreme heat, but are unable to tolerate sustained temperatures well below freezing. Tall Fescues are used extensively in the midsouth and west regions and with the advent of new turf-type Tall Fescues, their use is expanding into other geographic areas as well. For detailed recommendations, contact your lawn care professional or county extension agent.

Do you need to start over?Proper overseeding can renovate a lawn if it has at least 50% or more healthy turf. However, if your lawn has less than 50% healthy turf, it may be better to kill out the old turf, weeds, etc., and reseed the entire lawn.

Why You Should Overseed Your Lawn

Overseeding has many substantial benefits for your lawn, with no downsides if you do it correctly.

Benefits of overseeding:

• Fills in thin and bare patches
• Makes grass grow thicker
• Makes the lawn hardier and more tolerant of drought, heat, diseases, pests, and other issues
• Helps turfgrass crowd out weeds
• Keeps your lawn green through winter

Also Check: How To Kill Lawn Grubs Naturally

Should You Grow Your Grass From Sod Or Seed

What should you choose for your lawn, lawn or seeds? Start your journey on a new lawn. If you have a vacant plot of land or an existing garden, which is undesirable, you are going to redesign your garden from scratch. Choose between grass or seed. The choice between peat and seed is primarily a personal decision. Advantages and disadvantages of herbs and seeds.

Best Time For Watering

After overseeding, proper watering helps to seed germination. For getting the best result to follow these:

• Before germination, waterless but more frequently. In every location, water 15-20 minutes two to three times per week.
• For the first week, water three times a day, especially in the morning to mid-morning, noon and mid-afternoon.
• For four to five weeks, water more but less frequently. In every location, sprinklers 45-60 minutes three times per week.
• For five to nine weeks, water once or twice per week.

Seed germinates within two or three weeks. It depends on the soil and watering methods. Sometimes you find small weed seed grow along with the grass, so you should remove them at an early stage.

Recommended Reading: Husqvarna Hu800awdh (22) 190cc Honda High Wheel All-wheel Drive Self-propelled Lawn Mower

Choosing A Grass Seed To Re

Many inexperienced gardeners get confused when choosing a grass seed to re-seed their lawn with. Others just buy the first bag or cheapest grass seed they see at the garden centre.

Dont do this!

Instead, think about the following:

• How you use the lawn is it simply a play area for the kids, a masterpiece or something in between? If its purely a play area, youll want a seed mix full of hard-wearing grasses. If your lawn is a work of art youll need a seed mix thats purely made up of fine fescues. And if you want something in between, youll want a blend that contains both hard-wearing and fine grasses.
• How much sun or shade covers the lawn some grasses grow better in shade than others and some need lots of light in order to thrive. Take a look at your lawn and see how much sun or shade your lawn gets throughout the day.

Why And When To Overseed The Lawn

Overseeding is as simple as it sounds. You plant new grass seed in your lawns troubled spots. But its benefits go much deeper. You should consider overseeding because:

Also Check: Aarons Riding Lawn Mower

Timing Is Everything: Know When To Overseed

Of course, its not enough for home and business owners to know they need to overseed. To reap optimal success, its essential to determine when to overseed. Its also crucial to understand the grass type youll be using to drill down on the right timing for the very best results. Some general scheduling guidelines based on where you live include:

Can You Overseed Too Often

All plants, including grass plants, need adequate soil space for roots to spread and develop. If you put down too much grass seed, you will encourage competition that will cause your grass seedlings to struggle after germination because there will be excessive competition for sunlight, soil nutrients, and water.

You May Like: Trugreen Deals

Can I Fertilize My Lawn Every 2 Months

Because nitrogen in slow-release fertilizers is available over time, the product can be applied less frequently and at higher rates and is less likely to burn the lawn. You can reapply slowrelease fertilizers every six to eight weeks, while a fast-release fertilizer can be reapplied every four weeks.

How Often Should You Aerate Your Lawn

The best time to aerate a lawn is when you discover trouble areas. Although the best advice is to do this chore once per year at the start of the grasss growth cycle, that rule doesnt apply to every situation.

Since aerating solves soil compaction, excessive thatch, and nutrient distribution problems, its an essential tool you can use at any time of year.

The schedule you follow for lawn aeration differs based on usage habits, soil type, and the grass seed planted to create a lush, green landscape. Here are the following factors to consider before you get started on this chore.

Read Also: Trugreen Pricing 2021

Factors That Impact Aeration Frequency

Compacted soil, as its name suggests, occurs when soil particles are pressed or compacted firmly together.

Compacted soil occurs most often in heavily trafficked areas, like sports fields, playgrounds, new construction lawns. It also occurs when the soil contains a high amount of dense materials like clay, which is common in states like Texas and Louisiana.

The high density of compacted soil limits space for water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach the places they are needed, like grass roots. Compacted soil also makes it difficult for grass roots to expand since breaking through dense soil takes significantly more energy. Due to the unhealthy conditions created by compacted soil, more frequent aeration is necessary.

Over time, dead grass clippings, shoots, and stems accumulate on the top layer of the lawn, creating a barrier between the grass blades and soil. This barrier is called thatch. A small amount of thatch is beneficial because it adds nutrients back into the soil, but when it builds up faster than it decomposes, it creates a barrier and blocks water and air from passing through.

Compacted soil and excessive thatch result in malnourished and unhealthy lawns. Aerating solves for both of these issues by breaking through thatch and plugging holes in compacted soil opening up pathways that were previously closed off. Whenever excessive thatch and compacted soil are present, more frequent aeration is necessary.

How To Care For Your Overseeded Lawn

After the seed has been planted its time to water.

Its important to maintain soil moisture and not allow the seeds to dry out.

To do this you will want to water 2-4 times a day without creating puddles in the lawn. This is best achieved with watering between 5-10 minutes each time.

Test this before you plant your seeds.

You will want to maintain this practice until the new seedlings germinate and the new grass is about an inch in height. At that time you can back off on your watering and return to your normal watering schedule.

Once your new grass has reached about 3 inches in height it will be time for your first mow.

When performing your first mow take caution on turns as the new grass is not rooted well and can be easily lifted up.

At this time we also recommend giving your overseeded lawn a dose of starter fertilizer or a fertilizer with a 1-1-1 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Look for products such as a 10-10-10, or a 20-20-20 fertilizer for example.

Once your newly seeded lawn is established it is important to maintain a good mowing schedule to help it thicken up and promote a healthy lawn.

This is best performed by following the 1/3 rule and never removing more than of the leaf blade in a single cutting.

Read Also: Best All-wheel Drive Push Mower

What Month Should You Overseed

The best time to overseed your lawn depends on where you live. In the cooler northern climates, the best time to overseed is in late summer to early fall. In fall the soil is warm enough to support germination, but the temperatures arent too extreme for the tender new grass to develop before winter sets in.

Equipment You Need To Aerate Your Lawn

Before you can aerate your lawn, you need to buy or rent an aerator. Aerators are specialized equipment, and there are three main types. Heres what you need to know:

Spike Aerators break up thatch and compacted soil by piercing holes in the ground. There are several types of spike aerators, including tools that look like pitchforks, spike rollers, and even spiked shoes that you strap to your feet and aerate as you walk on the lawn. Some people love spike aerators because they are simple and usually the cheapest type of aerating equipment. Others claim that they are the least effective and can make compaction worse by pressing the soil between each hole closer together. If you decide to go with this option, make sure you read reviews and understand how to use it properly.

Slicing aerators are the next best option. They use rotating blades to slice through thatch and soil to loosen it up and create space for water and air to flow. Like spike aerators, there are inexpensive options to choose from, but there is debate over their effectiveness.

You May Like: Cub Cadet Riding Mower Costco