How To Add Grass Seed To Your Existing Lawn In 4 Steps
1. Prepare Your Existing Lawn
Before you start overseeding, you first need to prepare the area. Start with a good watering the day before, so any living grass will be nice and perky. Mow your lawn on a lower setting and use the bagger instead of the mulch option to keep the clippings from getting spread around.
Next, rake your lawn to remove any debris like dead grass and leaves. Remember, your seeds will only grow if theyre actually in contact with the ground. This kind of debris can keep them from taking root.
As a final step before you spread your seed, aerate the lawn. Use a gas machine or manual aerator that removes plugs between 0.5 and 0.75 inches in diameter, and 2 to 3 inches deep. This will loosen up the soil and make it easier for the young grass to grow.
2. Spread Your Grass Seed
Spread your grass seed at the rate recommended on the label. This will be different depending on the seed type, and whether its a single species or a mix. A broadcast spreader is best for covering your whole lawn since you can get the job done quickly. Hand spreading is fine for smaller patches.
3. Fertilize
Fresh grass requires good fertilizer to grow, particularly fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus. Keep in mind that some locations restrict the use of phosphorus in lawn fertilizers, so you may only be able to use a nitrogen-based fertilizer instead.
4. Water Your Seeds
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.
The Ultimate Guide To Sowing Grass Seed
Sowing grass seed is one of the most essential lawn care tasks, but most lawn owners don’t do it. And that’s precisely why their lawns are patchy, soggy, and lacklustre.
Lawn care is simple if you know-how. And MOOWY is here to fill in the gaps of your knowledge so that you, too, can learn the art of sowing grass seed for a beautiful lawn that provides years of pleasure.
- Why should I sow new grass seed?
- When is the best moment to sow grass seed?
- What are the most suitable conditions for growing new grass seed?
- Which grass seed suits my soil?
- New vs existing lawns
- How do I sow grass seeds? 7 simple steps
- What do you need to sow grass?
- 3 Golden tips after sowing grass seeds
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How To Overseed A Lawn
Lawn care is an integral part of exterior home maintenance, and a healthy, vibrant lawn can add beauty and value to any home. Regardless of how much time you spend in your yard, your grass can begin to look thin and brown as it ages, and the best way to restore its appearance and vitality is with overseeding. Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to overseed a lawn from the landscape experts at The Grounds Guys®.
Can You Plant Grass Seeds Over Weeds
The short answer to this question is yes, you may reseed your lawn with weeds. However, I wouldnt really recommend this. Even most gardeners wouldnt recommend this too. The problem with planting grass seeds over weeds is that its simply frustrating.
You can do this, but its almost guaranteed the results will never be what you want for your lawn.
Weeds are generally hard to get rid of and it could be very annoying. The best thing to do is to start fresh and bare.
If you are looking for a very good weed killer and crabgrass killer, we highly suggest this crabgrass and weed killer. It simply works no other explanation or pros/cons are needed.
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Mowing After Sowing Grass Seed Onto Existing Lawn
To start with you want to leave the mower safely tucked away in the shed for at least a couple of weeks. This will give your little grass seedlings time to establish themselves before you go giving them a hair cut.
On your first cut move your mower up a height or two from your usual cutting height. This will again give the new grass time to bed in and establish strong roots before cutting.
How Long Does It Take For Grass Seed To Germinate
Some varieties of turfgrass take longer to germinate than others. For example, perennial rye grass germinates in as little as 3 to 5 days, fescues take more like 10 days, Kentucky bluegrass takes 2 to 3 weeks, and warm-season grasses like centipede, Bermuda, and zoysia grasses can take over a month. If your grass seed is a mixture of varieties, know that not all of them will germinate at the same time. To encourage good germination and a healthy start no matter which type of grass seed you planted, its critical that you keep the seeded area and the young plants well-watered until they are established. See the section below on watering for more info on how and when to water new grass.
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Sowing Of New Grass Seeds
Seeds Spreading: Finally, its time to spread the seeds. You can spread seeds by hand if there are only one or two bare spots. For the whole lawn, its better to use a rotary spreader. Typically, the spreading of 2 to 4 pounds of seeds per1000 square feet is enough.
Watering: After the seeds are sown, you have to keep the ground moist. Watering for at least two to three times is necessary for the next 10 to 14 days. When you see the sprouts emerging, water for at least once a day. The watering schedule should be early in the morning, during windy days avoid using sprinklers as the wind can dry the moisture.
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How To Renovate A Lawn
Follow these steps to renovate a lawn.
Figure 1. Core cultivation holes should be 2 inches apart and 1 to 3 inches deep. |
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How To Sow Grass Seed
For small areas, it’s easy to sow grass seed by hand. Carefully spread the seeds on the ground and cover them with about a quarter of an inch of soil, says Noah James, owner of Liberty Lawn Maintenance .
‘Moisten the ground, mix the seed and scatter it evenly. Sow 1 1/4 ounces of seed per square yard half from right to left and the other half from left to right to ensure a good coverage,’ add the experts at Johnsons Lawn Seed.
For larger areas, use a spreader to sow the seed. Trying to use your hands for large areas can lead to very uneven coverage of grass seed,’ says Walker. ‘I have found that push rotary spreaders do an excellent job. They apply the seed at a consistent rate for uniform coverage.
Once you have sown your seed, carefully cover the seeds over with soil using either your hand or a rake.
Press the seeds down by standing on them or using a tool like a roller, because they need a firm seedbed, adds James.
Take care not to plant the seeds either too deep or shallow. Bury them too deep and they will take longer to germinate. Too shallow and the seeds will be prone to drying out or being eaten by birds, says Hedges-Gower.
Once you have planted your grass seed, you can apply starter fertilizer if you didnt do so prior to planting. Water immediately. ‘In case of dry weather use a fine spray to keep the seed bed well watered and moist,’ add Johnsons Lawn Seed experts.
Rake Up Compacted Soil First
Youve probably noticed that grass doesnt grow on concrete. It may well grow between the cracks of concrete slabs, but on the concrete itself, theres no growth. This is because the surface is too hard and impenetrable for the seed to sprout and develop roots. Likewise, if your soil is compacted, your grass seed will struggle to grow.
In the case of compacted soil, you should thoroughly rake the topsoil to loosen it up and aerate the earth to encourage better drainage and water penetration BEFORE you sow your grass seed.
Spreading grass seeds by hand
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The Grass Seed Must Make Contact With The Soil
Grass seed needs good contact with the soil for germination. Simply sprinkling the seed over your existing lawn isnt a guarantee that it will make contact with the earth its likely to get stuck in the blades of the existing lawn.
So, make sure that you rake the seed after sowing and roll the lawn with a weighted roller to ensure that every seed makes contact with the earth.
Dont skip this step: no contact, no germination!
How Long Does Grass Seed Take To Grow Fully
It can take up to a week or more for the seeds to grow, but most grass seeds will start growing in a few days. I know if my seedlings are ready to be transplanted into my garden? .
If you have a seedling in your garden that is not growing well, you may want to consider transplanting it into a larger container. This will allow the plant to grow in a more natural environment, and will also allow you to control the amount of light and water it receives.
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Correct Existing Lawn Problems
For troubles beyond normal thinning, test your soil and make corrections before overseeding. Follow test recommendations for using soil amendments and repairing bare lawn spots. If needed, take time to dethatch and core aerate compacted lawns so air, moisture and seed can get to the soil. Pennington One Step Complete products combine premium seed with a stabilized-release fertilizer and wood mulch to simplify lawn repairs.
Prepare The Area To Overseed Or Reseed Your Lawn
There are a few key things you can do in preparation for overseeding or reseeding your lawn:
- Remove any debris from the area, including leaves, branches, and stones.
- Rake the area to loosen the soil and create a smooth surface.
- Apply a layer of compost or manure to the area and rake it in.
- If youre overseeding, spread the seed evenly over the area and rake it in. Dig up the entire lawn and remove any old grass or weeds if youre reseeding. Sprinkle the new seed over the place and rake it in well.
- Water the area well until the soil is moistened completely.
- Keep the area wet until the new grass has grown in completely usually about two weeks.
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Should You Rototill Your Lawn Before Overseeding
While there are some gardeners who do this, Id say this isnt really necessary. Using a rake or a lawnmower is just fine before you overseed.
In fact, its only recommended to mow your lawn if the existing grass is above 2 inches high.
Other than that, raking is fine. Rototilling your lawn may only be required if it has more dead spots.
This is going to be more useful and efficient if youre renovating your lawn rather than just overseeding it.
Does Grass Seed Need To Be Covered With Soil
Grass seed can grow if not covered, but it is usually beneficial to add a layer of compost, topsoil or straw mulch over the top of your seed to keep it from drying out. Seedlings can be transplanted directly into a potting mix, or you can plant them in a container with a drainage hole in the bottom to allow water to drain away from the roots.
You can also plant seedlings in containers that have drainage holes in them, such as a large pot with holes cut in it. The holes should be at least 1/2 inch in diameter and 3/4 inch deep, so that water can drain out of the container. If the holes are too small, the seedling will not be able to root properly, and you will have to transplant it to a larger pot.
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Diy Lawn Overseeding Vs Professional Overseeding Services
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.
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Why You Should Consider A Professional Lawn Seeding Company Like Lawn Doctor
Hiring a professional lawn seeding company like Lawn Doctor will save you time that you would have otherwise spent planting grass seeds. It will also help you save money that you would have otherwise spent buying lawn care equipment. Professionals from this company will also plant grass seeds correctly, which in turn will help you have an aesthetically pleasing lawn.
You need to take care of your lawn if you have one. For instance, you need to seed it from time to time. However, you should ensure that you go for the right grass seeds. You should also let professionals from a good company such as Lawn Doctor help you seed your lawn.
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Sun & Shade: Grass Seed For Shady Lawns
Do the trees in your garden shroud your lawn in shade? Maybe your garden just doesnt get that much direct sunlight?
Sun & Shade lawn seed is specially selected for maximum germination and healthy growth in shaded parts of your garden. With a fine-leafed structure, Sun & Shade grows slowly and tolerates shorter mowing.
However, you dont need to buy separate grass seed for the sunny spots Sun & Shade has been expertly curated for its tolerance to both full sun AND shade.
Dethatch Aerating And Overseeding
Let us now proceed to the second hack on how to plant a new lawn over an old lawn dethatching, aerating, and overseeding.
This method requires less time and effort than the first hack, but it still involves labor on your part to get it done. However, if you do it right and not take any shortcuts, it will work as well as the first method.
This method might be the best option if your lawn has only limited weed growth but has large patchy regions, appears barren and well-trodden.
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