Take Some Grass Seed Spread It Around The Lawn And It Is Finished If Your Goal Is To Feed The Birds Then Follow That Process
If it was as easy as all that, then a multi-million dollar lawn service industry built around caring for home lawns would not exist. Most homeowners do not have the experience or expertise to provide the correct amounts of fertilizers and pest control products to sustain a healthy lawn. Most do not even mow or water properly. This is why lawn care services, such as those provided by Spring-Green, are so important to homeowners. Of all the practices of good turf maintenance, seeding a lawn is probably one of the most misunderstood.
Before you begin seeding your lawn, make sure to ask yourself these questions:
You need to assess the need for new lawn seeding before you proceed. Spots, smaller than a salad plate, will generally fill-in, assuming the lawn receives the recommended fertilization application that type of grass requires. Larger areas will need lawn repair in some fashion.
Sod Is A Viable Alternative
Keep The Soil Watered
Keep the reseeded areas damp to allow the seeds to germinate. In hot weather, this may mean daily watering. In exceptionally hot weather, the seeds may need watering twice a day. Read the instructions on the seed packet to see how long, this variety of grass seed usually takes to germinate.
The amount of water applied whilst watering should be kept light. Dousing the seeds in water may begin to wash the seed away and thus leave your lawn with bald spots.
If there are areas that havent been reseeded, do not over-water these as it may lead to a surge in growth. Its advisable not to cut the surrounding grass while the seed is growing as you dont want to disturb the seeds. If the surrounding grass is growing too fast due to the over-watering, its going to give you a difficult decision to make regarding the mowing.
The Best Times To Over Seed
Spring through to autumn are the best times to overseed.
We recommend that it is done after heavy scarificationoraeration, either in the Spring or autumn as generally it is warm and wet.
If it has been a dry summer and the grass has been adversely affected or worn or looks tired caused by drought conditions. September in an ideal month to overseed and fix the lawn as the conditions are usually warm and wet.
Factors needed to grow grass seed
To grow grass seed there are two main factors soil temperature and moisture.
Grass seed needs soil temperatures to be at least 6-8 degrees Celsius , and frequent rainfall is important to ensure the seed germinates, if there is no rain present we strongly recommend watering your lawn if you have over seeded it recently. For more information on how to water your lawn seehere
If your lawn has been over seeded in the late Spring or Summer you may need to keep the lawn watered with a sprinkler system to provide adequate soil moisture level to achieve a good rate of germination.
It is possible to over seed in winter There are specialist seeds that will germinate in the winter, however it is recommended that for the average lawn it is better to wait until the soil and ambient temperatures heat up. The specialist seeds are best kept for large landscaping projects or sports applications such as football or rugby pitches.
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Hot Days And Saturated Soil Spell Big Trouble For Grass
Warm temperatures, combined with water-logged soils, create conditions where there is no soil oxygen for roots to breathe. If the roots can’t breathe, they cannot absorb nutrients and water and they may die. As an example, you can see the stress of water-logged or saturated soils in many farm fields of young soybeans and corn that appear yellow and stunted. The same heat, humidity and soil aeration stresses that stunt those robust farm crops can kill tiny grass seedlings. So hold off on planting grass seed during times of severe heat, humidity, and excess water stress.
Timing Matters: The Best Season For Reseeding
Most experts agree that the best time to reseed your lawn is in the early to mid-fall. You want to make sure seeds will have a chance to germinate and establish themselves before a hard frost, so plan according to where you live. Once you get in the habit of reseeding on a regular basis, it will become part of your normal annual lawn care routine.
This doesnt mean you are locked into a fall reseeding plan. In fact, the best time to reseed will depend on your location. Southern lawns can be sown in the spring once the ground has thawed. If you are simply trying to cover bare spots, you can do that as they appear throughout the growing season.
If you decide to apply seeds during a particularly hot spell, be careful to ensure they receive enough water. Covering seeded areas with a light straw mulch may help the ground from drying out.
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When Do I Reseed My Lawn
For cool season grass, the best time of year to reseed your lawn is spring or fall. Both seasons offer benefits for perfect results.Reseeding at the end of spring ensures that cool season grass seed will have enough time to establish before the cold weather sets in. Reseeding in the fall means less risk of weeds, but the soil will still be warm.
Rake & Till Your Lawn
Fertilize
Using a spreader, fertilize what remains of the lawn. It is best to use a starter fertilizer because it has the proper nutrients that grass seeds need to germinate and grow quickly.
Note: Always follow the manufacturers instructions for proper spread rate for a new lawn.
Spread Grass Seeds
Add Mulch
Water Your New Lawn
How Long Does It Take The Seed To Grow
Seedbed preparation is key to survival of the new seedlings, overseeding into a warm, moist, seedbed and ensuring that the seed has good contact with the soil, help ensure a rapid germination, development and growth of the new seedlings.
If the correct levels of temperature, nutrients and moisture are present, seed will generally germinate in up to fourteen days. Different varieties are faster than others and different soil temperatures will also affect germination rates.
Generally hardwearing seeds such as Perennial Rye-grass will germinate faster in seven to ten days and require soil temperatures 6 degrees Celsius and above.
Finer grasses such as Fescue and Bent will take longer at least ten to fourteen days and require at least 10 degrees Celsius to germinate.
Hard wearing, winter hardy and drought tolerant grass such as Smooth Stalked Meadow-Grass can be hard to establish and is best left until late Spring or September as it requires higher soil temperatures.
However if your grass seed was sown in early Spring it may take longer as the soil temperature may be to low to allow germination, in most cases the seed will still germinate if the seedbed was established through scarification in early spring.
Aftercare
It is best to maintain moisture levels if no rain is present, the lawn will require watering on a daily basis for at least four weeks, six weeks for optimum results.
Quick facts
Overseeding thickens up for lawn
Better resistance to weeds, moss and disease.
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What You Will Need
While overseeding isnt an overly complex task, it can be time consuming to do manually without the right tools. This is especially true if you have a large yard that will require a lot of seed and fertilizer spreading, or if you plan to do the entire lawn instead of just spot-treating with overseeding.
To successfully overseed your lawn, you should have:
How To Reseed A Lawn In Summer
This page is a general guide for reseeding your lawn during summer. Using the products and methods suggested you will get control of your seeds growth. Follow this DIY guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% improvement of your seeds growth rate in the summer.
As a homeowner one of the best things you can do for your thin and distressed lawn is to reseed it. Contrary to popular belief many lawns you see in the front of homes are grown by seeds or sod.
While mother nature will work to grow your new turf from its seeds it will still need your part in its care. This is especially true in lawns during the summer where heat, lack of moisture, and weed growth are commonly rampant from May to July.
Typically, you will want to grow your grass seeds in the fall or second half of spring, but your homeowners association is wanting you to take care of this issue presently or maybe you just do not want to stare at an empty patch of lawn. Either way, replanting seeds in the summer is not entirely difficult, but will need great care.
If you are wanting to treat empty patches of lawn in the summer by reseeding, then our DIY guide will help show you what to do step-by-step to get complete control over your seed growth. Following our recommended instructions and use of our professional quality products will help to save you time, money, and your seeds.
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Which Grass Seeds Should I Plant In Summer
Before you can move forward with a treatment program you will need to understand what type of grass seeds to plant in the warm, summer months. By planting the wrong seeds you can end up using the wrong herbicides or have no growth in your lawn, which can cost you time and money.
It is necessary to plant grass species that are considered to be warm-seasoned grass during the summer.
For example, in the image above you will see Bermuda grass on the left and on the right will be St. Augustine grass, both considered warm-seasoned grass species.
Warm-seasoned Grass
Species of warm-seasoned grasses are Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass, St. Augustine grass, Centipede grass, Zoysiagrass, and Carpetgrass.
Warm-seasoned grass will grow well in humid, and hot temperatures between 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it ideal for summer reseeding.
Unfortunately, reseeding in the summer cannot be achieved in areas containing species of cool-seasoned grass. If you live in the northern half of the United States then reseeding in the summer will not produce any results in your lawn.
Create A Healthy Lawn By Starting Over
Lets get this straight right from the get-go: A healthy lawn doesnt get taken over by weeds. So if it looks like youre raising weeds instead of grass, thats a sign of a more serious problem. And that may mean killing off the grass and starting over. Its a big reseeding lawn project thatll take several weekends and may cost you up to 25¢ per sq. ft. for equipment rentals, soil conditioners and seed. If youre willing to spend more, you can lay sodinstead of planting seed, but dont skip the soil testing and remediation steps. Heres how to balance your soils pH level properly.
Are you ready for a fresh start? Just follow our guide for how to plant grass seed on an existing lawn and youll be the happiest gnomeowner on your block.
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How To Reseed Or Overseed A Lawn In 6 Easy Steps
Your lawn may look healthier at certain times of year than others. Some grass goes dormant during the winter or summer, and some lawns may battle insects, fungus, or high usage, which thins them or creates barren areas. To deal with these situations, some homeowners may consider overseeding or reseeding their lawn. Learning how to overseed a lawn or reseed a lawn isnt difficult, but it does require some planning and research. Heres a simple step-by-step guide to help you.
Caring For Your Lawn This Summer
Really we should be tending to our gardens grass at all times of year through regular feeding, moss-killing and weeding and with all the good intentions in the world sometimes other things take over, or perhaps it can be just too wet or cold to get green fingered during the winter months. So this summer lets focus on the necessities to bring your lawn into tip top shape so you can kick back, relax and really enjoy the good weather.
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Can You Reseed Over Dead Sod
No matter how much effort we put in to our lawns, sometimes patches of your lawn will die. There are many reasons why this might have happened. One option to bring the lawn back to life is to reseed over dead sod. Is this a viable option? The answer is yes. By following the guide below, you can bring your lawn back to its best.
Looking After New Lawns
Lawns from turf should be left completely un-used for their first week. Lawns from seed should be left un-used until their first mowing. Avoid using new lawns heavily in their first season.
Newly laid lawns can be fed like established lawns. They need watering, but should not be over watered, as this may result in shallow rooting and poor establishment.
For advice on aftercare of newly sown lawns, see our advice on lawns from seed.
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Take Care Of Your New Seed
Fertilizing your new seed is essential for its growth. Fertilizer delivers essential nutrients that help it to germinate and grow into the healthy lawn that you want.
All-natural fertilizer is the best option for fertilizing your new seed, as phosphorous supports rapid root growth however, there are restrictions on certain types of fertilizer, so be sure to check restrictions in your area.
My go-to method is to broadcast a thin layer of compost over my lawn after spreading the new seed.
Not only will this ensure good contact with your new lawn seed, it feeds your established grasses. Its pretty cheap to order a delivery and spread it with a wheelbarrow and shovel.
How Do I Reseed My Lawn In The Summer
Tips for seeding your lawn during summer
Also know, can you reseed in the summer?
The heat of summer is not the optimal time to reseed a lawn, though it is possible with the right variety of grass. Establishing thick, luxurious sod is easier in spring or fall, but circumstances may dictate a summer planting.
Furthermore, what is the best grass seed for hot weather? Here are some good warm-season grasses known to be drought-tolerant, as well.
- Bermudagrass. Bermuda grass loves full sun and has excellent traffic tolerance.
- St. Augustinegrass.
- Zoysiagrass. Zoysia tolerates sun and shade but is slow growing compared to Bermuda and St.
- Buffalograss.
Also asked, how can I make my grass grow faster in the summer?
Hot weather can stop grass from thriving.
What is the best time of year to reseed lawn?
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Clean Up And Bag Clippings
While it can be incredibly beneficial to leave lawn clippings on your lawn to harness the nitrate produced, we want to be sure we clean it up before overseeding. This is because the existing grass clippings and any thatch that is on your lawn is preventing seeds from reaching the soil.
After mowing, clean up the clippings and anything else on top of your grass. The clippings can be saved for later or used on a piece of lawn that isnt being overseeded.
When To Reseed Over Dead Sod
To ensure a greater chance of success in replacing the dead grass in your lawn with healthy new grass, choosing the right time of year to perform the task is crucial.
The ideal time to reseed is in the early fall/autumn. This is because the weather is likely to be temperate and not too hot. The soil will be warm and the grass will be actively growing.
The weeds wont be as vigorous as what they would have been during spring and summer.
There will be a higher chance of rain than during summer which will help your seed stay damp and therefore germinate.
If its not possible to reseed in the early fall/autumn, the next best time is during mid-spring. Wait until the grass is actively growing.
Reseeding in the summer is difficult as the weather is usually too hot to allow the seeds to be kept damp. As weeds are actively growing, your seed will also be competing with surrounding weeds for resources. This is a contest that the weeds will ultimately win.
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