Spring Grass Seeding May Fill In Bare Areas
Normally, spring is not considered the ideal time to overseed a cool season bluegrass or fescue lawn because of the shorter establishment period before summer and the increased issues with weeds. However, if done properly and with attention to maintenance, spring might be a viable option.
Best tme to attempt spring grass seedingThe best time to seed in the spring is mid-March through early April. Like fall seeding, the soil must first be prepared. The recommended method is verticutting. A verticut slices grooves in the soil that allows for the necessary seed and soil contact for germination. Simply scattering the seed on the ground usually results in a poor stand and a waste of time and money. Very small patches can be roughed up with a garden rake.
Once the soil is prepared the seed can be broadcast. Then the fun of overseeding begins as the soil surface must be kept moist through germination and into early establishment. This means light, frequent water applications applied as needed, based on weather patterns. The good news is that in the spring temperatures are cooler and more overcast, and rainy days are likely to reduce the watering demands typically found during hot September days.
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S Used For Overseeding Lawns And Soil Preparation
Any method you choose to evenly distribute seed will work. The task of overseeding lawns doesn’t require expensive equipment. Smaller areas can be done by using your hands if you do not have access to a fertilizer spreader. If overseeding lawns by hand, you should first divide the amount of seed you want to spread in half. Then carefully spread half of the seed by broadcasting it over the entire area. Choose a single direction to walk while spreading the seed. Then spread the other half of the seed at a right angle to the first direction you walked in. By broadcasting the seed in two different directions you have a greater chance of getting complete coverage.
Small hand-held rotary spreaders can also be used for small areas. They are generally inexpensive and are more precise than spreading by hand.
For larger areas, it is better to use a drop or rotary spreader. This is the same type of spreader that is used to spread lawn fertilizer. Drop spreaders, like the name sounds, drop seed directly below the spreader. The width of drop will never be wider than the spreader itself. Drop spreaders are more accurate when working around flower gardens or ponds, etc, but are not well suited for very large areas. Care must be taken to ensure you are walking in straight lines. Any swerve may result in a missed area. Overseeding lawns with a drop spreader is more work if the area is large.
Preparing the Grass and Soil for Overseeding
Core Aeration
Dethathing
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.
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Why Are Yearly Aeration And Overseeding Important
The idea behind lawn aeration and overseeding is tostrengthen your entire lawn. By filling in empty or bare spots with new grass,you do more than make your lawn look beautiful you actually increase itsresistance to pests. With a thick, lush and uniform bed of grass, its harderfor weeds to take hold, which makes taking care of grass easier, too.
Aeration breaks up compacted soil so water and otherlife-giving lawn nutrients can reach roots easily. This has a huge effect ongrass health and growth. In fact, even if your lawn is gorgeous and green allover, you should still aerate in the growing season to keep things that way.
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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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.
Rake To Remove Thatch And Loosen Soil
Germination can be poor in lawns with a thick layer of thatch. That is why it is important to power rake instead of aerating just before overseeding. Power rake the lawn to remove the tight layer of roots, stems, and rhizomes that build on the surface.
Dethatching is better for overseeding compared to aerating the lawn too many times.
According to the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, It is important to have less than 1/4 inch of thatch when overseeding. If thatch is 3/4 inch or more, you may need to power-rake it before you reseed.
To provide an excellent seed germination environment when overseeding without aerating, the soil must be exposed. Hard raking to remove thatch after mowing low will help loosen up the topsoil, making it great for grass seed to germinate upon. Loose topsoil also draws water easily to keep the seed moist for germination.
Pro tip: Power raking damages a lawn to some extent. Ensure that you power rake early in the season to leave enough time for your grass to recover for the rest of the season.
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To Creating A Dense Lush Covering Of Grass
No one likes thin, patchy lawns.
They look unhealthy and are the perfect spaces for weeds and moss to inhabit.
Overseeding helps to create a dense covering of grass. This not only creates a thick, green, healthy-looking lawn, it also makes it more resistant to disease. And it crowds out weeds and moss, making it harder for them to grow and establish.
Weed Control And Crabgrass Preventer
When overseeding in spring, you may experience competition from weeds that try to crowd out the new grass as it sprouts, especially crabgrass. To prevent this, apply Jonathan Green Crabgrass Preventer plus New Seeding Lawn Fertilizer on the same day you sow the grass seed. This pre-emergent herbicide prevents crabgrass and grassy weeds from germinating without injuring new grass seedlings. It contains 30% slow-release nitrogen to gently feed the new seedlings.
For additional information about overseeding your lawn in spring, visit Jonathan Green online, or ask your nearest independent retail store for expert lawn and garden advice.
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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:
Mow The Lawn Lower Than 2 Inches
The first thing to do when overseeding without aerating is to mow the grass. Cut the grass lower than you usually do. The rule of thumb here is to mow lower than 2 inches, preferably as low as 1-1/2 inches.
- Mowing short before overseeding prevents weeds and established grass from competing with new seedlings.
- It also allows sunlight to reach the soil for the much needed warmth for germination.
- Mowing also prevents grass seed wastage .
Pro tip: For this type of mowing, ensure that you use a grass catcher to bag the clippings. You dont want to mulch the lawn because it will prevent grass seed from being in contact with soil for proper germination.
Depending on the turfgrass you have, you may want to cut the grass much lower than that. This is true for dense and tall grasses such as Bermuda grass which can form a very dense canopy.
The reason for mowing low is to make sure as much of the grass seed as possible gets into contact with soil. In addition, mowing low makes sure the grass gets enough sunlight for growth soon after germination.
Some grass types such as Bermuda grass require full sunlight all day for optimal growth. Therefore, do not be afraid to mow low just before overseeding, but be careful not to scalp the lawn.
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When Is Best Time To Amount Aerate And Overseed Your Lawn
For air-conditioned division grasses:
If overseeding, again backward summer/early abatement is the best time. At this point in the division broadleaf weeds such as crabgrass are starting to die aback and clay temps are ideal for berry germination.
If you delay until mid fall, theres a acceptable adventitious a lot of berry wont germinate due to acknowledgment clay temps.
Cool division grasses germinate best back clay temps are amid 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. To get some actual abstracts of back clay temps in your arena are in this ambit analysis out Green Casting Online.
When application Blooming Casting for clay acting data, access your zip cipher and amount out the date that your clay temps usually dip beneath 50 degrees. You appetite to calculation aback about 5-6 weeks afore that, and that is back you should amount aerate and overseed.
If aloof amount aerating your backyard again you dont accept to anguish about berry formation so you can do that after in the season.
For balmy division grasses:
Summer is the best time to aerate back this is back balmy division grasses are actively growing.
Since balmy division grasses advance via rhizomes or stolons, there absolutely isnt a charge to overseed afterwards aeration. Their overextension attributes fills in the voids larboard abaft from amount aeration.
If overseeding with anniversary rye, you accept to delay until abatement back clay temps are cooling bottomward and balmy division grasses are branch into dormancy.
Revive Your Lawn By Overseeding
Is your lawn looking thin and brown? Well, Scotts can help you get back to the thick, lush, green lawn you’ve always wanted and all you need to do is overseed. If you put down a layer of seed over your lawn in the spring or fall, the thin areas will thicken up, and your lawn will start to look terrific again.
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What Is The Suitable Time Of Overseeding On Your Lawn
After preparing the areas of the lawn by mowing and raking, it is the right time to do the needful steps accordingly.
- Mow the lawn shorter than usual.
- Eliminate all the clippings from the lawn so that the lawn can get sunlight and water.
- Use a rake to loosen the soil of the lawn, so that seeds can well contact with soil, and have a chance to increase the development of seeds.
- Choose your seeds.
- Check the overseeding rate of the grass seeds.
- Use a spreader and spread seeds around the lawn according to the instruction given on the label.
- Spread seeds with a logical process like do it when air is quiet and avoid the windy day.
- Be ensured to distribute seeds equally.
Don’t Forget To Water
According to Mayer, “watering is one of the most important aspects of successful overseeding.” After applying seed, a heavy watering is in order, after which a daily watering should be performed until seeds germinate, which can take up to two weeks. Once germination has occurred, continue to water thoroughly every few days. “It’s important to keep the soil bed moist during the germination process or seed failure could be the end result,” says Mayer, adding that it’s also important to avoid heavy activity, such as mowing, on the delicate area.
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The Best Time To Seed And Fertilize
After 48 hours of aerating your soil, you will apply seeds and fertilizer then water on the ground. It is high time to get into soil fertilizer and water. In this time, use the starter fertilizer because it does not have any weed control, and this fertilizer is very suitable for this new grass growing environment. If you apply another fertilizer, your lawn will not germinate accurately. Lets know how to reseed a patchy lawn.
Can You Overseed Grass In The Summer
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Beside this, how do I reseed my lawn in the summer?
Preparation and Care
Additionally, can you just sprinkle grass seed on lawn? By applying grass seed over an existing lawn, you can help fill in bare spots and reinvigorate your lawn. The weather, kids, and pets can be tough on lawns. Lack of water, too much heat, wear & tear, and other problems can make it look worn and thin. You can help reinvigorate your lawn by overseeding.
In respect to this, what is the best grass seed for hot weather?
The cool season tall fescue tolerates summer heat and drought but stays green during the winter. Tall fescue is a medium green grass with a coarse texture, but turf and dwarf turf varieties with a finer texture are available that tolerate moderate foot traffic and infrequent mowing.
Does grass germinate in 90 degree weather?
They grow most actively when air temperatures are warm, between 70 and 90 degrees F. In addition, seeds need warmer soil temperatures than cool-season grasses to germinate .
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Choose The Best Grass For Overseeding
If your existing grass generally performs well, you can just use the variety that is already planted. In areas with webworm or other pest problems, you might want to choose a variety with an endophyte enhanced seed, which helps reduce pest problems. You need to pick a species that is suited to your climate and region.
Some good warm-season grasses are Bermuda grass and zoysia grass. For cooler climates, try a Kentucky blue or tall fescue. As you determine the best grass for overseeding, dont forget to consider the lighting of the area. Fine fescues and shade tolerant Kentucky blue are great for dim areas.
What About Care After Overseeding
Depending on conditions and type of seed, new grass seed will begin to emerge in 5-7 days after seeding when moisture and soil temperatures are adequate. An overseeded lawn can be fully established in eight weeks or less.
Proper watering is critical to successful overseeding. The following is a recommended watering program.
- Immediately after overseeding: Water heavily to wash grass seeds into slits.
- Until grass seeds germinate : Water lightly on a daily basis, soaking first one inch of soil.
- After germination: Water less frequently, but allow for deeper soaking and penetration into soil. This encourages deeper root growth.
- After grass becomes established: Water at the recommended level for the type of grass planted.
The key is care and patience. Proper overseeding will produce a healthier, better-looking lawn that responds better to mowing, fertilizing and watering. An added benefit is increased property value!
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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.
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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