Step 1 – Mow Your Lawn. Overseeding makes your lawn more green. It is even a much better remedy if your lawn has bare spots due to damage from pests such as grubs and chinch bugs. Once you see seed popping up, don’t stop watering. On the other hand, professional help can help to ensure that it is done adequately and that it is necessary for your lawn. Whenever you decide to begin the process of overseeding, you have to stop watering the lawn. Overseeding A Lawn. This method allows seeds to penetrate deeper than they would be able to after your raking, but it requires a bigger investment into the equipment and more work to complete. The absolute sweet spot for most northern regions of the U.S. is August 15 to September 15. You’ll need to keep your lawn moist during this time to trigger germination. Changes in terrain can lead to problems with drainage, which can essentially drown your grass in that area. To give your grass new life, you might consider aeration and overseeding, or making holes in the soil to plant new seedlings. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Overseeding in Spring will rejuvenate your lawn after winter. When you choose to click on a link that takes you to an external site, we may earn a commission from any sales made on that site thereafter. Depending on where you live, overseeding can be done all the way through September and into early October. If you're thinking your yard needs some help to make it look good, you may want to learn how to topdress a lawn. Rake the lawn to remove and break up the layers of dead matted grass or thatch. However, a mild warm and mild cool seed combination can help keep your lawn thick throughout the year. Even if your lawn is in reasonable shape, adding new seed each year is recommended, and Fall or Spring are good times to do it. But don’t let missing that perfect seeding window stop you. Weed competition is virtually nonexistent and predictable rains fall softly with few “gully washers” that could wipe out your efforts in 15 minutes. To successfully overseed your lawn, you should have: The first step to overseeding your lawn is to mow it. By cutting the grass to the lowest setting possible, you can make it easier for the seeds you’re spreading to reach the soil without extra effort. Measure the lawn and weigh out the correct amount of seed. 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. If you are only doing small patches of your lawn, hand-spreading the seeds is also viable as long as you ensure it is evenly dispersed. But, if you time it correctly, you can enjoy the restorative benefits for the rest of the season (and hopefully the whole year). But to get rid of the insects first, use a systemic insecticide labeled to treat them before overseeding so that they don’t eat the new grass as well. If the grass is long and unmanaged, it can be hard to get seeds into the ground to germinate. Everyone wants a beautiful green lawn, but after harsh winters or summers, your lawn can look a little patchy, thin, and dull. If you normally fertilizer your lawn, there are enough nutrients in the soil to get the new seed growing. For the best chances at your grass seed taking hold in your soil, it helps to loosen the turf with a rake before using the seed spreader. The goal of overseeding a lawn is to get the grass seed in contact with the soil. Overseeding is a great way to repair damage and thicken thin areas before winter sets in. And fall is a great time to control broadleaf weeds, but be careful when combining killing weeds with overseeding. Outside of requiring more watering than normal, you must allow up to 2 weeks for the seeds to begin germinating. On the other hand, your lawn’s surface can become hard because of pressure and weight. Keep reading to discover what you need to know to help your lawn look its best. A healthy lawn is green and lush and doesn’t have any unsightly dead or bare patches. Seed at the label’s recommended rate. You’ll need to keep your lawn moist during this time to trigger germination. HOW TO OVERSEED YOUR LAWN. Everyone wants a thick, green, and healthy lawn. Pricing last updated on 2020-12-23 at 01:03 / affiliate links – Details, The Best Battery Powered Heaters – Alternatives. These little seedlings need to be nurtured during their first eight weeks of existence. Grass seed takes seven to 21 days to germinate. Grass seed germination relies on warm soil temperature, around 8-100C, and plenty of moisture. This technique can expose the soil which will beneficial to the growth of your new seed. Last Updated on September 12, 2020 by woodcutter. Overseeding would replenish the immunity of your lawn grass. Then you need to scalp and thatch the lawn which helps the seeds to plant deep into the soil. Instead, the right time to overseed your lawn depends on the type of grass you’re overseeding. If it is the first time for mowing, then you must be assured that it has appropriately grown and the roots are strong enough or not. Grass seed for overseeding held in hand over green lawn A spreader is a machine that disperses seeds from a hopper across your lawn as you move it around. This may be done only in spots where bare areas have occurred, or over a larger expanse of lawn to improve the density of turfgrass that has become thin. You can see this damage manifest itself in bald and brown patches, which can be alleviated by overseeding your lawn. We suggest beginning preparations 1-2 weeks before reseeding, however we realise life is busy so if you’re planning on reseeding in one day it can still be done with great results. STEP 1: Mow and rake the lawn. Then carefully spread half of the seed by broadcasting it over the entire area. This made moving the sand so much easier. And the way you and your family use your lawn can add to your maintenance woes. Yes! Grass seed takes seven to 21 days to germinate. Plus, it’ll create a unique color combination for your yard. Always read and follow the herbicide label. Spreading grass seed and fertiliser is pretty easy to do by hand if you only have a small lawn. One way homeowners can improve the look and health of their grass is by overseeding a weedy lawn. If you don’t have a good spreader, mix your seed with sand and spread it with your hand especially if your lawn is small. Otherwise, it can take longer, cost more, and be way more work than it needs to be. Your lawn needs overseeding when it has become brown, thin, and patchy. Drop spreaders, like the name sounds, drop seed directly below the spreader. Overseeding is just as it sounds: the process of laying seed over preexisting grass. 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. Newer grass seed varieties are darker green and have better disease resistance and overall turf quality. When compared to reseeding, overseeding requires about half as much seed. Aerating and fertilizing are perfect companions to overseeding, as long as they happen a week or two before you overseed. Overseeding by hand uglifide Post by xvrickh » Thu May 07, 2020 1:21 am I have a mixed yard of grasses, primarily kbg and tttf award, midnight, and inferno tttf being the most recent additions in the past 5 years), but the color was pretty uniform and dark. Your lawn can’t dodge general wear and tear caused by Mother Nature. Why Do It? About Overseeding a Lawn. About Overseeding a Lawn. Applying fertilizer to your lawn after overseeding can create unnecessary competition from existing grass, making it difficult for new seedlings to get established. Causes of patchiness or uneven growth include: Both too much and not enough water can be reasons why some parts of your yard don’t grow evenly. However, the heat can also be stressful on the growing grass, which makes it harder for it to grow lush and green. The key to a beautiful lawn is a strong root system, and the best way to get there is by regular Core Aeration and Overseeding. This loosening can be done via a metal rake, lawn dethatcher, chipper shredder, etc. Summer can take a lot out of your lawn. However, if you want a lawn that turns neighbors green with envy, you need the knowledge and knowhow to do it right. It’s the perfect way to show-off to neighbors, a great place for a picnic, and a safe place for children to land if they fall in the yard. You can perform a simple test by squeezing a clump of soil in your hand. Many older lawns can also benefit from overseeding. Moving it by hand is a grind. We recommend our users to update the browser. Overseeding is a great way of making your lawn grow thick and full. It will do more to provide you with a thick, healthy, and weed-free lawn than just about anything else you can do. Similarly, harsh winter weather can make it hard on young grass, so planting too close to winter weather can be inefficient as well. These 3 nutrients help to create green, healthy, and resilient grass by aiding germination and growth. Aim for 2-3 pounds for well-established lawns, and up to 7-9 pounds of seed per 1,000 ft. 2 for thin lawns. It is best to plant warm-season grasses in the late winter or very early spring (as long as the ground has recovered from winter conditions). The cool season grasses in No Mow do best when … Adjust your rotary spreader or drop spreader accordingly. Scalping your lawn super short beforehand is key. After these steps, you seed the lawn by using a spreader or throwing it out equally by hand. Aeration and overseeding work hand in hand to facilitate new grass growth by providing access to necessary nutrients. Plus, it will help activate the fertilizer and keep it all from blowing away. Aeration process loosens the soil by removing small parts. If it compresses rather than crumbling, your soil has more clay than sand, and likely needs regular aeration to remain healthy. In Iowa, the best time to overseed a lawn is late summer/early fall (late August to mid-September). You’re preparing it to be ready to take the seed and soil you’re adding later on. Fertilizer is an important part of fostering healthy growth for your new grass. Scheduling both these services for the Fall will help you wrap up the growing season in good shape, and put your lawn in a good position come Spring. Before overseeding your thin lawn, cut your grass shorter than normal and bag the clippings. Hands down, early fall is the best time to overseed your lawn. Before you spread the seeds, you have to make sure you’re choosing the right seeds for your lawn. By oversowing lawn seed into your existing lawn you’ll fill in patches, thicken and strengthen your lawn and protect it from invasion of weeds and diseases. By Peter Ashton August 28, 2020 September 11, 2020. Hand holding grass seed. This can also help improve air circulation to the soil, helping the new grass to grow. While overseeding will help bring your lawn back to its best, if there are underlying problems causing bare spots or poor growth, it’s only bandaging the wound. As long as you obtain the necessary tools, overseeding is very achievable for most, if not all, lawnowners. Why Is Overseeding Important? posted by Lush Lawn on August 25, 2020 Aeration and overseeding are often spoken about hand-in-hand — so much so that there tends to be a question of whether you can have one without the other. If your lawn looks old and dull, you can try overseeding. It contains nutrients that help the seeds to germinate, and enriches the soil the grass will grow in (plus the soil below it after watering). Post by xvrickh » Thu May 07, 2020 1:21 am. If you spend a good amount of time in your garden each day, chances are your lawn registers high foot traffic on a daily basis. For the best coverage, spread the seed in opposite directions using a drop spreader. Similar Photos See All. When there is existing turf, there are less resources (space, nutrients, water, and oxygen) available to each blade of grass. Lawns need to be restored occasionally and choosing the right grass seed for the job is critical. For larger areas of grass to overseed, a hand spreader or a push style lawn spreader will generally disperse the proper seed numbers. Compacted turf is less likely to absorb the seed and germinate because it struggles to reach the soil under the turf. Every year, the battle against patchy, thinning lawns continues. If you don’t have a roller, you can use a lawnmower with a roller on the back (turned off!) Reseeding often requires you to dig up the grass and soil in problem areas (or the whole lawn) and replace it with new turf, effectively starting over when grass can’t be salvaged. When used in conjunction with other turf care practices such as aeration, scarifying and top dressing, overseeding plays a major role in creating a luxury lawn, often desired by many keen gardeners. Too little sun and they may be unable to get the resources they need to grow, and too much may overheat the blades of grass and kill it entirely. New grass seedlings can be damaged by herbicides if you spray weeds immediately before or after seeding. Warm-season grasses enjoy warmer temperatures than cool-season grasses. Also, … Choose the right seeding product. By carefully following a pattern and following the directions with the spreader, you can evenly apply seed (and later fertilizer) to your whole yard. You’ll want to use a mix of 3 parts lime-free sand, 3 parts loam, and 1 part peat. Most grass types aren’t native to the Mid-Atlantic United States , so keeping your lawn thriving through our humid summers and icy winters is a battle against nature. Remove any rubbish from the surface of the lawn before mowing. How to Topdress a Lawn. So that the seeds can settle in comfortably and the soil has enough internal moisture to impart nutrients to the new seeds. Just like people, the grass in your lawn needs the right amount of sunlight. Steps to Overseeding Your Lawn. The clippings can be saved for later or used on a piece of lawn that isn’t being overseeded. Otherwise, you’ll need to set out a sprinkler or water smaller areas by hand. Cool-season grasses should be planted towards the tail-end of summer or early fall, when the temperature is starting to lower and the harsh sunlight weakens. While the conditions required to grow depend on the grass you use, poor soil conditions can make any lawn suffer. The verdict is that the two lawn care tasks should be paired together, as aeration innately complements overseeding efforts. Grass seed for overseeding held in hand over green lawn. Monitor your watering system to see if something is being ignored. This made moving the sand so much easier. This will give the grass seed easy access to the soil so it can root more easily after germinating. Get in a local lawncare expert to find the exact cause of your poor lawn condition. The following 5 simple steps will fix that bare spot. Overseeding can also be employed to create resilient turf that will withstand wear and tear, which is great if you have children or the lawn receives alot of traffic. Alternatively, you can choose another seed that is similar enough to the existing seed that it will be able to survive alongside it. Let’s get to know some of these-Manual dethatcher: these are simple to use and very cost-effective. The first step to overseeding your lawn is to mow it. After these steps, you seed the lawn by using a spreader or throwing it out equally by hand. You should also hold off on mowing the grass until the entire lawn reaches a height that is about ½” higher than your usual grass height to ensure it has enough time to mature before the first mow. Cool season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue & Rye. This is especially helpful when you’re using a seed spreader that simply drops seeds onto the grass, which allows long grass to interfere and mess up your dispersal. This process is hugely beneficial in lawns that have been damaged by pests or disease, discoloration, sparseness, and other issues that can cause thinning. However, regardless of how long you spend in your yard, your grass can start to look thin and brown as it grows older, and the only way to restore its beauty is overseeding. Then, take your lawn to rid it of any grass or debris. PREPARE: Mow the lawn closely. Whether a pool killed your grass, your pet soiled it, or the grass just doesn’t grow how you want it to, you can use overseeding to patch it. After everything is down on the lawn, give the entire lawn a healthy watering (up to about an inch of water). Those lawn level tools are legit. A step-by-step approach to fall lawn care will guide you through the process, allowing your lawn to take just about anything Mother Nature or your kids will throw at it. https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/when-to-overseed-your-lawn How to Maintain Your Lawn After Overseeding. Lawn thatch is the layer of dead stems, leaves, and roots that sits directly atop your soil. Seed and Fertiliser Spreader. From improving the look of your grass to making it stronger, overseeding is a simple process that provides major benefits to the health of your lawn. If you want the best lawn in the neighborhood, you need a maintenance plan that can simplify upkeep. All you’ll need to do is spread the topdress mixture over your lawn and work it in using the flat side of a rake. Overseeding is required for your lawn every four to five years. 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