Is it time to consider aerating and overseeding your lawn?
The best time to overseed and aerate your lawn depends on the region you’re from and the type of grass you’ve established. In the Northeast, aerate and overseed is in late summer while in the midwest, do it between August and September. Southern lawns are best aerated and overseeded in mid-spring.
How to prepare your lawn for overseeding?
Recommended: Mow your lawn lower than usual at 1-1/2″ and clean up leaves
- Try to mow one or two days before we arrive — and make it lower than usual. We recommend you set the mowing height to 1-1/2″ (one-and-one-half inches). ...
- Mowing low makes both aeration and seeding more effective.
- Clean up any leaves, trash or other debris which might interfere with the aeration.
How to properly overseed your lawn?
The steps for a total overseeding overhaul include:
- Aeration: The lawn is aerated to ‘open up the pores’ of the lawn and allow the seed spots to settle and germinate.
- Power Rake: The lawn is power raked to remove dead thatch and open up the grass, so the seed has somewhere to settle and germinate.
- Hand Rake: The lawn is hand raked to remove thatch that is pulled up during power raking. ...
Should you reseed or resod your lawn?
Lawn quality. If your grass is sparse and there aren’t many weeds, it’s best to reseed. But if there are large patches of dead grass, or if more than half of the living plants are weeds, opt for new sod. About planting seeds. Reseeding is easier and more affordable. However, you’ll have to wait until the grass sprouts before you see results.
Why Overseed?
When is the best time to oversee a lawn?
How to get grass seed to root?
How to give new grass seedlings nutrients?
What to do if your lawn is thin?
Can you spread grass seed over existing lawn?
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How to Overseed a Lawn in 8 Simple Steps - Lawnstarter
What Is Overseeding? Overseeding means spreading new grass seed over an existing lawn to fill in bare patches and make the grass thicker. Don’t confuse overseeding with reseeding, which is when you pull up the grass and start a whole new lawn from scratch.
What is overseeding lawn?
Overseeding is a great way to repair damage and thicken thin areas before winter sets in. Many older lawns can also benefit from overseeding.
Why is overseeding important for lawns?
Many older lawns can also benefit from overseeding. Introducing new genetics to your lawn will result in a better appearance and performance. Old lawns contain obsolete seed varieties. Newer grass seed varieties are darker green and have better disease resistance and overall turf quality. Updating your lawn with improved seed genetics can give your lawn a much-needed facelift.
When is the Best Time to Overseed?
Hands down, early fall is the best time to overseed your lawn. The absolute sweet spot for most northern regions of the U.S. is August 15 to September 15. That’s when daytime temperatures are still warm enough to encourage growth and nights get cooler, giving new seedlings a break from the heat. Lawn grasses like that. Soil temperatures are ideal, too, resulting in quicker seed germination.
How long does it take for grass seed to germinate?
How to Maintain Your Lawn After Overseeding. Grass seed takes seven to 21 days to germinate. You’ll need to keep your lawn moist during this time to trigger germination. If you have an irrigation system, this is easy to do. Otherwise, you’ll need to set out a sprinkler or water smaller areas by hand.
What causes grass to shred in summer?
Summer can take a lot out of your lawn. Hot, dry conditions and heavy shade cause the most grass damage. Outbreaks of disease and insect activity can make matters worse. And if you have kids or pets, your lawn may be worn to shreds, exposing the soil beneath. Not good!
Can you apply starter fertilizer to overseeding?
Without a mature root system they can dry out quickly and die. Applying a starter fertilizer at the time of overseeding is not necessary. If you normally fertilizer your lawn, there are enough nutrients in the soil to get the new seed growing.
Can you spray weeds before or after seeding?
New grass seedlings can be damaged by herbicides if you spray weeds immediately before or after seeding. Always read and follow the herbicide label. 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.
When Should I Overseed My Lawn?
The right time to overseed a lawn depends on the type of grass seed you have. For cool-season grass, aim to overseed in the fall, preferably in early September. A beneficial combination of cool air and warm soil temperatures during this time create the ideal conditions for new seedlings to successfully germinate.
What is Overseeding?
Overseeding a lawn is the process of spreading new grass seed over an existing lawn. The term commonly gets confused with another lawn care process called reseeding, which involves killing the existing grass and weeds, then starting fresh by planting new grass seed. Many homeowners decide to reseed their lawn when there is extensive damage, the lawn is overgrown with weeds, or simply just wanting a fresh start with a different type of grass seed.
Why is it important to oversee a lawn?
While fertilizing your lawn is important, grass plants slow down their rates of reproduction after a few years. Over time, lawns that have not been overseeded will grow thin and unhealthy, making it much easier for weeds to overtake the lawn. Overseeding can be time-consuming if you have a large lawn, but it is not difficult, and the results are well worth it the effort.
What is topdressing in lawns?
Topdressing is the process of adding a thin layer of compostable material to the top of the lawn. The compost will help the seeds germinate and give the seedlings added nutrients to help them thrive. Look for enriched soil, which contains compost and other necessary nutrients, at a local home improvement store.
How to remove thatch from soil?
Go over the top of your soil lightly with a thatch rake. This process is called "dethatching." If you can't find a thatch rake, you can use a leaf rake, although you may have to rake a little harder in order to remove the thatch.
How to balance pH in lawn?
Apply lime to your lawn if necessary. Lime will help balance out the pH, if necessary. Carefully follow the instructions on the packaging to determine the amount of lime needed based on the pH and the size of your lawn. Top-dress the soil with additional compost.
What is thatch in lawn?
Thatch is a layer of mostly dead organic matter on the top of the soil. You should also remove all grass clippings after mowing your lawn. A heavy layer of thatch or cut grass will keep seeds from germinating, as seeds need to be in direct contact with the soil in order to germinate.
Why do seeds need to be aerated?
Core aeration opens up the compacted soil to allow oxygen, water, fertilizer and minerals into soil the base. However, seeds that fall into aeration holes will not germinate well, if at all.
What temperature does grass seed grow?
Grass seed grows and germinates best when daytime temperatures are around 50°F (10°C). Germination will not take place if overnight temperatures create heavy frost.
What is overseeding in lawn?
In the simplest terms, overseeding is adding grass seed to your existing lawn without turning the soil. This adds more color to your lawn, helps create thicker grass, and introduces enhanced varieties of grass to your lawn.
When is the best time to oversee a lawn?
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 aren’t too extreme for the tender new grass to develop before winter sets in.
Why hire a professional lawn service?
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.
How long does it take for a lawn to germinate?
You need to water the seeds into your lawn immediately after spreading, and continue to water daily until the seeds germinate, which can take up to two weeks. The first watering should be a heavy watering (about an inch of water). After that, your watering can be lighter.
Why do you remove clippings from grass?
While you might normally leave them to help feed the lawn, you want to remove the clippings so that the grass seed can make good seed:soil contact for faster germination. After mowing, rake your lawn to remove any remaining debris and thatch, and to loosen the top layer of soil.
Can a lawn care company oversee my lawn?
Your lawn care company know the best grass varieties for your region of the country and your specific lawn needs. If your lawn care company isn’t able to overseed, you can do it yourself. Overseeding your lawn isn’t a difficult process, ...
Do you need to aerate before overseeding?
Keep in mind, though, that if you aerate before overseeding, you need to choose a type of grass seed that spreads easily, such as bluegrass. Otherwise, the seed is likely to get caught in the aeration holes, creating a patchy or clumpy lawn.
Can I Just Throw Grass Seed on my Lawn?
Whether you have some noticeable bare spots or you just want to thicken up your lawn as a whole, you might be thinking about sprinkling some grass seed around.
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 you’re expecting great results. We find that most homeowners aren’t aware how dramatically grass seed can differ.
Choosing a Professional Lawn Aeration and Overseeding Service
Now that you have an idea how to get better results when overseeding a lawn, you might be looking for a professional lawn aeration service. We’ve written a blog article on DIY aeration and why it’s not the best idea. Most homeowners are disappointed with the subpar results they receive when attempting to aerate on their own.
What is overseeding?
Overseeding is simply the process of seeding over your existing lawn .
What happens to overseeding after aeration?
The best part about overseeding after you have aerated is that the seeds will fall into the new aeration holes. This will provide the perfect place for them to germinate and grow deep roots as the holes fill back in.
What does it mean when your lawn is thicker?
A thicker lawn that is both greener and healthier. With a healthier root system, you will see more vigorous growth and your lawn will be more resilient to issues such as drought.
When is the best time to aerate and oversee?
In my experience, the best time to aerate and overseed is right after the last cutting of the lawn for the season. But if you miss the fall, early spring is good too.
What happens if grass seed is not in contact with soil?
If your grass seed is not in contact with the soil, it will not grow.
Can you aerate a lawn?
Here’s the deal, by aerating properly you can; loosen compacted soil, and allow nutrients to penetrate deeper into the roots of your lawn.
Is aeration and overseeding an easy process?
Look, not only is aeration and overseeding an easy process, it can be fun too.
Why Overseed?
Overseeding is a fast, inexpensive way to help bring your lawn back to its lush, green self without tearing everything out and starting over.
When is the best time to oversee a lawn?
In the North, the best time to overseed your lawn is in the fall, when the soil is still warm but the air is cooler, and there are fewer weeds for new grass to compete against. Since your trees are starting to shed their leaves, there's plenty of sunlight.
How to get grass seed to root?
Before overseeding your thin lawn, cut your grass shorter than normal and bag the clippings. After mowing, rake the lawn to help loosen the top layer of soil and remove any dead grass and debris. This will give the grass seed easy access to the soil so it can root more easily after germinating. 2.
How to give new grass seedlings nutrients?
To give your new grass seedlings the essential nutrients they need for fast growth, apply Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food for New Grass after you've spread the grass seed. (No need to do this with Scotts® Turf Builder® Thick’R Lawn™ since it already contains a fertilizer.) Afterward, no matter which product you used to overseed, be sure to keep the soil consistently moist by lightly watering once or twice a day until the seedlings have reached the height of the rest of your lawn. For more information, check out our in-depth watering article.
What to do if your lawn is thin?
If your lawn is looking thin and worn, overseeding can help you get back to the thick, lush , green lawn you've always wanted.
Can you spread grass seed over existing lawn?
By spreading grass seed over your existing lawn, you can thicken up the thin areas, and your lawn will start to look terrific again. (This is different from reseeding, which is when you start over and plant a completely new lawn.) Skip down to how to overseed.
