3 Steps to Prepare Your Lawn for Fall Aeration and Overseeding
- Step 1: Mow Your Lawn Shorter than Usual You should start mowing your grass a little shorter a few weeks before aeration and planting. ...
- Step 2: Turn off the Water to the Irrigation System Watering your grass is a delicate job that is hard to master, especially when the weather changes often. ...
- Step 3: Flag Sprinkler Heads and any Obstacles
How to overseed a lawn?
How to Overseed a Lawn 1 Mow Low. Before overseeding your thin lawn, cut your grass shorter than normal and bag the clippings. ... 2 Choose a Grass Seed. Which type of grass seed you choose depends on your existing grass type. ... 3 Improve the Soil. ... 4 Spread the Seed. ... 5 Feed and Water. ...
How do you Seed and fertilize a lawn in the fall?
You can even go over the lawn with the back of a rake to usher more seeds into the holes. Follow the seeding with an application of your favorite fall fertilizer, applying it the same day as the seed, then water the lawn.
How do you plant grass seed in the fall in Texas?
You can even go over the lawn with the back of a rake to usher more seeds into the holes. Follow the seeding with an application of your favorite fall fertilizer, applying it the same day as the seed, then water the lawn. Water once or twice every day until the new grass has begun to grow.
Can I spread grass seed over my 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.)
How do I prepare my lawn for fall overseeding?
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.
What is the best way to overseed an existing lawn?
STEP 1: Mow and rake the lawn. The goal of overseeding a lawn is to get the grass seed in contact with the soil. ... STEP 2: Amend the soil. ... STEP 3: Spread the grass seed. ... STEP 4: Add grass seed fertilizer. ... STEP 5: Water the seeded lawn.
When should I start overseeding my lawn in the fall?
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.
Can I just throw grass seed down on existing lawn?
Can you just sprinkle grass seed on top of your existing lawn? While it's possible to simply sow the new grass seed over your existing lawn, taking the time to prepare your lawn beforehand will increase the likelihood of seed germination and improve your end result.
Do I need topsoil when overseeding?
Topsoil doesn't bring as many benefits for overseeding. When choosing between the two, use compost as your top dressing. When overseeding, use compost, not topsoil. Compost provides more nutrients and moisture than topsoil.
Do I need to aerate before overseeding?
Aeration will help ensure your soil is ready to absorb all of the nutrients and seeds that come its way with topdressing and overseeding. That's why you should aerate before overseeding.
Is it too late to overseed in October?
When it's October, people often wonder if it is too late to plant new seed. The good news is if you hurry, seed can still be planted in October with the hope that it will survive the upcoming winter. Although September is the best time, often we can still plant grass seed up to October 15 with good results.
Is it too late to overseed in November?
While November is not too late to plant grass seed, it is not without risks. Those risks can pay off with an easy planting season in the spring or it could mean the loss of your seeds if the weather warms up. We recommend following the planting guidelines on your grass seed for the best results.
Should I fertilize after overseeding in the fall?
If you've recently overseeded your lawn, there's no reason to wait to apply fertilizer. The sooner you spread a lawn starter fertilizer on your yard, the sooner it will begin to feed your grass seedlings. If you like, you apply fertilizer the minute you're done spreading your grass seed.
What happens if you put too much grass seed down?
Too much grass seed causes undue competition for resources such as light, water and nutrients, and grass seedlings struggle as a result. Too little seed leaves lawns thin or bare.
Can you sprinkle grass seed on top of soil?
A common question that we get asked is “will grass seed germinate on the surface of the soil?” The simple answer to this is yes. In fact, it's important not to bury your seed because the young grass shoots cannot break through if there is too much soil on top of them.
Can you just sprinkle grass seed on dirt?
If you simply toss the grass seed onto the soil, you will end up with poor germination. Thoroughly rake the area to remove any loose debris and to create grooves in the soil. These grooves will help increase the seed-to-soil contact that is imperative for germination.
How do you seed a lawn that already has grass?
Prepare the Soil for Overseeding Seeds have to come in contact with the soil in order to germinate. Clear out dead grass and debris and loosen compacted soil with a rake or garden weasel to about a half-inch deep to encourage maximum contact. This will give the roots the best chance to grow.
Can I put topsoil over grass and reseed?
Adding soil over grass can be another effective form of repairing a lawn. It is possible to dump new soil over top of what you have, and prepare it for sod or seed. This option will save you money on excavation costs of removing the old soil and grass.
Should I fertilize or overseed first?
Most landscaping professionals agree that it is always best to fertilize the soil first if you are seeding a new lawn. It is also recommended to conduct a soil test so that you select the appropriate fertilizer.
What is the best grass seed to overseed with?
Top 8 Best Grass Seed for OverseedingScott's Turf Builder Thick'R Lawn: Best Overall. ... Scott's Turf Builder Fall Mix: Best For Fall Application. ... Pennington Smart Seed Bermuda Grass Mix: Best For Bermuda Lawns. ... Jonathan Green Touch Up Tri Rye: Best For Cool Season.More items...•
How to Prepare Your Yard for Lawn Aeration and Overseeding This Fall
Autumn is synonymous with earthy tones, hoodies, and pumpkin-flavored sweets. It’s also well-known for lawn care and upkeep, particularly among homeowners.
3 Steps to Prepare Your Lawn for Fall Aeration and Overseeding
There are a few things you can do to prepare your lawn for aeration and overseeding in the fall. To begin, mowing your grass at a lower height is strongly recommended.
Step 1: Mow Your Lawn Shorter than Usual
You should start mowing your grass a little shorter a few weeks before aeration and planting. The majority of grasses thrive when they are managed at a height of no less than 3 1/2 inches. However, in the fall, we recommend cutting your grass to a height of 3 inches or less.
Step 2: Turn off the Water to the Irrigation System
Watering your grass is a delicate job that is hard to master, especially when the weather changes often. Watering any cool-season grass over the summer months leading up to fall aeration and planting is critical for its health.
Step 3: Flag Sprinkler Heads and any Obstacles
Because it is the only way to avoid significant damage to your grass and subsurface structures, this is arguably the most critical step in preparing your lawn for autumn aeration and planting.
Learn the best ways to prep your lawn for fall
Most homeowners assume that at the end of the summer, their grass care duties are over. They’re wrong, though. The truth is that fall is the time when your lawn needs you the most. That’s the best time to get it ready for spring.
Water
If it’s been a dry fall, make sure the soil is moist going into winter. It’s very stressful for the root system to go for months in bone-dry soil. Even when it’s cool, the soil is still losing moisture to the atmosphere, just not as quickly as it does when it’s hot.
Rake
Don’t leave dead leaves on your lawn. They’ll only promote mold and smother the grass when it’s trying to get started next spring. Plus, it’s much easier to rake them up in the fall when they’re dry.
Aerate
If you have heavy soil, fall is the time to aerate. Do it when the soil is moist and before you fertilize. Aerating loosens the soil, which allows roots to spread and oxygen to penetrate.
Fertilize
Even though the lawn is beginning to turn brown, the roots are hard at work storing nutrients for the winter and the following growing year. Fall is the single most important time to fertilize. Wondering when to fertilize the lawn in fall? Six to eight weeks before your first frost date.
Winterizing a Sprinkler System
You can pay the irrigation company $125 every year to blow out your sprinkler system, or you can use your air compressor and do it yourself. You just have to be careful not to leave any water in the line or it might freeze over the winter and burst a pipe.
Reseed Late in the Growing Season
Reseed in the late summer/early fall. Whether you’re seeding a small patch or a whole yard, you’re going to be much more successful if you wait for the cooler, damper weather of late summer or early fall and plant fall grass. It’s almost impossible to get seed to survive during the dog days of summer. It’s simply too hot and dry.
Periodically replenish the yard with new grass
Kelly Burke is a professional turf manager for a manicured corporate campus in New England. He is accredited in organic land care and is a licensed pesticide applicator. He formerly managed the turfgrass as a golf course superintendent and has held several senior management positions at private country clubs overseeing high maintenance lawns.
Reasons to Overseed
A lawn that's never overseeded tends to grow old. If it is consistently mowed, it doesn’t even have the opportunity to go to seed to propagate itself. The lawn will have to rely on rhizomes, stolons , and tillering for growth.
Why Overseed in the Fall?
It's fine to overseed in spring, although many people wait too long and end up seeding in the summer when it's much more difficult to get new grass to grow. However, if you're in the habit of applying a crabgrass prevention herbicide, you can forget about spring seeding.
How to Overseed Your Lawn
For cool-season turf, start the overseeding process by thoroughly aerating the lawn. Apply the new seed with a fertilizer spreader, following the product's recommended coverage rate. It's ideal when the seeds fall into the aeration holes because they won't dry out as quickly and will germinate faster.
Correct Type of Seed
Be sure to use the appropriate kind of grass seed for your climate, be it a cool season or warm season. Select the right type of seed for your lawn’s use, whether it’s high-use and intensely maintained or aesthetic and low-maintenance. Drought-resistant grasses are now available in both cool and warm season species .
You can plant grass seed anytime during the growing season, but doing so in fall takes advantage of cooler temperatures and milder sun
You can plant grass seed anytime during the growing season, but doing so in fall takes advantage of cooler temperatures and milder sun.
Should You Plant Grass Seed in Fall or Spring?
Yes to both! Fall is best for starting lawns in the North, while spring is better in the South. However, fall is the time for overseeding Southern lawns with a cool-season grass variety so they stay green in winter. So fall seeding has its place in both regions.
When Is the Best Time To Plant Grass Seed?
That depends on where you live and what kind of grass you’re growing. Cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass) thrive in the cooler temperatures of fall, while warm-season grasses (Bermudagrass, centipede grass, bahiagrass and zoysia grass) peak in late spring and early summer.
Planting Grass Seeds in the Fall
Here’s how to ensure your fall grass seed sprouts easily and effectively.
How to Prep Your Yard this Fall in 3 Easy Steps
As the wise Robert Schuller once said, “Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.” It’s easy to have your eye so fixed on the prize that you forget the less glamorous work that must lead up to that final great success.
Step One: Mow Low
Mowing the lawn lower is something that you ideally start to do several weeks before aeration and seeding. Normally, a turf type tall fescue lawn is at its happiest when it is kept cut at no lower than four inches tall.
Step Two: Flag the Yard
This part of prepping your yard for fall aeration and seeding is arguably the most important step because it is the only way to prevent potentially serious damage to your underground structures.
Step Three: Turn Water Off
Watering your fescue lawn is a delicate balancing act that is near impossible to truly perfect, especially when you factor in weather variables throughout the year. It is vital to the health of any cool season lawn to keep it watered well during the summer, and this includes leading up to aeration and seeding.
Reinvigorate Your Lawn
Is your lawn looking weak and thin? Overseeding can help you get back to the thick, lush, green lawn you've always wanted. By spreading grass seed over your existing lawn, you can thicken up the thin areas, and your lawn will start to look terrific again.
When to Overseed
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.
Why Overseed?
Over time, grass gets old and needs to be replaced. Worn-out lawns invite weeds. Overseeding is a fast, inexpensive way to help bring your lawn back to its lush, green self without tearing everything out and starting over.