Overseeding is the process of sowing grass seed into current grass, allowing a worn-out lawn to become thicker and livelier. Additionally, it helps fill in bare spots, increases lawn density, and improves the variety of grass in your lawn, which contributes to its overall health. The end result is a lush and healthy lawn that looks great all year round. But why is having a vibrant and healthy lawn so important?
Healthy lawns keep homes and yards cooler during warmer months, promote health and wellness by eliminating pollen-producing weeds and absorbing toxic substances, and help the environment by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide while providing oxygen in return. Plus, healthy lawns can improve a home’s property value and reduce noise pollution.
It’s difficult to maintain the perfect lawn — but overseeding your lawn can help.
Understanding Lawn Overseeding
Perhaps you’ve noticed your lawn starting to dull. Maybe there are bare spots or areas where the grass looks wilted. There are many reasons why your lawn may be suffering, including diseases, insect damage, and drought. Or maybe it has to do with the type of grass. There are over 11,000 grass species, with around a dozen lawn varieties, each with its own maintenance practices.
There is a common solution that can restore your lawn to its lush and vibrant characteristics — overseeding. This infuses a thin and bare lawn with thick and diverse grass just by sowing grass seed into existing turf. Through overseeding, you can provide your home with visual interest and provide health benefits.
Lawn overseeding allows you to spread different grass types, which helps protect against insects, weeds, and diseases. Some grasses also fare better in sunnier weather, while others prefer cool and shaded spots. Having such diversity can help you maintain a lavish yard all year round.
The Best Times to Overseed Your Lawn
Fall is the best time to overseed your lawn due to the warm soil left over from summer, resulting in quicker germination. Plus, as summer comes to a close, weed growth slows down, giving your grass seed access to ample sunlight, water, and nutrients needed to flourish.
The second best option is spring. As temperatures begin to increase, the soil will start to warm, allowing your seeds to germinate. If you choose to overseed in spring, make sure to do so well before the hotter summer months where there’s potential for drought.
Factors to consider when determining the ideal time for overseeding
Before you decide when to overseed, consider the following factors:
- Climate and weather conditions: The best conditions include moderate temperatures and enough moisture for germination and growth.
- Grass type and growth patterns: Use warm-seeded grasses in late summer or early fall and cool-season grasses in early fall or early spring.
- Soil preparation and lawn maintenance requirements: Consider factors such as pH, compaction, and nutrient levels. Depending on the season, decide what maintenance requirements to do, such as weed control and irrigation.
How to Overseed Your Lawn
While overseeding your lawn doesn’t require you to till up the soil, it does call for some effort.
Step 1: Choose the best grass seed
Consider where you live and the climate and weather conditions. Read up on the different types of grass and their sustainability for your location. Consider things such as sun exposure, foot traffic, and whether you want warm-season grasses or cool-season grasses.
Step 2: Mowing and dethatching
Once you’ve selected the seed variety, it’s time to get to preparing your lawn. Mow your lawn, cutting your grass down to 1 ½ to 2 inches. Next, use a rake to remove any thick thatches, or mat-like layers of dead grass, mulched leaves, and other debris.
Step 3: Soil testing and amendments
All soil is different, and amendments will provide specific nutrients and chemical compositions for the type of soil you have and the type of grass you plan on planting. Different types of amendments include wood ash, sulfur, poultry manure, peat moss, and compost.
Step 4: Addressing bare spots and damaged areas
Bare spots and damaged areas may be more difficult to overseed than those with plenty of grass. You’ll need to rake the area clean of debris, loosen and amend the soil, and then spread, rake, and water the seeds. Bare spots and damaged areas may be the result of insect infestation, diseases, or drought, so it’s also important to address these issues to prevent further damage.
Techniques for properly seeding and distributing grass seed
Properly spreading and distributing your seeds is important to ensure that your entire lawn receives overseeding treatment. There are two primary methods for seed distribution: broadcast and drop spreaders.
Broadcast seeding is better done in the fall months and is the process of spreading, or broadcasting, seeds over the soil. It fosters seed-to-soil contact. Broadcast seeding requires mowing, dethatching, amending, and even rolling or tracking before seed distribution. While you can seed small areas by hand, it’s recommended to use a broadcast seeder or cyclone spreader for larger areas.
Drop spreaders are another method used to distribute grass seeds. While they aren’t the best at distributing seed across large areas, they can be great assets when used around flower gardens, trees, fenced areas, and ponds.
Besides your tool of choice, also consider recommended seeding rates, which can vary between location, soil type, and grass variety. Increase your seeding rate by 50% to make up for poor conditions such as poor soil, improper seedbed, inadequate seeding time, and improper post-planting care.
Post-overseeding care and maintenance tips
Overseeding isn’t complete once you’ve laid down the seeds. You’ll need to adjust your maintenance to accommodate your new grass seed. Some factors to consider include:
- Watering instructions: To promote growth, soil and seeds should be kept moist, so it’s recommended to water newly seeded areas two times a day. Avoid overwatering as standing water can kill the seeds.
- Mowing and fertilization practices: Your grass should be kept cut around 1 ½ to 2 inches tall throughout the season. Fertilize your yawn around the six-week mark.
- Managing weed growth: It’s common for weeds to grow in any yard. If there are only a few, you can remove them by hand. However, for larger quantities, you can apply a weed killer 28 days after germination.
Let Grizzly Bear Lawn Care Overseed Your Lawn
Overseeding your lawn helps restore a lavish scenery, which promotes health and well-being and increases property values. However, overseeding and maintaining your lawn can be a time-consuming process. Grizzly Bear Lawn Care can help.
With Grizzly Bear at your side, you’ll have knowledgeable experts helping you overseed and care for your lawn. Our full-service lawn care company knows what it takes to get a flourishing landscape. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you with your lawn needs.