Maintaining a healthy lawn doesn't always come easily, especially if your grass has bare patches or looks thin. Overseeding is a popular method that helps to rejuvenate your lawn, making the grass grow thicker and healthier to suppress weed seeds.
Why is Overseeding Important in the Summer?
Summer can be tough on lawns. The perfect combination of heat, drought, and heavy foot traffic during outside play can lead to damage, patches of dead grass, bare spots, and avoidable stress on the grasses that had thrived so nicely in the springtime. Overseeding during this time helps and makes it possible to repair damage, fill in bare spots, prioritize weed control, and keep your entire lawn looking dense and vibrant. Plus, you can use it as a time to introduce new, resilient grass varieties and improve its overall health year-round.
Overseeding isn't a complicated process, but it does take patience and planning to be most effective:
Step 1. Choose the Right Time
Early fall and late spring are ideal for your overseeding effort, but you can do it in the summer, too. Look for a streak of rainy, cooler days... even in the late summer, you can often find a window that's perfect for seed germination.
Step 2. Select the Right Type of Grass Seed Mix
Not all grass is going to be a good fit for your area. Choose a grass seed that is well-suited to your region's climate and your lawn’s existing grass type. Additionally, consider whether you should be using warm-season grasses or cool-season grasses based on your climate. And, if your lawn gets heavy foot traffic, select a durable grass variety that claims excellent traffic tolerance.
Step 3. Prepare Your Lawn
Cut your existing grass shorter than usual to help the new type of seed reach the soil. Use a leaf rake or dethatcher in weakened areas of your healthy lawn to create a clean surface. Using a core aerator that creates small holes in the soil can improve seed-to-soil contact and promote better grass root growth.
Step 4. Spread the Grass Seed
Use a broadcast seed spreader to evenly distribute the grass seed across your lawn. Handheld spreaders are useful for small areas, but a broadcast spreader on wheels can make the chore easier for larger lawn maintenance. Apply additional seed to areas that are particularly thin or bare.
Step 5. Fertilize
Apply a lawn starter fertilizer to get your soil ready. A fertilizer will provide essential nutrients that will help the new grass seedlings establish quickly. This is especially important in shaded and low-fertility conditions, or areas with poor soil conditions.
Step 6. Water Properly
Seedling emergence starts with proper watering. Be prepared for light, frequent watering to keep the soil moist. Avoid overwatering and oversaturatating, because it can wash away the seeds. The placement of the seeds is important for the first week, or until you witness some seedling emergence. Once the grass seedlings begin to sprout, you can reduce the frequency of surface watering, instead focusing on deeper soaking to encourage healthy root growth.
Step 7. Wait to Use the Lawn Mower
Wait until the new green lawn reaches about 3-4 inches tall before mowing, and even then, set your mower high to avoid stressing the young grass. Keep the lawn free of debris and ensure it receives adequate water and nutrients as it establishes.
FAQs
How often should I overseed my lawn?
Plan to overseeding once a year — you won't likely need to do more than that if you already have a somewhat lush lawn. For lawns in particularly poor condition, overseeding twice a year can help you maintain a thicker lawn. Plan to do it in both spring and fall.
Can I overseed my lawn without aerating?
While core aeration helps improve flow of water and oxygen to the grass roots, you can still successfully overseed without the extra step. It often depends on the type of soil you have, whether it's compact and full of nutrients, and the amount of sunlight the new grass seeds will get as they develop strong roots.
