You want to have a great lawn, and you also want to use it. After all, isn’t that half of the reason to have a great lawn – to have your kids and pets play on it? To host backyard barbecues and cookouts? However, using your lawn could mean that you may need to have your lawn overseeded. There are times you may need to overseed or reseed your lawn. Let’s take a look at overseeding and when it may be right for you
What is lawn overseeding?
Lawn overseeding is not as drastic a measure as a complete lawn renovation, but it can help your lawn look more lush and green. Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is that if more than 40% of a lawn needs to be replaced or fixed, lawn renovation is the way to go, while under 40% can handle lawn overseeding without doing a full renovation.
Why might you need lawn overseeding?
Here are some reasons to consider lawn overseeding:
- Lawn is looking thin in certain areas
- Lawn has bare patches
- Lawn is looking brown
- There is damage in some areas of the lawn due to overuse
- Weeds have damaged lawn or started to overrun areas
- Insects have affected lawn
- Animals like moles or voles have damaged lawn
- To mix in a hardier seed with the current lawn to make lawn look more lush
- Soil is not very conducive to easily growing lawn
- There is excessive thatch on the lawn
When is the best time to overseed your lawn?
In most areas of the United States, the best time reseed your lawn is in August or September, in the late summer and early fall.
What are the steps involved with lawn overseeding:
- Diagnose lawn issues: For example, if your lawn is not growing well in certain areas of your yard due to a drainage issues, or lack of sunlight, or a disease or pest infestation, you will need to treat those problems before overseeding. Otherwise, you can just be adding to your problems.
- Picking out the seed: If you are adding an additional type of grass to what you currently have, you should find out the best type of seed to use.
- Clear the lawn: Remove any debris on the lawn, including leaves and branches.
- Get rid of weeds: Make sure to treat any weeds in the lawn and get rid of them before putting in new seeds. Otherwise, the weeds could continue to grow and take over.
- Test the soil: Test the lawn’s pH balance to make sure that there are no underlying problems in the soil.
- Treat your yard with fertilizer: Fertilization will help ensure that when the seeds are planted, they are more likely to grow and thrive.
- Mow the lawn: Make sure to check the proper mowing restrictions for your area before you cut your grass prior to overseeding treatments.
- Rake and aerate: Removing soil compaction can help make the lawn more amenable to new seeds.
- Plant the seeds: Once you know what seeds to plant and your soil is ready, try to spread the seeds evenly across the soil. Companies like Lawn Doctor off power seeding treatments that will make sure seeds are spread evenly across your lawn.
- Water the lawn: Regular watering – but not too much – will help it to grow.
- Treat the lawn carefully: Be careful with your new grass, the way you would be careful with any new plants or growth. Until the full lawn is two to three inches in height, do not mow it or walk on it
- Get your lawn mower blades sharpened: It’s important to have sharp blades with your lawn, especially when using the mower on new grass. Dull blades will not only do a lousy job cutting your lawn, but it can also make it more susceptible to lawn diseases.
Filling out your lawn and making sure it has all the nutrients it needs to continue to grow and be strong enough to protect itself is an essential part of proper lawn maintenance. If your lawn looks like it needs to be overseeded don’t put it off. The sooner you take care of it the sooner you will have a picture perfect yard you and your family can enjoy!
