How to Properly Overseed Your Lawn this Fall

Overseeding is an important step in the regular maintenance of your lawn. Though it’s not a new idea, many do not think to overseed each fall to maintain a healthy lawn. But don’t worry; it’s not too late. Now is a great time for the process of overseeding.

Before you start with the overseeding steps below, take a look at your lawn. Do you see weeds, brown spots or areas where the grass is thinning? Overseeding helps to heal all of these symptoms and will send your lawn on its way to a healthier spring and summer.

5 Steps to Overseed:

1. Begin by mowing your lawn. The best height for overseeding is 1 to 1 ½ inches. This helps to ensure seeds will reach the soil immediately without being trapped in tall grass. Don’t forget to remove all clippings after mowing.
2. Next, it’s time to aerate. Aeration is important because germination from overseeding depends on seed to soil contact. Aeration will ensure that water, air and nutrients can penetrate the soil.
3. Select the best grass seed for your lawn. The most important things to think about when choosing the best seed are:
   • shade tolerance
   • wear tolerance
   • drought tolerance
4. Apply seed to your lawn properly. Take inventory of your lawn. Do you plan to overseed only the damaged parts or your entire lawn? No matter your choice, make sure you overseed correctly.
   • Proper amount – no matter the size of your lawn or area you are treating, you should aim for 15-20 seeds per square inch.
   • Proper method – there are several methods including a rotary spreader, a hand spreader, a drop spreader or even just spreading by hand. No matter that method you choose, make sure to spread the seed in 2 directions made at a right angle to each other. For the best coverage, after spreading the seed, be sure to rake lightly your lawn to make sure the seeds have made contact with the soil.
5. Water your lawn immediately.  Watering after overseeding will make sure the seeds take to the soil and are well established.

After overseeding you should see results soon. Several benefits of overseeding will include:

• Damaged areas being filled in, making your lawn achieve a thicker appearance
• Appearance of your lawn drastically improving
• Your lawn’s ability to fight diseases throughout the fall and winter will be enhanced tremendously

Remember, Pure Green is here to help. If you run into problems, have questions or just want someone to take care of it, contact us, and one of our technicians will assist you.