Transform a sparse , thin lawn into a deep rug of greensward in just a few weeks .
Stacy Goldberg
A healthy lawn has a brilliant way of making everything around it — from your home to landscape painting beds to a veggie garden — look more inviting . fire up up a fragile , lackluster standstill of sod with overseeding . When done right , overseeding can be a flying , low - toll style to add value to your out-of-door space . For minuscule areas of sward , all you need is a rake and skunk ejaculate . big lawns call for specialized equipment , but the process is the same . Rent the equipment from your local hardware store and accomplish the job in a individual afternoon . oversee your lawn with informality with the aid of these 7 must - know tips .
Credit:Stacy Goldberg
1. Identify the Cause of a Thin Lawn
Before prepping the existing lawn andpurchasing grass come , take time to determine why your current lawn is thin . Overseeding can be a wasteful irregular fix if there is something pregnant cause poor turf increment . Does water stand for long geological period after a rainstorm ? If so , thesoil might be too poorly drainedfor patronise turfgrass ; arain garden in a slow - draining areamight be a better answer . Take a soil test . Is there a pH issue or a nutritious insufficiency ? plow these problems before overseeding .
The most common causes of fragile turf include eminent foot dealings , dense shade , drought and heat stress , andpoor mow practices . Each of these drive of thin sod can be remedied with overseeding keep up by splendid lawn care . Generally , if a lawn is made up of at least 50 % suitable grasses , it can be ameliorate by overseeding .
2. Time It Right
Where you live and the goal of overseeding will determine the best time to scatter seed . superintend nerveless time of year grass , such as Kentucky Bluegrass Country and fine fescue , in tardy summertime or early fall for a profuse , thick lawn the undermentioned year . Grass seed broadly speaking germinates and thrives in moderate twilight temperature and regular rainfall . If you miss the fall seeding window , spring is the next best clip . Overseed around thelast frost date in your area .
make a thickset , more lush , warm season lawn by overseeding in midspring . The best time to overseed is when the base Mary Jane green up and begins actively growing . The exact metre can vary from February to April depending on your location . For a green wintertime carpet in warm regions , dusk is the best metre tooverseed with annual ryegrass . Wait until daytime temperatures are regularly in the 70s and low eighty before overseeding quick season grasses .
3. Reduce Competition
organize to superintend by mowing the existing lawn at a height of 1.5 to 2 inches . This short mowing height is essential for salutary cum - to - soil contact . cup of tea or rake the clippings to further increase the opportunity that the seed will not get caught up on grass blades and will instead connect with the soil .
4. Choose the Right Seed
Some sward species can tolerate a bit of shade , while othersgrow good in full sun . Some specie tolerate lot of foot dealings , while others acquire well in dry conditions . Choose the right type of grass for your overseeding country . smoke seed provider have done the gruelling workplace for you . Find locoweed seed mixescreated specifically for sun , shade , high - dealings areas , or dry lawn at house improvement stores and garden center . Choose a commixture that mirror the growing condition in your landscape painting .
5. Prep the Soil
For a little area , such as a stretch of grass along a walkway or apatch of scruffy turfunder a tree diagram , grab a foliage rake . mildly crease the thin sod , removing rubble at the territory level and roughing up the filth airfoil while not pulling out existing grass plant . Breaking up the soil open pee-pee a more hospitable menage for new seed .
Overseeding an total lawn is made sluttish with the help of a core aerator or vertical mower to facilitate you prep the soil . charter these walk - behind machines from a dwelling improvement center or local ironware store . Use a core aeratorto create a planting layer for the novel seed . A core aerator has vacuous metal tubes that slay plugs of soil as it passes over the greensward . Make three or four passes with the car over your lawn .
A upright mower can be used to get the soil quick for semen . The knife - similar blades of this machine piece through theupper ¼- to ½-inch of land . In the process , the vertical lawn mower brings all in smoke , called Teach , to the aerofoil . Remove the thatchwith a rake .
6. Spread Seed Evenly
For diminished areas , sow the grass seed by deal . break up it over the domain by steadily moving your handwriting back and away and allowing the seed to flow . Scatter the germ in a couple of unlike direction to ensure good reportage . cease by softly rake the surface area to improve ejaculate - to - dirt contact .
For large areas , utilise a drop seeder or spreader to dispense seeds . If you used a core aerator to prep , bust up the soil cores and mix the seeded player into the land by hang back the arena with a piece of chain inter-group communication fence or a drag matting . If you used a vertical mower , forge the seeded player into the grime by go over the area one more clock time with the machine .
7. Give New Grass Some TLC
Keep the seeded region moist withlight , frequent watering . It ’s usually necessary to water at least once a mean solar day unless it rains . Continue mowing ofttimes , maintaining the lawn at 1.5 to 2 inches , to reduce competition from the established pasturage . When seedling get through a height of about 2 inches , increase the mowing height to 3 column inch or so . About 6 weeks after germination , give a turfgrass fertiliser formulate for new lawns .
