If you think you can get a lush green garden overnight, wake up!! A garden takes a lot of time and effort to grow into an ideal one. One of the most common techniques to it is overseeding.
An overseeding lawn is scattering grass seeds over an already grown garden without turning it over. It means you do not have to punch holes in the soil or redo it from scratch. The two important questions here are when and why to overseed.
Why Overseed a Lawn?
Overseeding gives your lawn a uniform, complete, and lush look. Several reasons that require you to overseed your lawn include your grass’s age, frequent use, your excited pets unexplainable activities, weather factors like low temperatures and ice sheets, etc. These factors may leave a large empty spot in your lawn or thin out your grass. Therefore, to keep your lawn fresh and young without much effort, you need to overseed it.
How to Overseed a Lawn?
Step 1: Decide the Timing
Find out the best time to overseed lawn based upon the type of your grass. If you have cool-season grass, then early fall would be an ideal time for overseeding. However, for warm-season grass, early winter is the best time. I would not recommend overseeding any type of grass in spring because the hot weather proves a little challenging for the young grasses.
Step 2: Preparation
Preparation increases the chances of better results for almost everyone and everything. So is the case with your lawn. You need to mow and rake it properly before overseeding, ensuring an easy contact of the new seed with the soil. I’d recommend mowing your grass to 2/3 of its length, so you do not have to mow soon after overseeding. After mowing, make sure to rake it properly to clear out any debris from mowing. Raking also loosens the soil, which is necessary for overseeding.
Step 3: Reseeding the Lawn
Now is the time to seed the lawn. You can use a mechanical seeder or a lawn spreader for the purpose. Make sure to choose a calm-wind day to ensure even distribution and reduces the chances of wasting your precious seeds.
Step 4: Fertilizing
Germinate the new seeds by spreading a layer of fertilizer about a half-inch thin over them. It’s better to use an organic fertilizer as it supports the growth of the existing grass as well.
Step 5: Watering and Maintenance
Watering your new seeds need to be scheduled. For the first week, lightly water your lawn twice a day. For the second week, go a little heavier. From the third week, water only when required, that too, in a necessary amount.
After the first three weeks of overseeding, you can start with your normal lawn maintenance because by then, your new seeds must be well-rooted.
Read Also: How To Collect Grass Clippings After Mowing?
Wrap Up
Overseeding is a little tricky, but not if you know the right technique. It deserves all the hard work that it takes as it gives your lawn a lush, dense look in return. But for that, you need to follow every step correctly without missing out on any part. So go ahead and do it right away if the time is right.
