How do you know when to overseed your lawn? One of the best times to overseed your lawn is in the early spring. Overseeding creates a thick, healthy lawn, which is the best defence against weeds. Keeping your lawn lush and thick provides natural protection from weeds and other annoyances, by allowing very little sunlight to permeate the grass, stopping growth underneath.
There are 6 steps to completing this project:
Before over-seeding your lawn, cut your grass at the lowest mower setting and bag the clippings. After mowing, rake the lawn to help loosen the top layer of soil and remove any dead grass and debris. This will give the grass seed easy access to the soil so the roots can easily take hold after beginning to sprout.
Add a quarter-inch layer of enriched soil over your lawn to protect and help settle the seed. Don't put so much down that you kill your existing grass; less than a quarter of an inch is plenty. Lawn soil improves moisture retention, helping your grass seed grow strong for a thicker, healthier lawn.
Which type of grass seed you choose depends on your needs. Make sure to determine how much sun or shade your lawn gets before selecting your seed. Then just fill up your spreader, adjust the density setting according to the label directions and spread it evenly across your lawn.
In order for your lawn to grow healthy and strong, it needs a good supply of nutrients. To give your new grass seedlings the essential nutrients they need for fast growth, apply a starter fertilizer every eight weeks - in early spring, mid-May, July and September. Only begin to fertilize once grass starts turning green. Corn gluten fertilizers can also be used to help prevent weeds, but do not apply grass seed at the same time or the grass seed will not germinate.
Once you are done seeding and feeding, be sure to keep the soil consistently moist by lightly watering once or twice a day until the seedlings have reached the height of the rest of your lawn.
Lawns require about one inch of water per week to encourage roots to grow. You may not need to water if there has been enough rain.
Once your overseeding takes and you’ve got growth, consider the following to maintain a healthy, lush lawn.
To allow your lawn to develop to its full potential, it needs a healthy supply of nutrients. Only begin to fertilize once grass starts turning green.
No, a corn gluten fertilizer can prevent weeds if used early, but do not apply grass seed at the same time or the grass seed will not germinate.
Fertilize every eight weeks for a thick, green lawn. As a rule of thumb, fertilize in early spring, and over mid-May, July and September.
Lawns require about one inch of water per week to encourage roots to grow. You may not need to water if there has been rain.
Aerating your lawn with a specialty aeration tool helps to allow your soil to break down and breathe. It’s useful if your soil has become compacted from heavy foot traffic.
Aerating your lawn with a specialty aeration tool helps to allow your soil to break down and breathe. It’s useful if your soil has become compacted from heavy foot traffic.
Use products with natural ingredients to quickly kill weeds — these work especially well on hot and sunny days.
Pull weeds out from the roots using a specialized weeding tool and lay a weed block under pathways or patios to prevent weeds from emerging.
To get rid of insects, try spraying insecticidal soap (which is safe on plants) directly onto insect populations. You can also place insect bait and traps around your lawn and garden to keep pests away.
