Overseeding your Lawn ? What it Does and Why it Matters

September 15, 2009

Gardening
Does your lawn tend to look thin in spots? Would you like it to be a lush green all year long? Then you should consider the practice of lawn improvement called overseeding.

Overseeding means that you plant more seeds than necessary to improve the density of your lawn. By planting more seed than is needed, more seeds will germinate than would otherwise have done and your turf can become much thicker. However, simply throwing some seed on top of your existing grass won?t do the trick. Do really make overseeding work, follow this advice:

Overseed at the right time

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Garden Tip...

There are many different species and varieties of Lilies, but none approach those known as Japan Lilies in the beauty and variety of their flowers, and their exquisite fragrance. They are perfectly hardy, and the fall is the proper time to plant them. If good strong bulbs are set out in the ground in October or November, planted about eight inches deep, they will throw up strong shoots the following summer, and bloom freely. The flowers increase in size and beauty with the age of the bulb, and this should be left to grow undisturbed in the same spot for five or six years; afterwards, if desired, the bulbs can be dug up, the offshoots removed, and the old bulbs reset, and they will do better than ever. Any of the young bulbs that have been removed can be planted out in the ground, and in a few years will form good blooming bulbs. The time to perform this work is in the fall.
~ James Sheehan
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Choosing the right time means knowing when the type of grass you are seeding for will germinate best. If you’re overseeding using a cool season grass, do it in the autumn, which is the best growing time for cool season grasses. If you?re using grasses that flourish best in warm weather, overseed in the spring.

Prepare the soil correctly

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Garden Tip...

The proper time for trimming hedges of all kinds is in mid-summer, after the shrubs have made a thrifty growth; we would advise an annual pruning in order to have the hedge looking finely.

It is a bad plan to allow a hedge of any kind, especially an evergreen one, to run a number of years without trimming. If a hedge is neglected so long, and then severely pruned, it will look stubby and shabby for a year or two after. With a pair of sharp hedge-shears, a person having a straight eye will make a good job of the trimming every time.
~ James Sheehan
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Rake away all dead, thatched grass and aerate the existing turf if your soil is clay. Testing your soil at this point is a great idea because then you will know exactly what amendments to make to improve soil nutrients and balance pH correctly. Add organic compost or fertilizer if necessary.

Cut it short

Most garden experts advise against mowing grass very short as this can allow seeds to gain a foothold. However, when you are overseeding, you?ll need to mow it quite short to make it easier for the added seed to germinate and begin to grow. The idea is to allow the new seeds as much contact with the soil as possible, and mowing the existing lawn very short helps this to happen.

Seed lavishly
Overseeding means exactly that?using a lot more seed than would normally be required. You should at least plant double the amount of seed you would plant if you were planting the seeds on soil unencumbered by existing turf.

Pamper your new grass
Don?t be deceived by the presence of existing turf grasses. Your new little grass sprouts need tender loving care to ensure they thrive and grow. They are every bit as delicate as a brand new lawn. Use protective mulch; apply good organic compost or fertilizer to enrich soil and support growth and water consistently and sufficiently.

Finally, until your overseeded lawn has reached the point in its growth at which it can stand up to human feet and animal paws, keep off the grass!