What is Overseeding? How & When to Overseed Your Lawn | TruGreen (2024)

FAQs

What is Overseeding? How & When to Overseed Your Lawn | TruGreen? ›

Overseeding is the process of planting grass seed on an existing lawn. In New Jersey, the perfect time to overseed is spring or fall, because you have cool-season grass. Some experts suggest waiting until fall to overseed because the temperatures are more optimal for grass growth.

For warm-season grasses, late spring, specifically around May, is ideal. On the other hand, the preferable seeding window for cool-season grasses is in the fall, from late August to early September, and alternatively in early spring, around March.

Overseeding is spreading grass seed over an existing lawn. Done right, it's a straightforward process that gets results. As grasses mature, thinning is normal—especially if you enjoy your lawn and use it often. Overseeding keeps your lawn competitive and steeped in youth and vigor, without starting over from scratch.

Water the lawn to moisten the soil, but make sure it's not soaking wet. A good rule of thumb is to water the day before you plan to overseed so the soil has a little time to dry.

When you just sprinkle grass seed on an existing lawn, it ends up just sitting atop of the soil and a lot of it may never germinate. Then homeowners end up asking the question, why can't I get my grass to grow? In reality, the best practice is to have lawn aeration performed followed by overseeding the lawn.

Core aeration should always be performed before overseeding.

After core aeration, there will be many, small holes throughout your lawn. These conditions are perfect for overseeding. Overseeding directly after your lawn has been aerated allows the new seeds to fall and settle into the holes in your soil.

Can I Just Throw Grass Seed on Bare Spots? Throwing grass seed onto bare spots will result in little-to-no germination and will not help to repair lawn spots. If you want to fix patches on grass, you need to properly prepare the bare spots before laying down the seed.

Very little soil is actually needed to cover the seeds, typically about ¼- inch, so simple raking will do the trick. If the seeds are not properly protected by existing grass or a thin layer of topsoil, they may dry before germination or be washed away by rain.

Overseeding itself will not kill existing weeds. Existing weeds will have to be removed through the use of an herbicide or by hand pulling. The point of overseeding is to produce a more dense lawn, which will prevent new weeds from sprouting.

Can I reseed over dead grass? ›

Seeding a dead lawn is effective but is also the slowest option. You will need to prepare the soil by removing the dead grass and then enriching the soil ahead of laying down new seeds. After the seeds are planted, you will need to fertilize and nurture your grass until it reaches maturity.

Overseeding newer turfgrass varieties into an older lawn can help it better withstand insects, disease, drought, shady conditions and heavy traffic. The investment in overseeding pays off by reducing the amount of fertilizer, water and pesticides required.

A healthy lawn starts with ensure the seed is securely in the soil. Use the back of a plastic rake or a hoe to gently work the seeds into the soil. “You're not pushing the seeds in,” Angelov explains.

For best results, water all newly-seeded areas twice daily, beginning the day of seeding. The goal is to keep the seed moist, but to avoid standing water. Too much water will kill the seed. If you are not able to water twice a day, thoroughly water once daily for a longer duration.

Follow These 7 Steps When Overseeding a Thin Lawn:

Mow the grass lower than usual, but DO NOT SCALP IT. You are only trying to open up the turf canopy. 3. Remove clippings to help the seed reach the soil.

The best month to put grass seed down depends on the type of grass you have and where you live. The best time to plant grass seed for cool-season grasses is in early fall or around September. For warm-season grasses, late spring or early summer (May to June) is the optimal time.

At Grass Master, we recommend aerating and overseeding in the fall, because it's better for the lawn. Fall aeration takes into account your grass's natural root expansion, and helps it pre-pare for the winter by giving it room to spread and strengthen its root system.

You want to aerate the lawn when your grass is in its peak growing period so it can recover quickly—think early spring or fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer for warm-season grasses. If you have high-traffic areas or heavy clay soil, you will want to aerate every year.

Look out for an unusual cold snap, heat wave, or significant wind and rain events. While a good soaking can help seeds germinate, a downpour can cause seeds to erode or migrate. It is best to plant grass seed before a steady rain, not right before or after a heavy one.