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How To Reseed Your Lawn

Its Time To Spread The Seed

How to Reseed a Lawn | This Old House

Once you have prepared the area by mowing the grass, raking, and choosing your seed, it is time to spread the seed. Be sure to check the seed label to know the rate of overseeding.

Using a lawn spreader, available at most home improvement and gardening stores, spread the seed around your lawn.

Spreading the seed is a pretty self-explanatory process however, it is important to do it when the air is calm. Do NOT try to spread the seed on a windy day, as you will ultimately miss your lawn and waste your seed. Likewise, working when the air is calm ensures even distribution of the seed.

Overseeding Your Lawn In The Fall

After you know when to reseed lawn in the fall, you may wonder why the fall the best time to reseed your lawn


Overseeding after summers heat subsides and before the first winter freeze allows you to repair seasonal wear and give your turf an eight- to nine-month jump-start on root growth.

The longer and stronger your grasss roots are, the less water your lawn will require in the future. Your lawn will also be more resistant to disease and weeds. All this means your lawn will emerge healthier and greener in the spring. You can read, download and print this handy 2018 Fall Lawn Maintenance and Winterization Report. Weve got it tacked to the wall in our garage next to the yard tools for quick reference.

Lawns in the warm zone require few winterization measures, but for homeowners in the transition and cool zones, fall is the perfect season to aerate, fertilize and reseed any thin or bare patches.

Local Lawn Care Services

While many customers are happy with a subscription box approach or nationally-known brands, others prefer to connect with providers and local branches directly in their area. If you are seeking a local lawn service for landscaping and reseeding, enter your information below to be contacted by a locally based company.

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Return To Regular Maintenance

Keep your newly revived lawn looking its best with a regular, comprehensive maintenance plan that includes diligent watering, best mowing practices and proactive overseeding. A simple weekday lawn maintenance schedule can keep your lawn lush and your weekends free.

For a simple, all-in-one approach to a thicker lawn, you can put your lawn on the fast track with Pennington Lawn Booster. This easy-to-use product simplifies overseeding to give your lawn the boost it needs. In just one application, your lawn will grow quicker, thicker and greener than ordinary grassguaranteed.

Available in formulas for sun & shade or tall fescue lawns, Lawn Booster combines three essentials: seed, fertilizer and soil enhancer. Lime-enhanced, pure-bred Pennington Smart Seed, backed by years of breeding and research, adds beauty and sustainability. Once established, these water-conserving grasses require up to 30 percent less water than ordinary grasses. That’s year after year, for the life of your lawn. Plus, they stay green up to three weeks without watering. That means less work and more leisure time for you.

For the lawn of your dreams, don’t wait to overseed until your lawn looks less than its best. Give your lawn the boost it needs, step-by-step or all-in-one. Pennington’s here with premium grass seed and lawn care products to help you keep your lawn at its peak.

Pennington, One Step Complete, Smart Seed, and Ultragreen are trademarks of Pennington Seed, Inc.


Combat Heat And Summer Drought

reseeding lawn

Inspirations / Evergreen tips

22/09/2020

Estimated reading time 4 minutes

Has summer left its mark on your garden? Is the lawn yellow and unhealthy looking, with weakened, thinned grass and even patches of bare soil? It can happen: for lawns, summer means heat stress and drought, especially in the hottest months of July and August.

Today let’s talk about how to reseed your lawn to repair damage caused by sun and lack of water. By reseeding you can recover and revive a worn-out lawn, without having to remove the existing turf and start over from scratch. Lawn reseeding or overseeding is therefore a time-saving and cost-efficient technique for repairing seasonal wear, as well as damage due to trampling by people and/or animals.


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How To Overseed A Lawn: Common Mistakes To Avoid

Now, at this point you may be thinking, overseeding seems pretty easy, how can anyone mess it up? Here are the most common mistakes to avoid when looking to overseed your lawn:

Overseeding can seem like a daunting process. But, once you know how to do it and the things to avoid, overseeding can really help you create a beautiful, healthy lawn. This will have all your neighbors in envy.

When Is The Best Time For Overseeding Lawns

When to overseed lawn depends on the type of seeds you are planting. In northern climates overseeding should be performed 45 days before the planting zones first frost. This is ideal for strengthening a weak or thinning lawn. Strengthening turf in the spring is best done when the threat of all freezes has passed their region.

Those living in southern climates with warm-season grasses should overseed to obtain winter colour, when temperatures have dropped below 65 degrees at night consistently. Prepare the area properly prior during elevated soil temperatures to promote germination.


How to Overseed a Lawn

You will need:

Step One: Mow and Rake

Begin the overseeding process by mowing your lawn on the lowest setting and bagging the clippings. Next, rake the lawn to remove any loose grass or debris, further exposing the soil to accommodate the new seed.

Step Two: Amend the Soil


Add a thin layer of one-quarter of an inch or less of enriched soil over the existing grass and gently rake it in to provide a healthy environment for the new seeds to settle into.

Step Three: Add the Seeds

Fill the seed spreader and adjust the settings according to the directions on the label, and apply over the entire area, refilling as needed. For smaller areas, you may want to use a hand spreader while a drop or broadcast spreader is more suitable for larger lawns.

Step Four: Feed the Grass

Step Five: Water the Lawn


Categories:

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Before You Pick Your Grass Seedit Is Important To Test Your Soil You Can Pick High Quality Grass Seed But Itwont Do Much Growing If The Soil Ph Isnt Balanced Look For Ph Levels Between6 And 75

Warm Vs. Cool Season Grass Seed: Canadians will want to look for cool season grass seed. This type of seed will ensure your turf will last through winter, and it tends to be more shade-tolerant. Warm season grass seed is for warmer climate countries, like the Caribbean islands and parts of the States .
Foot-traffic: If youre planting seed on high-traffic areas, youll want to avoid fine fescue as it tends to be more brittle. It wont stand up to those pool parties or soccer games.

When To Reseed Your Lawn

How to Reseed a Lawn

The best time of year for reseeding your lawn if you have a cool season type of grass is during the spring and fall months. Reseeding at the end of spring ensures your grass seed has enough time to establish before the cold weather sets in. Reseeding in the fall means the soil will still be warm enough for it to grow, but there is less risk of weeds. Warm-season grass seed can be applied at any time.

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Take Care Of Your New Seed

Fertilizing your new seed is essential for its growth. Fertilizer delivers essential nutrients that help it to germinate and grow into the healthy lawn that you want.

All-natural fertilizer is the best option for fertilizing your new seed, as phosphorous supports rapid root growth however, there are restrictions on certain types of fertilizer, so be sure to check restrictions in your area.

My go-to method is to broadcast a thin layer of compost over my lawn after spreading the new seed.

Not only will this ensure good contact with your new lawn seed, it feeds your established grasses. Its pretty cheap to order a delivery and spread it with a wheelbarrow and shovel.

Fertilize The New Grass

Using the fertilizer spreader once again, spread a lawn starter fertilizer anywhere you just added seed. Starter fertilizers are especially formulated for new grass. They help the seedlings establish strong roots and sprout faster.

When choosing a fertilizer, avoid weed and feed combinations. The herbicides in weed and feed would keep the new grass from growing.

Note: If your seed mixture already contains fertilizer, skip this step.

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Recommended Lawn Care Services

Reseeding your lawn can be time-consuming and expensive. If youd like professional help, consider one of our top-rated companies below to guide you through the reseeding process.

  • TruGreen: TruGreen services every state except for Alaska and Hawaii. TruGreen offers five annual plans with a la carte services, such as pest control. This allows you to customize your lawn care or reseeding with everything from fertilization to aeration. TruGreens plans range from $558$890 per year as a national average.
  • Sunday: Sunday ships do-it-yourself lawn care straight to your door, from fertilizer to root protection for the winter months. The company also offers 5 grass seed blends for lawn reseeding. The companys custom plans cost about $250 per year and ship in regular increments throughout your areas growing season. Their customer service team can also advise you as you get back to a healthy lawn.
  • Lawnbright: Lawnbright is a DIY lawn care product subscription service. It focuses on products free of harsh chemicals and toxins to create a natural lawn. Lawnbright creates a custom plan for your lawn based on a soil test. Once your needs are understood, it sends along with easy-to-use products that attach directly to your hose. Its offerings include materials that help with reseeding. Lawnbrights custom plans cost around $200 a year.

How To Weed And Reseed A Lawn

How do I Reseed a Lawn? (with pictures)

Find out how to remove weeds from your lawn and repair patches in autumn, with the help of this practical guide.

Monday, 23 September, 2019 at 10:00 am

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.

Do not To do in January

F

Do not To do in February

M

Do not To do in March

A

Do not To do in April

M

Do not To do in May

J

Do not To do in June

J

Do not To do in July

A

Do not To do in August

S

Do To do in September

O

Do not To do in October

N

Do not To do in November

D

Autumn is the ideal time to tackle perennial lawn weeds, such as daisies, dandelions and plantain, sowing grass seed in their place. There is still time for the grass seed to germinate before winter.

Ideally, tackle the weeds after a spell of rain, so its easier to push the weeder or trowel down into the soil to dig out any roots. Remove any large clumps of spreading weeds, such as clover and buttercups, using a hand fork.

Heres how to weed and reseed the lawn.

And once your new lawn is established next year, why not invest in some kit to keep it looking in great condition. Our experts have tested the best lawn mowers to buy, as well as the best scarifiers and best aerators.

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Mow For The First Time

Finally, its time to mow your lawn. But, dont be in a hurry to do so. Its important not to mow your lawn too early because cutting the grass places stress on the plants. That reduces their ability grow properly.

Ideally, you want to wait until the grass has gotten to 3 inches high before starting to mow. And, when you mow, make sure not to cut too much off the top.

You want to cut only the top third of the grass. And, always do so with a mower that has sharp blades.

Analyze The Cause Of Barren Spots

Youll want to understand why you have barren spots. If its because of high traffic and pets, its probably pretty self-explanatory, so youll want to consider a turf seed known for handling high-traffic areas that can grow in your climate. However, if youre not sure why you have dead spots, you may need to take a soil sample to find out if there is a fungus, disease, or insect issue.

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Overseeding A Lawn: How And When To Repair Your Lawn

During the warm months, its only natural to spend more time outside. And when you have a garden, what better place to catch some sunshine, play with your dog or make barbecue? But sometimes, after winter or a long and hot summer , you might notice your lawn doesnt look too appealing.

Bald patches taking up more space than the greenery is not only unappealing, but they make room for moss to grow in the lawn, along with different weeds. Without addressing this problem quickly, with time, it gets harder to repair. So consider overseeding your lawn timely and rejuvenate it for good. Heres how.

Reseeding In The South

The Scotts Way: How to Reseed a Lawn

In the South, seeding a new lawn is generally done in spring, but fall is a good time for overseeding an existing lawn. Thats when warm-season grasses are supplanted by cool-season grasses, ensuring winter color when the former go dormant. Wait until mid to late fall, when nighttime temperatures are consistently below 65 degrees F and the warm-season turf begins to lose color.

These are our top five fall lawn seeding products.

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Cost To Reseed A Lawn

Overall, you can expect to pay $90-$180 per 1,000 square feet to hire a professional lawn care company to reseed your lawn. You may also take a DIY approach to reseeding your lawn. However, you should expect to pay $50-$100 for seed, and many home improvement stores like Home Depot or Lowes rent the required lawn seeding equipment for $80-$90 per day.

Time To Overseed Or Reseed Your Lawn

The best time to overseed or reseed your lawn is in the early fall. The soil is still warm from the summer sun, and the days are getting shorter, which means your lawn will have time to establish before winter. However, if you live in a colder climate, you may want to wait until late fall or early winter so that the new seedlings wont suffer from frostbite.

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Professional Lawn Care Help

After you overseed your lawn, your grass will be thicker and healthier. If you want to keep it that way, you have to put in the work to maintain it consistently.

Proper lawn maintenance includes cutting the grass every one or two weeks during its growing season. Mowing the lawn on a regular schedule encourages the grass to grow in a dense mat.

Dont have time for all that mowing? Dont sweat it weekly service from LawnStarters local lawn care pros is only a click away.

Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Give Your New Lawn Continued Tlc

Lawns: How to Reseed

Once your new lawn reaches mowing height, go ahead and cut it at the highest setting ideal for your grass type . Remember, only remove the top 1/3 of the grass blades. After the first mowing, cut back on watering to twice a week, applying about ½ inch of water each time. Six to eight weeks after planting, you can start fertilizing your new grass regularly with Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Food to keep it thick and green.

Now, the next time the lawn guy comes to your neighborhood, you can rest easy knowing your mailbox will be flyer-free. The best part? You did it yourself!

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Why Reseed Your Lawn

Image courtesy of Pixabay

There are a few different reasons for reseeding your lawn, including:

  • Thinning. Grass thins as it matures, and a very mature lawn might look pretty bare. You may also find the grass dies in areas with high foot traffic if an appropriate type of grass seed wasnt used.
  • Weeds. Another reason to reseed your lawn is if it has been completely overtaken with weeds. Reseeding gives you the opportunity to take everything down to dirt level and start fresh. Be careful on your pesticides, and consider alternatives to those with a high toxicity.1
  • Damage. Your lawn may have become damaged due to flooding or having items sitting in one area for too long. This can result in a large patch of dead grass. Removing the dead grass and reseeding the area can help bring a more uniform look to your lawn. Removal of the dead grass may be helped by finding the right sweeper.

Prepare The Area To Overseed Or Reseed Your Lawn

There are a few key things you can do in preparation for overseeding or reseeding your lawn:

  • Remove any debris from the area, including leaves, branches, and stones.
  • Rake the area to loosen the soil and create a smooth surface.
  • Apply a layer of compost or manure to the area and rake it in.
  • If youre overseeding, spread the seed evenly over the area and rake it in. Dig up the entire lawn and remove any old grass or weeds if youre reseeding. Sprinkle the new seed over the place and rake it in well.
  • Water the area well until the soil is moistened completely.
  • Keep the area wet until the new grass has grown in completely usually about two weeks.

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