The answer to “what is overseeding a lawn” might feel counterproductive, based on the word “overseeding” alone. The idea of overdoing anything might not seem productive or wise, but when it comes to the health and appearance of your lawn, it’s absolutely a great idea.
If you’re struggling with a thin and patchy lawn, overseeding could be the answer – and here at Earth Development, we have the lawn care and maintenance experts you need to do it properly. Our summer mowing and maintenance services help you maintain your outdoor garden space, from regular mowing and treatments, to expertly applying fertilizer and using overseeding to create a lush, green lawn that springs into life.
Not only do we provide excellent commercial lawn maintenance in the spring and summer months, but we also provide you with important information to help you maintain good lawn health. In this piece, we’ll take a look at the steps for overseeding a lawn, what it means, and how it can benefit you.
What Is Overseeding A Lawn?
Overseeding a lawn is simply the process of spreading seed on existing turf. It is not the process of growing new turf entirely but provided additional seed to an established turf to remove patches. For a long time, overseeding was only considered necessary if a turf was damaged or not growing particularly well.
Lawn care experts, however, recommend overseeding lawns every year. At Earth Development, our teams of local contractors offer overseeding as a regular, annual service to keep lawns looking healthy. By laying fresh seeds, we ensure that new grass plants replace old ones, fill in thin spots, and even help reduce the growth of weeds.
Ensuring that new grass plants grow every year maintains a healthy and consistent appearance.
The Best Time to Overseed Your Lawn?
There are two ideal times to overseed your lawn. The first is at the beginning of spring, just as the grass is preparing to start growing in the warmer months. Remember that germination typically takes between one and three weeks in the right conditions, so if you get the seeds down in early spring (but not during the frost), you should see growth in the summer months.
It is also recommended that you overseed lawns in the autumn, roughly six weeks before the first frost. You should ensure that daily temperatures are above 55ºF so that the seeds can germinate.
Seeding at both these times of year ensures the grass plants have ample time to grow. The autumn overseeding prepares the lawn for the year ahead.
How To Overseed Your Lawn
If you’re planning on maintaining your lawn yourself, be sure to follow these steps for overseeding a lawn.
- Choose the right lawn seed to ensure consistency.
- Mow your lawn to roughly 25mm.
- Use a rake to break up dead and matted grass.
- Spike the ground using a garden fork at 300mm intervals.
- Feed your lawn if it has not been fed recently.
- Evenly spread the seed across your lawn.
- Water the lawn every two days if there is no rain.
- Follow these instructions for specific patches if necessary.
- Do not walk on the lawn for one to three weeks.
- Use netting where possible to stop birds from eating seeds.
Once the grass starts growing, remember to raise the mowing height to 50mm for the first few cuts to avoid damaging the new grass plants.
Why You Should Do It
There are so many benefits of overseeding your lawn, and here are a few of them:
- Overseeding makes thin lawns fuller, making for a more durable turf.
- Healthy lawns can better fend off pests, fungus and disease.
- Overseeing means your lawn requires less chemical fertilizer or pesticides.
- Overseeded lawns look greener and healthier!
Overseeding your lawn in the spring and autumn prepares the lawn for the months ahead and ensures consistency in health and thickness of grass blades. It’s an important step for anyone who wants to maintain an attractive outdoor space – something particularly important for businesses!
Don’t Fret About Your Business Property’s Lawn – Leave it to the Professionals!
Let Earth Development take lawn maintenance off your hands. With our expert local contractors, we’ll handle everything from overseeding to mowing. Our lawn care specialists provide spring and fall clean-up services, landscaping, lawn care, and so much more.
Catering for businesses of all sizes, we’ll ensure your outdoor space looks inviting, professional, and lush – and our maintenance ensures the winter months don’t cause too much damage!
For more information about our overseeding and lawn maintenance services, don’t hesitate to give us a call today. We offer free quotes and consultations, and we’re always pleased to show you how we can help!