Reasons to Overseed Your Lawn
Overseeding Your Lawn
With the fall season on its way, it is essential to begin your fall lawn care plan to ensure your lawn remains strong and healthy throughout the colder months. Seeding your lawn is one of the most crucial parts of your lawn care. South hills homeowners should overseed their lawn in September to help ensure their lawn looks lush and green come springtime.
Since the weather still warm in the South Hills, your grass seeds will have the chance to germinate and will not have to compete with weeds such as crabgrass. As the grass begins to grow, the cooler fall temperatures will help to encourage growth, helping to strengthen and beautify your lawn.
What is Overseeding?
A common misconception about overseeding is that it should only be done when your lawn is damaged or growing poorly. This method involves spreading grass seed on the establish turf of your lawn and should be done every year. As your grass plants age, they tend to lose some of their thickness, which can be solved by overseeding. When you overseed your lawn, you can fill in these thin spots, and you can also help prevent weeding from invading your lawn.
Benefits of Overseeding
In addition to growing a thicker, fuller lawn with overseeding, you will also achieve a lawn that is more resistant to natural weathering, environmental stress, and foot traffic. A thicker lawn also helps to prevent erosion, helping your lawn to retain both soil and water better, providing adequate hydration and nutrients.
A healthy lawn is also more resistant to disease, insects, and other pests. For extra protection, you can seed your lawn with seeds that are pest or disease resistant.
Overseeding: Where to Start
The best time of year to overseed your lawn in the late summer or early fall. The steady, light rain during this time will help to encourage your grass seed to germinate. Before you overseed your lawn, take these steps for best results:
- Mow your lawn. Start by cutting your lawn about two inches high and remove all clippings to allow the seed to reach the soil. This increases the chances of germination.
- Rake it up. Rake up any dead patches on your lawn to expose as much of the ground as possible to give the seed the best chance for germination. Dead patches of lawn tend to a low germination rate. You can also rototiller the areas of dead grass to encourage germination.
- Test your soil. Maintaining your soil at the correct pH allows for a healthier lawn. Fast-acting lime can be used to quickly adjust your soil’s pH while lime pellets can be used if a longer, more significant adjustment is needed.
- Use straw or peat moss. Bare areas of your lawn are challenging to grow on. Use straw or peat moss on these areas. This will help these bare areas retain moisture and retain grass seed to encourage growth.
Serving as your number choice for landscaping in the South Hills, J Bird’s Landscaping provides expert lawn care and overseeding services to help you rejuvenate your lawn and prepare it for the harsh winter conditions that are closer than you think. Contact J Bird’s Landscaping today to schedule your service!
Author: Jay Nagy
Owner & Founded of J Bird's Landscaping. 18+ Years of experience in Pittsburgh lawn cutting, patio installation, trucking/hauling, French drain installation, and other landscape/design services.
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