How to Overseed a Lawn

Like any other garden plant, grass plants succumb to disease, weather and pest-related problems over the years. You can't expect a lawn to remain lush year after year without replacing some of the plants. The best way to do this is to overseed an existing lawn. Read on to learn how to keep your lawn healthy with overseeding.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Grass seed
• Core mechanical aerator
• Compost
• Lawn mower
• Drop spreader

1. Choose the right time to overseed. Early fall, when the air temperature is cool and the soil temperature is still warm, is the best time to overseed.

2. Purchase quality grass seed. The package should promise that no more than 0 to 1/2 percent of the product contains weed seeds. Good choices for Northern climates include Kentucky bluegrass or fescue. Southern gardeners can overseed with St. Augustine, Zoysia or Bermuda grass.

3. Prepare the soil and turf. Rent a core mechanical aerator or hire someone to aerate the lawn, especially if the soil is heavy. You can also spread ½ inch of screened compost over the lawn to improve the soil.

4. Scalp the existing lawn. You must set your mower on the lowest setting and cut the lawn to ½ inch or shorter to ensure good seed to soil contact.

5. Apply the correct amount of seed using a drop spreader. The amount depends on the species of grass, so follow package directions.

6. Water the new seed daily for one month. You don't have to water deeply as you do on an established lawn, but you must keep the seeds moist for germination. Two 30 minute watering sessions a day help more than one deep watering session.

Tips & Warnings

• If more than 50% of the lawn is dead or infested with weeds, overseeding alone isn't enough. You must kill off the existing lawn and start from scratch.