How to Prevent Lawn Overseeding

Over-seeding your lawn has its uses. It's a good way to fill in thin or bare spots and make your lawn lush and thick. Over-seeding your lawn also helps crowd out the weeds. It's a good way to revive a tired, old lawn. It's not always the right way to plant seed though. If you're starting new grass or just filling in small areas, you want to apply the right amount of seed. Read on to find out how to prevent lawn over-seeding.

Things You'll Need

• Wood stakes
• String
• Tape measure
• Garden rake
• Seed spreader
• Lawn roller

Instructions

1. Stake out the perimeter of the area you're going to plant seed in. This will keep people from tracking your freshly-planted seed. It will also make it easier to measure the area you're going to plant. Pound a wood stake in the ground every few feet. When all the stakes are set, wrap string around them to make a continuous fence.

2. Measure the area to prevent lawn over-seeding. If you try to guess how much seed you need, you could buy and use too much. Buy the right amount you need to adequately cover the area, but not over-seed it.

3. Prepare the soil to prevent lawn over-seeding. Loosen the soil with a garden rake so it's not hard and crusty. If you plant seed in hard soil, it breaks into clumps which distributes the seed unevenly. Level the soil as you rake it loose. That way, when you water it, the seed from high spots won't puddle into low spots and cause over-seeding.

4. Plant your lawn by using a seed spreader instead of by hand. That way, the seed will be distributed evenly. Read and follow the directions on the seed bags to ensure you apply the right amount and avoid over-seeding. Use the recommended
   application rate for the size of your lawn.

5. Divide the grass seed in half. Apply half of it over the entire lawn with the seed spreader. Then, apply the last half of the seed by pushing the spreader back and forth at right angles. This will distribute the seeds evenly to prevent over-seeding.

6. Finish up planting your yard. Use a lawn roller to press the seed into the ground. If you use a rake, the seed will get moved and you could risk over-seeding your lawn.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't apply seed and fertilizers together or you can over-seed your lawn After the seed is planted, water it lightly to help the seed stay in place.

References

• Planting Grass Seed