How to Overseed Your Lawn in the Northeast
The most consistently effective way to thicken your lawn is through overseeding. Fertilizer can also be used to create a thick, lush lawn; however, fertilizers can damage the lawn in the summer months and are less effective at controlling weeds. In the Northeast, the climate allows for two prime times for overseeding: spring and fall. Overseeding when the weather offers enough moisture while the sun is not as directly concentrated on your lawn, is the ideal time of year to yield the best results. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Locate the spots in the lawn in need of repair or thickening. Rake the areas with a thatch rake to remove the layer of thatch below the surface of the soil. Thatch restricts grass root growth which leads to weaker, more easily damaged grass. Bag the thatch and debris for disposal.
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Aerate the entire lawn with an aerator. The aerator removes plugs of soil to allow air and water to reach deeper into the soil.
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Spread soil over the thin areas of the lawn. Lay a foundation of approximately one-half inch of soil. Rake the soil with a garden rake to level it over the targeted area of grass.
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Spread the grass seed onto the soiled patches. Use your hand for smaller areas and spread 15 to 20 seeds per square inch of soil. Use an automatic spreader for larger areas of concern.
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Sprinkle a thin layer of soil onto the newly spread grass seeds and rake through the overseeded areas with the garden rake.
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Water the overseeded areas. Continue normal watering for the weather conditions, paying specific attention to the overseeded areas for the first four to six weeks.
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Mow the new grass once it has reached 2 inches tall. Water the overseeded areas in the summer more than normal as the low blades will not provide the cover to the soil and the water will be evaporated before it has the chance to reach the grass roots..
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