How to Overseed a Lawn

Updated/Fact-Chacked on August 14, 2021 by John

Over time, your lawn will likely suffer from thinning and other problems. It’s a natural occurrence, no matter how well you take care of it. Luckily, there’s a simple and guaranteed solution: overseeding – a gardener’s tip to creating and maintaining the perfect lawn.

Introduction
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Overseeding your lawn is an excellent way to keep it looking great. In this quick read, we’ll help you know why, when, and how to overseed your lawn to achieve the best results.

Why Overseeding Your Lawn is a Good Idea 

Inevitably, the grass in your lawn won’t look as polished as it previously did. To restore it, overseeding helps prevent thinning and colour shifts from happening by adding reinforcements to the grass.

When it’s cold, sprinkle some warm-season seeds to give your grass a bright, green colour. Conversely, overseeding your lawn with cool-season seeds when it’s hot can prevent the grass from getting a brownish hue.

Why Overseeding Your Lawn is a Good Idea
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How to Overseed Your Lawn

To overseed your lawn, here’s all you need to do.

1. Get Rid of Existing Problems

Before you overseed your lawn, you must take some corrective actions to demolish pre-existing problems, including weeds and infertile soils.

Once you’re sure that your lawn is in a near-ideal condition, you can now start overseeding it. Make sure you pick top-grade seeds that are prescribed for your city’s climate.

2. Use a Lawn Spreader

Once you have the seeds, it’s time to spread them evenly. You can do this task manually, but you may miss a few spots, especially if your lawn is big. 

For optimum results, use a lawn spreader. Lawn spreaders spray a shower of seeds that cover a large surface area to ensure that the seeds reach every part of your lawn. 

There are two popular types of lawn spreaders: drop and broadcast spreaders. Drop spreaders are perfect for small lawns and offer excellent precision. They’re also relatively easy to operate.

On the flip side, broadcast spreaders are a better option for larger lawns. Some models also have a side shield that makes it easier for you to spread seeds near fences and walls.

3. Maintain Your Lawn

Fertilizing the overseeded areas is vital to provide the new seeds with the essential nutrients that allow for growth.

Maintain Your Lawn
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Finally, you need to keep your lawn well-watered for a week or two to allow the newly added seeds to develop deep roots. After that, water it normally when necessary.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a better understanding of how to overseed your lawn, give it a try on your own.

Just keep in mind that overseeding isn’t a quick fix for an existing problem in your lawn. It’s a proactive technique that prevents them from occurring in the first place to keep your lawn fresh all year round. 

Start overseeding your lawn after picking the right seasonal timing, and you’ll thank yourself later when it no longer requires intensive maintenance sessions to preserve it.

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