Lawn Overseeding
Overseeding also known as seeding, is the process of spreading grass seed directly into your lawn. Lawn overseeding is one of the easiest way to fix bare spots, thicken up a lawn, and introduce new more advance grass seed types which better withstand insects, disease, and drought. Overseeding is accomplished by using a fertilizer / seed spreader to evenly spread the grass seed at pre-determined rates. The spreading rate depends on your lawn condition. Good quality lawns will require around 1 lb per 1000 sq ft, bad quality lawns 1-2 lbs per sq ft. Overseeding should be done during spring and/or fall when temperatures range from 60-75 °F, and when there is plenty of rainfall to help in the germination process.
When to overseed?
The best time to overseed is during spring and fall when temperatures range from 60-75 °F. April to May and September to October seems to provide perfect temperatures while providing rainfall that will help in the germination process. Give the seeding process enough time for germination to occur by watering your lawn if not rainfall is the forecast and avoid overseeding during extreme cold / hot temperatures.
What type of grass seed to use in my lawn?
Generally speaking, there are basically only 2 grass types. Cool season and warm season. There is a zone in the country where both types of grass can be grown and that is called the transition zone. Here in the Midwest we use cool season grasses.
Kentucky bluegrass is the most used grass in Illinois.
Full sun areas
For full sun areas we recommend a mixture blend of Kentucky bluegrass blend, perennial and ryegrass. Use a mixture / blend of tall fescue grass in high traffic areas.). For low maintenance areas, a blend of fine fescue is recommended.
Sun / shade areas
Fine fescue is the most shade tolerant of any lawn grass, a blend of fine fescue is recommended since this grass type performs well in poor soil conditions, hot weather, and requires little fertilization.
How do we know what type of grass to spread in your lawn?
Easy, we take a close look at your lawn to determine what type of grass you have, we then prepare the mixture/ blend to perfectly match your lawn to keep consistency and color. We always carry all types of grass types in our trucks. If you want a specific grass seed, please let us know when ordering services.
Overseeding details
We will spread grass seed at 2-3 lbs per 1000 sq ft over your lawn. Type of turf seed will be based on your existing lawn after close examination or at the requested mixture / blend. The most common mixture is what is called a 50/50, which contains 50% Kentucky bluegrass, and 50% blend of cool season grasses (rye, fescue, etc).
For a successful seed germination rate, please mow your lawn short 1-2 days before overseeding and delay mowing as much as you can, avoid applying any pre-emergents or weed control 3 weeks before or after overseeding, water your lawn every other day for the first 2 weeks, avoid foot traffic and keep pets off the lawn as much as possible.
Benefits of overseeding?
Seeding your lawn introduces newer turf grass varieties that were develop to withstand insects, disease, drought, and unfavorable conditions. Renovating a lawn with new grass seed is a common practice to rejuvenate, thicken up, fix bare spots, reduce weeds, and overall improve your lawn condition.
How often should I over-seed my lawn?
We recommend to overseed your lawn with a high quality grass seed at least every year to keep your grass healthy. Overseeding your lawn in the spring and/or fall will help revitalize your lawn and fill bare spots caused by harsh weather conditions during summer and winter.
Ready to schedule overseeding?
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