Overseeding your lawn in the fall is a great way to repair any damage your cool season grass sustained during the hot summer months. Fescue and ryegrass often end up with some damage from the heat, foot traffic, pests, fungus, or drought and autumn is the time to tend to the necessary repairs. Here are some more tips to make sure that overseeding your lawn in the fall results in a lush winter lawn.
What Kind of Turf Do You Already Have?
The first thing to know when overseeding your lawn in the fall is the existing turf type. It’s important to match strains of grass as closely as possible so that the two kinds of grass are the same, or at least very similar. If you don’t know your turf type, it’s a great idea to call a professional lawn care company to identify it for you. They will also be able to offer you valuable advice on maintaining this kind of grass in your particular climate.
Use the Tools of the Trade
Another key to successful overseeding your lawn in the fall is to use the appropriate equipment. Never apply grass seed by hand, even to bare or brown spots. Use a rotary or drop spreader to ensure that the seed is applied evenly. Walk straight lines back and forth across the entire property to make sure you don’t miss any swathes of lawn.
Aeration Encourages Germination
Fall overseeding is usually paired with core aeration. This process opens up the grass roots to the nutrients, air, and water necessary for vigorous growth. Aeration also creates the idea moist, healthy environment for new grass seeds to germinate and start a healthy growth cycle.
Overseeding Your Lawn in the Fall is Also Great Weed Control
A thick, healthy lawn is the best type of weed control you can have. So overseeding a thin, unhealthy, weedy lawn means that the grass itself will probably choke out mature weeds and prevent new ones from germinating. Think of overseeding as a simple preventative measure that can keep you from having to deal with weed infestations later.
Give Your Lawn That Youthful Glow
Just as people eventually grow old and slow down, so do grass plants. As grass ages, its rate of reproduction slows. Eventually, each grass plant in your yard will die off. The best way to keep your lawn looking green, thick, lush, and young is to overseed it each year. The hot summer months take a toll on many of your cool season grass plants, and planting new seed will replace those dead plants and fill in the gaps nicely.
Keeping your lawn looking great through the winter will take some time and effort. If you are short on time, or if you just don’t want to deal with the work involved, Kemko Lawn & Shrub is here to help with your overseeding needs and so much more. When you hire us, you are partnering with one of the most experienced and respected lawn care companies in the Atlanta area.
Call us at 770-466-6113 to schedule an overseeding for your lawn this fall.