Fall Overseeding Tips

Posted on: Aug 29, 2023Raunie

With the ever-changing weather patterns, our environmental conditions have slightly changed. What hasn’t changed is the benefit of overseeding your lawn in the fall. As lawns age, the grass blades grow thinner, and their root systems become weak. When this happens there is much more space for weeds and other problematic lawn symptoms to rear their ugly heads. Because this is one of, if not the most important, things you can do for your lawn we wanted to provide some tips to maximize your efforts as well as give more information to help our communities grow productive green spaces.

Why Overseed?

You may think to yourself, “My lawn looks great, why bother overseeding? Well, the benefits outweigh the costs as overseeding provides a more long-term solution towards a thick, healthy green lawn. When your lawn is healthy, it is more resistant to weeds and disease. After all, isn’t that the main goal of lawn care?

Each year our grass ages resulting in older grass dying off. Without new grass seeds being put down to take its place, it creates room for not only weeds but also for exposure to the sun, which dries up existing soil and reduces the overall quality and lifespan.

If your lawn is currently struggling then the frequency of overseeding should be increased in the short term. This is because you will want to fill in the gaps within the lawn to reduce the space for weeds to grow.

Soil quality also matters quite a bit when maintaining a lawn. If you have a struggling lawn, 90% of the cause lies in the soil. Soil is the foundation on which grass can grow, so if the soil is devoid of organic nutrients, it will never properly thrive. But when the combination of soil and seed is put down in the spring and in the fall you can almost entirely replace your lawn within 1 calendar year. All it takes is the right kind of seed and some patience!

Why is the Fall a Good Time to Overseed?

Due to the cooler daytime and overnight temperatures, the soil starts to loosen up. This allows for any new roots to have the freedom to properly establish and become strong. Also, mother nature brings back the morning dew that keeps the seeds and seedlings moist throughout the early stages of growth. I personally always do a full property overseeding in the fall and touch up any areas that need a little extra TLC each spring. Combine that with a lawncare program and each year I have the best lawn on the block!   

Best Practices

I want to close out with a few additional tips to consider when overseeding this fall.

• Rake up any debris and cut the lawn prior to overseeding
• Combine with a liquid aeration to promote a positive environment for the seeds to grow
• Overseed and apply topsoil to encourage root development and introduce organic nutrients back into the soil
• Ensure the seeds receive water every day – whether it be with the morning dew or a helping hand from your sprinkler.

Now that you’re an overseeding pro, you’re well on the way to making your neighbours jealous while you relax and enjoy your thick, healthy green grass.