A lawn lush in places but sparse in others can look lacklustre and neglected, which every gardener wants to avoid. You may think that keeping the grass watered, weeded and mowed is enough to keep a lawn looking good, but more can be done to make it perfect.
According to a brotherly duo of lawn experts at Moowy, grass seed is an essential gardening tool for Britons striving for a golf-course-level garden lawn. Sharing insights on their website, Louis and Robert said: “Bald spots appear on all lawns eventually. And April is the perfect month for over-overseeding because the soil hits peak growing temperature, while April showers provide plenty of natural water.” It’s important to note that overseeding is not about raking up your lawn and starting again but improving what’s already there.
The Moowy lawn experts explained that “all lawns benefit from a yearly overseeding”, which many golf courses in the UK frequently do.
Overseeding is a routine maintenance practice to ensure a healthy and consistent turf.
One of the most underrated benefits of overseeding is that new grass seeds deprive weeds of space to establish. The lawn experts added: “Young lawns are more resistant to disease. So, you’ll rejuvenate your lawn by overseeding, giving it the facelift it probably needs.”
How to overseed a lawn
Spreading grass seed in your lawn is easy, especially if you are already on top of watering, weeding, mowing, and fertilising. It’s often the final puzzle piece to ensure a flourishing grass bed.
If you’re behind on spring lawn care, ensure you take time to weed the grass two weeks before overseeding.
After weeding, mow the lawn short to ensure the seeds don’t get stuck in tall grass, as this will block them from getting enough sunlight to germinate.
The rainy weather makes April an opportune time to lay grass seed, as the lawn will get a good soaking beforehand.
Just before overseeding, lightly rake your lawn. Removing thatch, a layer of old dead soil, moss, and other material in the lawn, is essential in bare patches you plan on overseeding.
A standard garden rake should suffice to collect and remove thatch, plus any grass clippings that may be loose on the lawn. Be more gentle when raking healthy sections of grass.
The gardening experts at Fantastic Gardeners noted the importance of choosing the right type of seed for your lawn and the regional climate conditions.
They said: “Make sure it is of good quality to ensure your lawn will look its best. Spread the seed evenly by hand or using a spreader.”
It is generally best to follow the package instructions and use the specified amount, depending on your lawn size.
After sprinkling the seeds, lightly rake or roll the lawn to encourage new seeds to settle into the soil, which will help them germinate.
You can use a roller or a lawnmower with a roller to roll the lawn. If you don’t have any of these on hand, you can start walking up and down the lawn, which will ultimately have the same effect, said Fantastic Gardeners.
Overseeding could be useless if you don’t finish the process with some fertiliser. As with lawn seed, using the right fertiliser for your type of lawn and local climate will benefit both the old and new grass.
Consistent rainfall is ideal after sowing grass seed. However, if the weather turns very dry in the first few weeks after sowing, water the lawn twice a day.
After the seed is established, in about six to eight weeks, it is recommended to water your lawn less frequently but for a longer period of time.