Overseeding
What is Lawn Overseeding?
Overseeding is the process of adding new seed to your lawn to fill in thin, patchy grass and to speed up recovery from scarification. It's also a way of introducing new grass species into the lawn which can be of benefit depending on the situation.
When to Overseed
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Overseeding is best carried out once ground temperatures have risen above 8 degrees celsius and there is plenty of moisture in the soil. This is usually from around April to November.
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Following a harsh winter either through cold or wet, lawns can thin out due to the Rye Grass dieing back. Overseeding helps to fill in these bare areas ready for summer.
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Lawn Scarification can also create a thinner lawn if alot of moss is present, by overseeding you can help the lawn recover quicker. Especially if the seed is applied as well as our Top Dressing.
Types of Grass
There are many species and cultivars of grass. The main ones found in domestic lawn situations are the following:
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Perennial Rye grass - Either low growing or upright, this is a quick germinating and fast growing species that is renowned for being harder wearing than some.
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Creeping Fescue - It's creeping habit enables it to quickly create a dense sward, whilst also being very durable and hardwearing. Ideal for shaded areas.
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Bent - Many cultivars of bent grass are used on golf greens due to their ability to be cut very short. Whilst slow to establish, they can also be a good addition to a formal lawn mixed in with Fescues and Ryes.
How we Overseed
If you have ever tried to overseed your lawn you will have soon realised it's not just a case of throwing some seed down and hoping for the best! It is in fact, all in the preparation of the surface.
While overseeding small patches of bare lawn may seem a good idea, unless you know the exact makeup of the lawns grass species, this can just create ugly looking patches of different coloured grass in the lawn. The way to combat this is to overseed the whole lawn, thereby adding the new seed to the whole lawn which is a good way of increasing the amount of desirable grasses into the lawn.
The ideal way of overseeding is to do so after scarification and aeration. The grooves and slits provide perfect conditions for the seed to sit in and germinate. Once spread on the lawn, the seeds are then brushed in to the slits and grooves with a dragmat. A perfect finish would be to apply a thin layer of our topdressing onto the lawn to cover the seeds. This not only keep the seeds safe from scavaging birds, but also provides a "comfy jacket"for the seeds to grow in.
All that is then required is warmth and water!
******New Service******
We can now offer direct drill overseeding with our Vredo Turf Buddy disc overseeder. For more information on this service and how it is more beneficial, read more here
Overseeded and Topdressed
Results from overseeding
