Can I aerate overseed and fertilize at the same time?

Immediately after aeration, your lawn is ripe for overseeding and fertilizing. The holes provide excellent soil exposure for seeds and deliver fertilizer directly to the roots of your grass.

How long should I wait to fertilize after overseeding?

Overseeding Maintenance

Always wait until the grass is dry before you mow. Fertilize the lawn about six weeks after you sow the seed. Apply a pound of quick-release nitrogen fertilizer for every thousand square feet of lawn space.

Should you fertilize and overseed at the same time?

Applying fertilizer at the same time you seed your lawn is not a recommended idea. Many experts will tell you that doing so you could risk to destroy a large part of your lawn where the soil was heavily fertilized.

Should I fertilize before or after aeration?

In most cases, aerating is best before laying fertilizer as it allows for more oxygen and deeper growth of grass roots. If you have compact soil or clay soil, it is especially crucial to aerate before so that the fertilizer reaches deeper roots.

When to aerate overseed and fertilize?

Spring and fall are good times to aerate, fertilize and over seed your lawn so air, water, and nutrients can really penetrate deeply, softening the soil, and promoting root growth.

DON’T make these 7 STUPID Mistakes when OVERSEEDING your LAWN

What is the best fertilizer to use after overseeding?

Starter fertilizers vary, but most are either a 10-10-10 or a 20-10-10 formulation. The extra nitrogen helps green up the existing grass as well as feed the fescue as it germinates and grows. Apply at a rate of 1/2 to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Water thoroughly after fertilizing.

Can you use too much grass seed when overseeding?

Ignoring recommended seeding rates

Don't overdo or cut corners. Too much grass seed causes undue competition for resources such as light, water and nutrients, and grass seedlings struggle as a result. Too little seed leaves lawns thin or bare.

How many times a year should you overseed your lawn?

Make it an annual practice. "Annual overseeding is recommended to thicken lawns and make them more attractive, but also to introduce improved varieties of grass that are hardier, less prone to insects and diseases, and more drought tolerant," explains Mayer.

Should I water immediately after overseeding?

It's critical that you properly water your lawn after aeration and overseeding. Not doing so could have negative results such as a lawn that won't grow, wasted money, or needing to re-seed all over again. It's important to keep in mind that lawn care is a partnership between you and your lawn care company.

What to put down after overseeding?

After overseeding your lawn, the seeds will need moisture to germinate. Keep the soil moist (but not overly wet) by lightly sprinkling two to three times a day throughout the required germination period. Once your grass begins sprouting, you can cut down on the amount of water.

Can you overwater when overseeding?

Remember: Do not over-water! Some soil types will get spongy, and walking on it in this condition will leave serious depressions and cause compaction. Trying to correct a yard full of deep footprints is not a chore you want to attempt! The top inch of soil should stay moist at all times.

Can you walk on overseeded lawn?

You can walk on your new lawn gently, with smooth soled shoes at any time though you should try to minimise how often and not use the same track. You may need to do so for watering or topping up a few patches with seed. You will not harm seed, seedlings or newly laid turf.

What is the best month to overseed your lawn?

Hands down, early fall is the best time to overseed your lawn. The absolute sweet spot for most northern regions of the U.S. is August 15 to September 15. That's when daytime temperatures are still warm enough to encourage growth and nights get cooler, giving new seedlings a break from the heat.

Can I just throw grass seed down on existing lawn?

Overseeding can help you get back to the thick, lush, green lawn you've always wanted. By spreading grass seed over your existing lawn, you can thicken up the thin areas, and your lawn will start to look terrific again. (This is different from reseeding, which is when you start over and plant a completely new lawn.)

Should I fertilize after overseeding in the fall?

Your best bet is to feed once in early fall (if you are overseeding, your starter fertilizer counts) and once more about 6 to 8 weeks later, around Thanksgiving. Deliver the nutrients grass needs to get through the winter and come up strong the following year.

Should I add topsoil when overseeding?

Many think that putting topsoil over the seeds would protect it, but in fact, that will actually suffocate the seedlings rather than doing any good. We suggest that straw, hay, or any other type of mulching material be used.

How heavy should you overseed?

If most of your lawn already has thick grass growth, overseeding will be a general maintenance task. In this case, you should use two to four pounds of seed for every 1,000 square feet of lawn. However, if your lawn has exposed areas of soil, apply four to eight pounds of seed per every 1,000 square feet.

How many pounds of grass seed do you need to overseed an acre?

When seeding new turf grass, we recommend a seed rate of 4-7 lbs of seed per 1,000 square feet (the equivalent of 175-250 lbs per acre). The following images illustrate what that looks like over a one-square-foot area.

When should you not aerate your lawn?

It is best to avoid aerating lawns when they are going into dormancy. So, late summer or early fall are too late for warm-season grasses; it is best to aerate in late spring or early summer. For aerating cool-season grasses, stick to early spring and early fall.

Should I pick up plugs after aerating?

As we've established, don't remove aeration plugs. It takes approximately one to two weeks for the plugs to break down on their own, but there are some things you can do to help the plugs break down faster to tidy up the lawn. You can hope for rainfall, but you can also water the lawn to help the plugs break down.

How long does it take to see results from aeration?

Believe it or not, you can actually see core aeration and overseeding results on your commercial property in as little as 7 to 10 days. This is when the soil plugs will break down and the seeds will begin germinating and you'll start to see healthier, thicker grass develop.

Should you mow right before aeration?

Before you aerate, mow your lawn low (Timberline lawn experts recommend setting your mower to about 1.5-2 inches above the ground to maximize the effectiveness of aerating, being sure to not scalp the crown of the grass.) You will want to water one to three days before aerating.

Should I water after aerating and fertilizing?

During the first two weeks following your aeration and seeding service, the main goal is to keep the ground/seed moist while the seed begins to germinate. We recommend that you water each day for at least 20 minutes in all areas of the lawn (water the soil to a depth of about 1/4”).

Can you fertilize 2 weeks after seeding?

Since each lawn is different, you need to visually determine whether your lawn needs additional fertilizer, but most people can expect to fertilize again within three to four weeks of planting - or when the grass is 1 to 1 1/2 inches tall. This encourages deep roots and inhibits weed growth.

Should I fertilize after overseeding in the fall?

Your best bet is to feed once in early fall (if you are overseeding, your starter fertilizer counts) and once more about 6 to 8 weeks later, around Thanksgiving. Deliver the nutrients grass needs to get through the winter and come up strong the following year.