Fall Lawn Overseeding 🌱 | Easy Step-by-Step Guide, by Eve the gardener on YouTube. 1 min 59 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 59 s
- Time to do it
- 2 to 3 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Mow the lawn low, down to about 1.5 to 2 inches. Short grass lets the new seed drop past the blades and reach the soil instead of sitting on top of it.
Dethatch the lawn with a dethatcher or a stiff rake. Pull out dead grass, moss and debris so the seed has bare soil to land on.
Fill your spreader with grass seed and walk in straight lines across the lawn. Set the spreader to half the label rate and go over the lawn twice, in two directions, for even coverage.
Scatter extra seed by hand on thin and bare spots. Scratch those patches with a rake first so the seed sits in loose soil, not on a hard crust.
Topdress with a thin layer of compost, about a quarter inch deep. Rake it level so the seed stays damp and has good contact with the soil.
Water lightly right after seeding until the top inch of soil is moist. Keep it moist, not soaked, and water two to three times a day in dry weather.
Switch to deeper, less frequent watering once the seedlings are up. Water once or twice a week, long enough to soak down to the roots.
Stay off the new grass until the seedlings are about 2 inches tall. When the lawn reaches about 3 inches, mow on a high setting with a sharp blade.
Tips and common mistakes
Seed only germinates well when it touches soil, so do not skip the dethatching step.
Fall soil is still warm, which is why early autumn beats spring for overseeding cool-season grass.
Never let the seed dry out in the first two weeks, even for a single sunny afternoon.
Skip weed and feed products around seeding time, as they can stop the new grass from growing.
Questions
When is the best time to overseed a lawn?
Early fall, while the soil is still warm from summer and the air is cooler. The new grass then has time to root before winter.
How long until the new grass appears?
Most cool-season grass seed sprouts in one to three weeks if you keep the soil moist. Watering is the part that decides how well it works.
Can I overseed without dethatching?
You can, but the seed often sits on dead grass and dries out. Raking out the thatch first gives you far better results.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
