Anyone who owns yard space asks a similar question, “What can I do to improve the look of my lawn?”
I haven’t mowed my lawn in about two weeks. It has not needed it. Wet soil and lower temperatures have slowed growth in my shady lawn.
Before we start in autumn, I believe that you could over-seed sparse parts of your lawn. The rains that arrive later in the Fall will bring the seeds along.
When you over-seed, cover the seeds with straw to protect them as they germinate. In my recommendations, I focus on the health of our bodies and the health of our lawns.
The process is straightforward.
Patchy or thin lawns can become the lush green carpet you want in a short time. Over -seeding adds new seeds to an existing lawn. The grass you already have stays, and the new growth fills in the bare.
Reseeding is different – it means removing all the grass entirely and starting fresh from bare soil. Think of over-seeding is like putting patches on a hole in your jeans. The condition of your lawn’s will help you decide which approach to take.
If you plan to over-seed with a standard grass blend, identify the grasses you have in your yard now and how healthy they are. If your lawn hasn’t been maintained for a while, weeds may have taken over, and you may have to start from scratch.
Take a close look to see what is growing. Most most lawns have Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, Tall Fescue, or Fine Fescue, including varieties like Sheep Fescue and Fine Fescue.
After you have looked at your lawn choose the seed mix closest to the lawn you already have.
No matter if you are keeping your lawn or starting over, both will benefit from lawn aeration. When roots don’t get enough oxygen, you’ll find your grass is weaker. Aerating your lawn helps water, nutrients, and oxygen to reach deeper into the soil.
If you see puddles or bare spots in your lawn, your soil may be compacted. Aerating your lawn could be your first step to a lush green lawn.
Lawn aeration is done by a machine that digs little round holes in your lawn leaving little plugs of soil on the surface of the yard. As time progresses the plugs dissolve.
This fall, our cool-season grasses will recover fastest because their roots are busiest growing just before winter settles in. Aerating in the summer creates extra stress for the lawn. This is why summer lawn aerating is avoided.
First if you keeping your lawn, mow it 1 inch shorter than normal. Shorter grass will not shade out the new grass seed. Next, rake up the grass clippings and plant debris.
Raking also loosens the soil, so dig slightly into the top layer as you go. Raking reduces soil compaction, allowing water and fertilizer to reach the roots more deeply. Third use a fertilizer spreader to add a quarter inch of light compost.
This light layer of compost will add fresh nutrients to your soil. Add nutrients based on the soil analysis that you need. Soil tests are an important for lawn and garden care. When you know what soil nutrients needs, you can choose grass seed that will grow well in your yard.
I also test for the amount of life in the soil with soil insect traps and do an insect population study.
Lawn starter fertilizer comes in 15-pound bags and can cover 5,000 square feet. Once you know what nutrients available, you can select the right fertilizer and grass seed your lawn needs.
After spreading the seed and fertilizer, water the lawn deeply. Then water lightly every day to keep the soil moist while the seed grows. If the soil is bare use a light straw mulch.
You also have two options for planting a lawn with grass seed: traditional lawn seed you can find in larger box stores and native grass seed, which is harder to find. I’ll talk more about the pros and cons of each in another column.
Like it or not, you will find that fall over-seeding is a regular part of your annual lawn care routine for a lush green lawn. Add this to your to-do list every two to three years until you can look at your lawn and be happy.
Good-looking, green, lush lawns are achievable if you choose to dedicate the time and effort in the care required.
I hope you enjoy a great stroll through your lawn and garden. If you have any challenges, let me know at ericlarson546@yahoo.com.