Most homeowners are aware of the fact that overseeding is a very advantageous lawn care treatment. Overseeding will provide you with a thicker, denser lawn, which also improves your lawn's overall health because a dense yard of grass more effectively holds soil and water in place; this reduces run-off and soil erosion and allows your lawn to better absorb moisture and essential nutrients. However, many homeowners do not know the best time of year to schedule overseeding treatments. Although cool-season grass seeds thrive in both the spring and fall seasons, it is best to overseed in the fall to ensure the best results.

First, it is important to understand cool-season grass and when it thrives.

In the Ohio area, you will typically find grasses such as perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and tall fescue. What these grasses have in common is that they are all cool-season grasses. They are called this because their seeds tend to thrive when temperatures are between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that they grow most actively in the spring and fall seasons. This also means that they tend to struggle to withstand the harsh summer heat. So, by the time the summer season has come to an end, your lawn may need some help to fill in patches of bare soil. A simple way to help your lawn recover is to hire your local landscaping team for their overseeding services.

Why should you overseed in the fall?

Overseeding allows you to fill in any thin areas of your lawn that are smaller than the size of a basketball. The fall season is the best time of year to overseed for a few reasons. After that long, hot Ohio summer weather, you may have empty patches of bare soil that need to be filled. Overseeding sometime between early September and late October ensures that soil temperatures will still be warm (which is necessary for optimum seed germination), while the air temperature is cooler (which necessary for optimum grass growth). Your lawn's soil is also better able to retain moisture during the fall season.

We recommend overseeding directly after core aeration to ensire great seed-to-soil contact.

Why shouldn't you overseed in the spring?

Although cool-season grass seeds tend to thrive in the springtime as well as the fall, overseeding during the spring season is not recommended because it takes a long period of time for grass seeds to establish themselves. Even if you overseed in the early spring, your grass seeds will not have taken root by the time summer arrives. This is not good because it is dangerous for the grass seeds to be subjected to the summer heat when they are still so young and weak. Also, if you are signed up for regular weed control/herbicide treatments, overseeding in the spring is not the best idea. This is because you typically apply these chemicals in the spring and most pre-emergent herbicides inhibit all seed germination for up to three months. Therefore, if you apply weed control and overseed at the same time, the weed control will prevent your new grass seeds from growing. Save your money and just overseed in the fall.

Give us a call to schedule our overseeding service today!

Overseeding is a very important lawn care treatment. Overseeding increases the density of your turf, which is crucial for your lawn's overall appearance and health. Upgrade your lawn with overseeding treatments from the lawn care professionals at Ohio Green Lawn & Pest. We proudly serve residential, commercial, and HOA properties in Mansfield, Ashland, Wooster, OH, and throughout the surrounding areas. Call us at (419) 528-5698 to schedule our overseeding service today!