Seeding is an important part of the care of your lawn in the fall. If you take care of laying down an adequate amount of grass seed now, you will have a fantastic looking lawn in the spring. There are many reasons why late summer and fall are superior to spring for planting grass. The warmer soil temperature is great for seed germination and your germinating seeds will also have less competition from weeds like crabgrass. In addition, once your grass begins to grow, the cool air of fall stimulates growth for the varieties of grass often found in Bergen County, NJ and the surrounding areas.
Overseeding is the process of spreading grass seed on established turf. Overseeding is usually thought of as something that should only be done when your grass is damaged or not growing very well. However, at Borst Landscape and Design, we recommend that you overseed your lawn every year. Grass plants get older with time and lose some of their thickness. Overseeding allows you to fill in any thin spots in your grass and prevent weeds from sprouting up in the spring in areas where grass is thin. A thicker lawn will hold up better to foot traffic, natural weathering, and environmental stress.
In addition to weed control and thicker grass, overseeding can have incredible benefits when it comes to preventing erosion. A densely packed lawn will keep water and soil right where you want them which will improve the overall health of your lawn. An overseeded lawn will also reduce the risk of pests and disease affecting your yard. You can choose to fill in your lawn with seeds that are disease or pest resistant. Late summer and fall is a great time to overseed your lawn because light and steady rain that is typical of these seasons will help your grass seed germinate. However, be careful because a heavy rain right after you overseed could just wash away most of your seed.
There are a few steps you should follow to make sure you are properly seeding your lawn. If you have a problem with any of the steps listed below, you can always call the landscaping and lawn care experts at Borst Landscape and Design for help.
- Prepare your lawn by cutting it to about 2 inches high and removing all the clippings. This will help ensure that the new seed can reach the soil and increase the rate at which it can germinate.
- Rake up dead patches to reveal as much of the ground as possible. Germination rate where there are dead patches of grass is extremely low. Using a rototiller on areas of dead grass will also increase germination rates when compared to raking.
- Test the pH of your soil and adjust it if necessary. Maintaining the correct balance of pH will make your lawn healthier and easier to grow. You can use fast-acting lime for quick pH changes or lime pellets for longer and more extreme adjustments.
- Apply a product like straw or peat moss to bare areas to help retain moisture and reduce loss of grass seed.
If you’re interested in learning more about overseeding or letting the landscaping professionals handle it for you, give the landscape design experts at Borst a call. We handle everything from lawn care, tree and shrub maintenance to hardscaping and patio and pool construction. No matter your needs, if you want your Bergen County yard to look great next year, contact the experts at Borst Landscape and Design.