Overseed a Lawn for a Beautiful Yard

By overseeding a lawn every few years, you will have a thick beautiful yard that not only looks great, but can easily be kept virtually weed free with very little effort.
As grass gets to be 5 years old or so, it drastically slows down the rate of reproduction. This can cause your lawn to get thinner and more susceptible to weeds. By adding new seed to a lawn every few years you can easily revitalize your lawn. The best time to overseed a lawn is spring and fall when temperatures are between 45 and 75 degrees.

        The first step to overseeding is to clean up any debris and weeds. Then rake the lawn to remove all loose thatch and grass clippings. The new seeds need to make contact with soil to germinate.

        The second step is to mow your grass to the lowest setting that your mower will allow. Use a grass catcher if you have it and bag the clippings. By doing this, the seeds can drop easily to the soil. This is also the perfect time to aerate your lawn. This involves punching small holes throughout the lawn. This allows more oxygen and water to penetrate into the ground and more opportunity for the seeds to get into the soil.

        The third step is topping your lawn with a light coating of topsoil or a seeding soil. A seeding soil will help the seeds germinate and has a starter fertilizer added to speed root development. Seed must come in contact with soil, or they will not germinate.

        After topping the lawn with some type of soil, you should water the lawn thoroughly, giving it 1 inch of water. This will help keep the lawn moist for germination.

        The fourth step is to put down the seed. You can use a full size spreader or a hand held one. The spreader and the bag of grass seed will have the settings for correct dispersal.

      If you did not use the seeding soil, make sure to use a starter fertilizer. This is a must to develop strong roots quickly and has a blend of nutrients to help not only the seedlings but the established lawn.

        The fifth step is to water. You need to mist the lawn twice a day for at least 2 weeks. The first few weeks are the difference between success and failure for the seedlings. The seeds need consistent moisture to germinate. Then as the roots start to develop, if they dry out before they get a good root hold into the soil, they will die. This is one of the most important steps, a light misting twice a day for at least 2 weeks.

A light misting, rather than a soaking will also help keep the seeds from pooling and bunching up.
So the key steps are;
        Rake and clean up the lawn of any debris.
        Mow the grass to the lawn mowers lowest setting. (set it back to high        for the rest of the year)            
        Water the lawn thoroughly, at least 1 inch of water.
        Put down seed using a spreader.
        Put down a seeding soil or starter fertilizer.
        Mist the lawn twice a day for 2 weeks.
Do this every couple years. Fertilize and water regularly and you will have a lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood.