Lawns are a labour of love, and in order to keep them in tip top shape, they need ongoing care and attention throughout the year.
Wear and tear from family fun and pets alongside the removal and treatment of moss and weeds can leave your lawn looking a far cry from the thick and luscious lawn you once boasted. Overseeding with fresh grass seed is one of the ways that you can revive your lawn and give it a good makeover! And we have put together 5 top tips to follow to make sure you get the best results from your overseeding this season.
1. Make sure your weather is right
Similar to sowing a new lawn from scratch, overseeding your lawn will need to be done when the temperatures are right. We recommend overseeding when the temperatures are reaching around 10 degrees and above, night and day, consistently for two weeks. Also keep an eye out for any forecasted heavy showers, or high temperatures as these could damage your newly sown seedlings.
2. Get all the prep work in
We have
said it before, and we’ll say it again…preparation is key! Without the right
preparation ahead of overseeding your lawn, you might not achieve the best
possible results.
Before you start any of the overseeding process, you will need to remove any weeds or moss from your grass. If you only have a small amount of this, then you can remove them by hand. For larger affected areas, try using our 3 IN 1 Lawn Rescue.
Next, you will need to mow your lawn as you won’t be able to do this for roughly 6-8 weeks after overseeding as you will need to let your new seedlings fully grow. Once you have finished mowing, you should rake all the loose material and dead grass from your lawn’s surface.
3. Choose your seed wisely
Overseeding
your lawn gives you a chance to really thicken it up and repair any damaged
patches, so now is the time to make sure that you choose the right lawn seed, that is fit for purpose.
If you have a lawn that is used as a base for family fun, then our Fast Grow Family Lawn will be suitable. It’s a hardwearing and quick growing lawn seed. For a lawn that is loved by pets, try our Tough Stuff Lush Lawn, it will be sure to withstand the wear and tear of your pooches. For a lawn that suffers from shade, try our Shade Supreme Lawn seed, it contains a mix of shade resistant seeds that will sprout up even under those sunlight starved spots. If you have recently moved into a new build home and you want to fill in the bare patches on the lawn, you might have noticed that your soils are clay like. For this, you should opt for our New Build Dream Lawn seed. And for those of you who want to create a lawn worthy of attention, our Super Fine Luxury Lawn seed will do just that. This mix contains the finest fescues to leave you with a Windsor-worthy lawn!
Always make sure that you pay attention to the sowing rates for overseeding so that you can achieve a full and thick coverage. Our recommend overseeding rate is 35g per m2.
4. Keep the birds at bay
After all the preparation and sowing that goes into overseeding, the last thing you want is to see a bird swooping down and helping themselves to your newly laid seed. To help deter the birds away from your freshly seeded lawn, try using a tarpaulin or net to cover the area. Or, if you have any old CDs lying around the house, you can attach these to bamboo sticks and allow the reflection from these deter any birds in the area. If you’re feeling generous, you could leave out a helping of scrumptious bird food to keep them full without them snacking on your seeds!
5. Aftercare
Caring for your newly overseeded lawn after sowing it will help to ensure that it grows to its full potential, and that the results will be worthwhile. Make sure to always water your seeds in frequently after sowing them. You should aim to water your seeds once a day, for 6 weeks after you sow. On days that it rains, which is very frequently in the UK, you can skip watering the seeds as mother nature will do that for you. A frequent watering regime will help your new seeds to thrive and produce a beautifully green lawn.
If you
still need some guidance or help with your overseeding this season, make sure
you consult our guide on how to overseed your lawn. Or, if you’re considering skipping
past overseeding and hoping your lawn will recover naturally, have a read over
our blog on why you should overseed your lawn – we guarantee that you will change
your mind soon after!