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A lawn faces many challenges during its long life. For example the burning sun, the pressure of the weeds, a compacted soil. At the beginning, the lush green blades of grass are still close together. Over time, gaps appear here and there. These are becoming more and more numerous and larger. At some point they can neither be overlooked nor tolerated. The easiest way to close gaps in the lawn is to oversee. But it has to be done right.
overseed the lawn
Gaps in the lawn often appear during the summertime. Because on warm days we like to spend a lot of time in the garden. Some areas are more stressed than others. Be it that the garden chair is standing on it or children are playing with the ball. The dark floor becomes visible and disturbs the overall appearance. That's why bald spots are a nuisance. The desire for them to be quickly covered with grass again is therefore only too understandable.
Large visible gaps do not always have to appear in the lawn. Over time, the density of the blades of grass can also decrease, making the entire lawn look unattractive. In this case, overseeding can also be useful.
Close bare spots promptly
Smaller areas are greened by the grass growth at the beginning of the new vegetation period or as early as autumn. But that is not always the case. Or at least not in the way we would like. Instead of fresh, green blades of grass sprouting there again, so-called weeds are spreading. Many weed species are not choosy when it comes to conquering and use every little gap to germinate. Lawn grass no longer stands a chance against this competitive pressure. For this reason alone, reseeding should only be delayed until the best time has come.
time
Two seasons are good for scattering lawn seed in the gaps: autumn and spring.
- outside the "high season" the area is used less
- the hot temperatures are over or not there yet
- there are still enough warm days
- there is no threat of major frosts
- the seeds can therefore germinate and grow
- nevertheless, the seed does not have to be watered constantly
Although both times are good, you should overseed the autumn month September to prefer. This will prevent bare spots from being occupied by weeds in the meantime. Some weed species, such as the unwanted grass Poa annua, also known as annual meadow grass, can even germinate in autumn.
lawn seed
After overseeding, the gaps should be closed in such a way that these areas can no longer be distinguished from the rest of the lawn. It is therefore important that you choose the right lawn seed mixture for reseeding. Ideally, when laying out the lawn, you have already laid aside a small amount of lawn seed that you can now use for reseeding. If not, it would at least be good if you wrote them down or can find out from old invoices.
tip: If you have no idea which seed mix you need, seek advice from a specialist retailer. It will definitely help if you photograph the lawn from near and far and show those pictures there.
cut the lawn
Before you spread the seeds on the lawn, you should mow the grass in the very first step.
- Set the lawn mower to the lowest setting
- mow the entire lawn
- after that, the grass should not be longer than 2 cm
Of course, this doesn't change anything on the bald spots themselves. But they become more accessible, which makes it easier to scatter the seeds. In addition, they are not shaded by tall blades of grass. Also, mowing the lawn will not be necessary in the near future. This allows the reseeding to germinate and grow undisturbed.
collect grass clippings
In principle, grass clippings can remain on the mown lawn over a large area. The thin blades of grass dry and rot in no time. When they decompose, many nutrients are released, which fertilize the lawn in a natural way. However, if reseeding is imminent, the clippings must be collected and removed from the lawn immediately after mowing. Of course, you can also use a collecting container right away.
verticulate lawn
If you want to overseed the entire lawn, you should also scarify the entire lawn to a depth of 3 to 5 mm. Best lengthwise and crosswise.
- the soil is loosened and scratched
- the lawn seed gets better ground contact
- numerous shallow-rooted weeds are torn out
- in their place, grass seed can germinate
- the old grass is somewhat weakened
- new seed can thus assert itself better
- collect and remove combed plant material
You can also search the lawn for other weeds and remove them by hand. Dandelion, for example, is a wild herb that has a very long taproot. Small remnants of it are enough for the herb to sprout again. It must therefore be deeply gouged out. Only if you don't want him to stay, of course. After all, the weed is edible and blooms beautifully.
aerate the lawn
Aerating serves to aerate the turf. This is particularly recommended for heavily compacted soil. This can also be responsible for the development of bald spots. Corresponding equipment is available in hardware stores. Although the work takes time, it also improves the chances of success of the overseeding. However, the lawn should be sanded before overseeding.
- Distribute half a bucket of fine quartz sand per square meter
- spread into the holes with a broom or rake
- this ensures good drainage
- prevents re-compaction
Prepare individual gaps
If only individual gaps are resown, the lawn is also mowed briefly. For overseeding the gaps, however, it is not necessary to scarify and aerate the lawn. Prepare individual bald spots as follows:
- Clear the area of dead grass
- remove all root remains
- Loosen the soil or rough it up with a rake
- loosen heavy soils with sand
- mix sandy soils with clay flour
tip: If you do not know what the soil is like, a soil analysis can give you more information.
Fertilize or not?
Some advisors recommend fertilizing the overseeding area before spreading the seed. But these are mostly experts who produce or sell fertilizers. Hobby gardeners know that poor soil allows seeds to sprout better. They also rely on it for the lawn seeds. In fact, practice has shown that budding on unfertilized soil is more as expected. Of course, the new grasses will need an adequate supply of nutrients in the future, just like any other plant.
If the entire lawn is reseeded, timely fertilization may be considered. Namely when the lawn has not been fertilized for a long time and urgently needs new nutrients.
Sowing lawn seeds: instructions
On small areas, you can easily spread the lawn seed by hand. For larger areas it is better to use a spreader. It sows the seed more evenly. Regarding the seed strength, observe the information on the seed packaging.
Carefully tread on the overseeded spot. Pour the seed with a gentle jet of water, otherwise the lawn seeds can be washed away. You can then cover the seed thinly with potting soil or peat. This ensures that the lawn seeds do not dry out as quickly.
After sprinkling
Until the lawn seeds have germinated properly, all patched areas should be kept evenly moist. They may not be entered during this time either. As soon as the stem length is eight centimeters, the spot can be mowed again. But beware: Do not mow more than a third of the new growth.
tip: If necessary, block access to the overseeded area to prevent accidental access.
Alternatives for overseeding
If the earth shimmers through in unfavorable places, patiently waiting for reseeding is not the preferred solution. Such gaps, which are clearly visible to everyone, can alternatively be greened again as follows:
- Patch the spot with sod
- cut them out in inconspicuous places beforehand
- order turf roll if necessary
- Cut out suitable pieces and lay them out