Here’s a list of everything you’ll need for overseeding; Lawnmower. Don’t want to use all that plastic? Be sure to check the seed package for the rate of seeding and apply as directed. Make Sure the Seeds get Enough Sun . Before laying the topsoil, till the top 2 to 3 inches of the subsoil to loosen it, and grade the lawn surface. Aerate the soil using a broadfork, being careful not to break the underlying structure of the soil too much. If there’s no grass at all, then you’re in a good position to dig over the earth and introduce some good quality top soil and fertiliser. To prep soil, you can also put down a pre-fertilizer, or a light layer of soil or peat moss, to promote germination. Apply scoops of soil mix to low areas of the lawn using a shovel; Rake the topdressing to spread it out evenly. Here’s how to do it. The goal of overseeding a lawn is to get the grass seed in contact with the soil. repair bare patches. Cost of reseeding your lawn If you have more dead grass, dirt patches and weeds than healthy grass, reseeding is better than overseeding, Harbert says. How to choose the best seed . Rake and smooth any uneven areas. Overseeding does not require a total restart. Besides this, you need good seed-to-soil contact so that the seed can germinate quickly. This is a good solution for widespread unevenness that does not run too deep. The average price to reseed a lawn is about $0.05/sf. A single application (1-2 bags) will have no negative impact on the yard and I don’t rake–it just drops between the grass. This may include a mixture of fertilizing and amending the soil as well as adding seed to help recover the grass that is already there. Seed also needs exposure to sunlight. Note: Learn how to use a spreader to fertilizer and reseed your lawn… Here are some recommended topsoil depths for general garden projects: Lawns . Whether you are planting a completely new lawn or reseeding to cover up patchy areas, using some topsoil greatly improves growing conditions for new grass seeds, providing a consistent source of … One of the first things you need to be sure of before overseeding lawns is that the soil temperature is around 52 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. The top soil is hand applied like brown sugar over an apple tart. When to reseed over dead sod . Blending lawn requires patience. Reseeding often requires you to dig up the grass and soil in problem areas (or the whole lawn) and replace it with new turf, effectively starting over when grass can’t be salvaged. Seed can also be used to help with the blend. Once established, these water-conserving grasses require up to 30 percent less water than ordinary grasses. This picture shows the new sod, old lawn, and the soil over top of the old lawn. Preparing the ground is key when establishing a lawn from seed. On the other hand, if you DIY, seeding a lawn will be less. Reseeding a lawn is a much more straightforward and less messy process than laying new turf. If the soil is not too bad, leave the cores on the grass to break down naturally. Calculate topsoil below to find the ideal quantity for your needs. Lawn Seeding Topsoil is a very fine topsoil and sand blend, which is easy to work with and easy to spread. Scatter the grass seed over the base at a rate of 15-25g per sq m (½ – ¾ oz per sq yard) if no sowing rate is given on the packet or by the supplier. Breaking the soil open hurts the root structure of the existing grass and gives new weeds a chance to invade. In which case, you should apply a fertiliser. In the least extreme cases, you can solve the problem by topdressing with a thin layer of leveling mix (soil, compost, and sand). Multiply the square footage of the lawn by the depth of topsoil to arrive at the amount of topsoil in square feet. To do that, the first step is to mow the lawn. Seeding Cost Factors. A newly seeded lawn develops stronger roots than older grasses and a lawn that's been oversown will also be less prone to weeds as denser lawns have less area for weeds to take hold. I recommend this if you have the patience. Now you are ready for the next stage: seeding your lawn. You can also try covering your lawn with 7 to 10 layers of overlapping newspaper, wetting it down, then covering that … rejunvenate your lawn. 4. Laying topsoil directly on top of the subsoil creates a drainage problem. To work out how much topsoil you need, simply multiply your lawns square meterage by the weight in soil per square meter. So let’s say your lawn is 50 square meters. To learn more about adding topsoil to your lawn, read my Guide to Top Dressing a Lawn. 1. Areas of a lawn can become uneven over time, due to settling, drainage issues, and various natural and unnatural causes. So, if you are planning to aerate or scarify your lawn do so prior to top dressing. Given that labor takes up a substantial amount of the total lawn seeding price, you could save hundreds of dollars in the process. Top dressing in conjunction with other lawn care maintenance procedures is not only highly beneficial but can often save time. Soil & Lawn Top Dressing; Top Dressing Procedure. Overseed in Autumn . To get good seed-to-soil contact, compact the soil with a rented sod roller filled halfway with water. The more practical alternative is to add top dressing to the existing lawn a bit at a time for several years until your lawn has enough good topsoil to take off and crowd out weeds by its vigorous growth. Top-dressing is especially helpful in arid climates or during dry or breezy spells, where the soil and seeds easily dry out within hours. Test Your Soil . Add some compost, or specialized lawn soil, potentially with a bit of river sand added, if you're working with acidic soil. Consider removing the cores from the lawn surface. Apply granular fertiliser at 140g/m2, and fork into the soil prior to sowing lawn seed.‘ Lawn Care Our lawn care range is designed to make Lawn UK a one stop shop for all your lawn care needs. 2. The heat and moisture will destroy existing grass and weeds in about 6 to 8 weeks, leaving the soil ready for reseeding. strengthen and increase the health of your lawn. How to Use our Topsoil Calculator. Available in formulas for sun & shade or tall fescue lawns, Lawn Booster combines three essentials: seed, fertilizer and soil enhancer. By having the correct soil in place to sow onto, superb results can be achieved at a fraction of the cost of laying new turf. 1. To ensure a greater chance of success in replacing the dead grass in your lawn with healthy new grass, choosing the right time of year to perform the task is crucial. Part 2 of 3: Prepping the Soil. Spread top dressing over lawn to a depth of ¼ to ½ inch. As always timing is critical so only do this when growth conditions are good. The object is to get as much top dressing touching the soil as possible. All seed was not created equal. Prep Your Lawn. Amend the soil. The first step is to figure out what’s causing your lawn to look sluggish. Mow the lawn. Sod was used in places where 2 inches or more of soil needed to be added. 3. The ideal time to reseed is in the early fall/autumn. On a seeded lawn: After sowing lawn grass seeds, apply a thin layer — about 1/4-inch — of compost as top-dressing to help maintain consistent soil moisture while seeds germinate and tender grass seedlings get established. For ornamental lawns, top dressing should be part of your lawn care program. Top soil; Hose; Lawn rake; Plenty of lawns suffer from bald patches each year, often due to children and pets enjoying the garden in sunny months. In areas where we put down less than 2 inches, the old grass will grow through and blend with the sod (under 2 to 3 inches). You can apply grass seed to your lawn either before or after you top dress it. Consider adding a sprinkler system 2 at a … Unfortunately, for most of us the expense of tearing up the existing lawn, amending the soil and reseeding is out of the question. If you have an existing lawn, you may find that repairing or renovating it is much less expensive than completely reseeding the entire lawn. Cover the seed with a light sprinkling of top soil or compost to hide it from the birds. Seeding your lawn. It also helps rejuvenate bare or brown spots. reduce the risk of overtaking weeds. Here’s how to reseed your lawn in 10 easy to follow steps. We would recommend that you seed your lawn after you apply your top dressing. New seed requires a lot of water to help it grow in the initial months. You’ll need to rip out the old lawn with a sod cutter, kill any remaining weeds and fertilize the soil, he says. 5mm in topsoil equates to 4-5kg per square meter of lawn. This is a beginners guide to understanding top dressing, using sand, soil and other materials and how to apply it safely to your lawn and grass. The only costs are materials. It’s available in many different sized packs. Lime-enhanced, pure-bred Pennington Smart Seed, backed by years of breeding and research, adds beauty and sustainability. Read my Guide to Lawn Fertiliser. Only 1/2” of material can be applied at a time so that you don’t smother the grass; With a push-broom (or leveling rake), work the soil mixture into the grass as thoroughly as possible. Some people recommend using straw to cover the seed, however straw is unsightly, doesn’t decompose quickly, or retain as much moisture, and is known to introduce weeds. You’ll also want to deal with any weed issues, if you have them, before reseeding a lawn. Reseeding a bare area. Topsoil is most often sold by the metric tonne (1000kg), but the easiest way to calculate the quantity of topsoil required is by volume (cubic metres or litres). When the temperatures start to cool off and your lawn looks like it could use a boost, overseeding, otherwise known as reseeding your lawn, can lend a big hand in helping revive your lawn. I know every yard isn’t the same, but this is my primary yard additive, and my grass is also looking much better than when I bought the house. Next, you want to loosen the soil up prior to reseeding. If you are doing your whole yard, probably better to reseed, depending on the age of your lawn you may be getting a more modern water-wise variety anyway. At the very least you should make sure the soil has all the nutrients it needs. It is okay to fill in holes, especially if you have poor soil. Get the most out of your overseeding through thoroughness not just in spreading of the seed, but also in the prep and after-care of your lawn. 3. Ornamental Lawns . Reply. Apply the topsoil, spreading evenly a few feet at a time. Step 5: Make sure the seed is covered . Once you find out what is causing the patchy grass, you can see here how to reseed lawn if you need new grass in patches. Not much, for small holes you can roll your existing sod back and fill in the hole, then replant your sod, if it is in good shape. Step 4: Apply seed. The Tools You’ll Need For Overseeding a Lawn. Since it’ comprised of organic material it also adds nutrients to your lawn’s soil. Water the lawn. Sprinkle some crumbly top soil or compost over the base of the removed square. Thankfully there's no need to worry because we can help you select the right seed mix for your needs and make successful repairs to your lawn. You'll need to aerate it, using a mattock or pick-axe spike, a claw tool or a garden fork. After a mow and some raking to open up the soil for seeding, your lawn should be ready for you to overseed without needing to get your hands too dirty. Cover over any hole and flatten out the soil. Advertisement. Reseeding is a great way to help the grass recover and get thicker. How to Overseed a Lawn STEP 1: Mow and rake the lawn. If you're using grass seed to overseed your lawn instead of an overseeding product like Scotts® Turf Builder® Thick’R Lawn™ Sun & Shade, it's a good idea to rake in a thin layer of enriched soil over your lawn to help the seed settle in.Don't put so much down that you kill your existing grass; less than a quarter of an inch is plenty. 50 (square meterage of your lawn) x 5 (kilos per square meter) = 250kg. Apply 1/4″-1/2″ of soil mixture on top of the low areas. 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