How do I reseed my lawn?

Reseeding, or overseeding, turf grass every five years in late summer or early autumn improves the overall health, disease resistance, and appearance of your lawn. To prepare your lawn, mow grass to 1 inch and choose a high quality grass seed. Make sure that the seeds make contact with the soil for proper germination. You can use gas-powered vertical mowers, slicers, core aerators, spikers, or slit-seeders to create space for the seeds to make contact with the soil. These machines can be rented. Broadcast the seeds and lightly work into the soil, if necessary. Water regularly until the seeds germinate, making sure that once you start watering you do not allow the soil to dry out. Initially, keep the soil constantly moist with frequent, but short, watering. Once newly germinated seeds begin to develop, decrease the frequency while increasing the duration of the watering to promote deep root growth.  Approximately two weeks after germination, fertilize with 1/2 pound of starter fertilizer per 1,000 square feet, following all label directions. As the seedlings develop, mow as you normally would, making sure not to remove more than 1/3 of the of the grass blade at a time.

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