Overseeding Newly Seeded Lawn

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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ultravista
Posts: 22
Joined: June 3rd, 2021, 5:56 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA
Grass Type: Fescue
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Overseeding Newly Seeded Lawn

Post by ultravista » June 4th, 2021, 8:33 am

Alpharetta Georgia - four weeks ago I seeded a large backyard area with Pennington Smart Seed Sun and Shade Fescue blend. The area was previously bare and was tilled before seeding. After seeding and applying starter fertilizer, I laid down wheat straw to help with moisture retention. Watering twice a day, the see germinated quickly.

The grass seed germinated in 7-10 days. I mowed for the first time today, four weeks later, when the grass height was greater than 5 inches. The deck was set to 3.5 inches.

There are plenty of bare spots, spots with little or no grass growing. Since I laid wheat straw down, there is a stark contrast between the green of the seedings and the yellow of the straw. Bare spots are highly visible.

I would like to overseed and need advice. When should I overseed, how much seed should I use, and what can I do about the larger (dinner plate sized) bare spots.

Some posts I've read recommend a double seeing for establishing new lawns waiting a few weeks before applying the second seed broadcast.

It is starting to warm-up here in Georgia. I would like to cover up the bare spots and have a lush green back yard. I have 20 pounds of the Pennington Smart Seed in an unopened bag.

Note: The seeded are is heavily shaded, a backyard shaded by a high canopy of tall/old trees. My neighbors have fescue in their backyards and it seems to do ok. Likewise, I have well established fescue on a side yard.

Suggestions?

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MorpheusPA
Posts: 18129
Joined: March 5th, 2009, 7:32 pm
Location: Zone 6 (Eastern PA)
Grass Type: Elite KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Advanced

Re: Overseeding Newly Seeded Lawn

Post by MorpheusPA » June 4th, 2021, 5:42 pm

June in Georgia is summer (my parents lived near Alpharetta at one point actually and described the weather as somewhat more...brimstoney. We're from Pennsylvania and Hawaii). It's not really the correct time to seed and I wouldn't encourage doing so right now. Failure rates will be extremely high.

For right now, I'd water and mow what you have, get it through summer, and wait for fall. When temperatures just start to drop--probably mid-September for you guys--and you think that fall is just starting to begin, then's the time to seed. The sun's weaker, the days are cooler and shorter, and the nights longer and much cooler to help with seed sprouting. You don't really have much of a winter, so the fescue won't have any trouble surviving it.

If you absolutely feel you must seed right now? Try using burlap or a covering like compost or peat moss (1/4" or so) over the seed to help keep it moist. It's awfully hot so...even with the watering, water twice to three times per day to keep the seed damp and the temperatures down a little (hot seed won't sprout, it really wants to be in the seventies). Once sprouted, you'll have to water through the summer in those areas as the younger grasses won't have the root systems the older grasses do.

Even your "established" grasses aren't, so make sure to water if they even think about going dry--say, every 4 days or so.

ultravista
Posts: 22
Joined: June 3rd, 2021, 5:56 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA
Grass Type: Fescue
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Overseeding Newly Seeded Lawn

Post by ultravista » June 8th, 2021, 10:42 am

MorpheusPA, thank you for the update.

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