Home Gardener....Fall is the Best Time to Re-Seed your Lawn!

So if you haven’t re-seeded that bare spot in the lawn, what are you waiting for? It’s not too late but you need to get your lawn project going ASAP.

First, you might want to think about why you have those bald spots.  You might get a soil test, consider amending your soil to enrich it or perhaps you need a different type of grass.  If more than half your lawn is bare you might want to consider re-doing the whole lawn.  You can re-seed or you can buy turf that will be unrolled and set in creating an instant yet quite expensive new lawn.

You might want to consult with someone before making the decision on how to go about your lawn project.  A county extension agent might have some answers.  There are many websites that you can do research on or ask questions about your lawn plans. Replacing the whole lawn is a big, big project not to mention very expensive so you will want to avoid that unless truly necessary.

So, perhaps you have decided to just re-seed.  First remove any weeds or plants you don’t want out of the area then use a metal rake to smooth and level the area. Rake in any soil amendments such as organic compost.  If it is a small area you can carefully hand broadcast the seed, there are seeders that are hand held or bigger ones to push as you drop seed. Finally, gently water the new area.  Water it pretty often and be sure you don’t let it dry out but be careful not to flood it.

Get the right kind of grass seed for our geographic area; check at Neighbors for good quality seed.  And don’t walk on the area once you seed it.  You might want to rope it off to keep pets and forgetful family members from tramping over your tender baby grass shoots!  Remember, it should not be mowed until it is well established; say late next spring. 

Fall is the right time for seeding lawns in the North East. So don’t wait until next spring to get your lawn beautification project moving. The information I have given here just scratches the surface of lawn seeding.  I hope it inspires you to get started before the fall is too much further along!