Generally, the golden rule is to wait until your new grass blades have reached a height of about 3 to 4 inches before you bring out the mower. This usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks, but factors such as seed variety, soil conditions, and weather can affect this timeline.
It is recommended that you wait 2-4 weeks before mowing your lawn after overseeding to give the grass seeds enough time to establish themselves in the soil. You will also need to be patient and wait until the new grass is about 3 inches tall before cutting it.
After you've overseeded your lawn, it's crucial to let the new seeds establish themselves without disturbance. Generally, you should avoid foot traffic on the lawn for at least two to three weeks. This time allows the seeds to germinate properly and begin to establish roots.
Sod may be ready to be mowed within 2 to 3 weeks of planting. Three to six weeks are required for sprigs, stolons, and plugs to become established. For seeded lawns, wait for all of the seeds to germinate before mowing.
Lightly water your lawn immediately after overseeding. For the first several weeks, water your lawn about three to four times a day. This will help the seeds germinate. Once the grass is an inch tall, cut back to watering once a day.
Begin watering on the very first day of seeding. Always water as close to dawn as possible in order to give your lawn adequate time to absorb water and dry itself. This will help avoid fungal infections that will bring your seedlings' progress to a screeching halt.
Quality grass seed labels include guidance on optimal seeding rates to maximize your results. Don't overdo or cut corners. Too much grass seed causes undue competition for resources such as light, water and nutrients, and grass seedlings struggle as a result. Too little seed leaves lawns thin or bare.
Most established grass grows at a rate of 2-6 inches per month, depending on the variety, so grass grown from seed will likely take at least a month to reach 3 inches in height since there is plenty of energy going towards the vegetative and elongation stages of its growth cycle.
The final mowing height should be 2-1/2 to 3 inches. Approximately six weeks after germination, fertilize the lawn by applying 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. When properly overseeded, a thin, scruffy-looking lawn can be turned into a thick, lush lawn in just a few weeks.
Mowing actually helps make your grass grow thicker because the tip of each blade contains hormones that suppress horizontal growth. When you cut the lawn, you remove these tips allowing the grass to spread and grow thicker near the roots.
After your lawn has been overseeded, it is recommended that no one walks on the lawn for at least 2 weeks. The seedlings will still be fragile and can be damaged before they take root and grow. The seedlings will be vulnerable to any disturbances.
Most homeowners won't need to overseed more than once a year. If you have a lawn that stays thick and strong, then you may not need to overseed yearly. You can probably overseed once every other year (or even every two to three years).
After seeding, water in the seed and avoid heavy traffic across the lawn for at least 24 hours to allow the watering to pull seeds into the soil.
After overseeding, seeds will start germinating in about 7-10 days. You should then start seeing new grass growth within 2-4 weeks after overseeding.
A good rule of thumb is to wait until your grass has grown tall enough to need mowing – around 4 inches or more. Here are some tips for mowing in the spring: Deal with pests and diseases before mowing your lawn, if possible. You don't want to spread them to other parts of your lawn.
Raking is necessary because the seeds need to come in contact with the soil to germinate properly. Grass seed is typically spread on the lawn using a Jonathan Green Deluxe Broadcast Spreader and this does not ensure good contact between seed and soil.
Generally, the golden rule is to wait until your new grass blades have reached a height of about 3 to 4 inches before you bring out the mower. This usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks, but factors such as seed variety, soil conditions, and weather can affect this timeline.
No more than one-third of the grass blades should be cut at a time. Cutting off one-third of the blade at a time removes just enough to keep your lawn healthy and not too much to stunt the growth.
While grass clippings offer nutrients back to the soil, it might be a good idea to bag grass clippings for the first few mows after overseeding.
Very Small Patchy Areas: For tiny bare spots (think a few inches in diameter), throwing a small amount of seed and keeping the area moist might suffice. However, even in these cases, lightly raking the soil to create some seed-to-soil contact can significantly improve results.
'There are several possible causes that may prevent the grass seed from growing, such as poor soil quality, inadequate sunlight or water, temperature extremes, bad seed, and pests,' says Susan Brandt, Co-Founder of Blooming Secrets.
Traffic. Young seedlings are easily injured. Newly seeded areas should be restricted from foot traffic for a least a month after the seed has germinated or until the new lawn has been mowed at least a couple of times.
Foot traffic and driving a heavy lawn mower across a newly seeded lawn can wreak the fragile new grass. You risk: Compacting the soil and blocking sprouts from popping up. Uprooting seedlings.
After the seed has germinated and developed a small root system, water can be reduced. Also, at this time, the weather is typically more rainy and cooler. While it is still important to maintain a moist top surface, watering can usually be cut back to once a day, possibly less.
Even with this heavy watering, overseeding has an average successful germination rate of just 30%. Pro Tip! If your thatch layer is more than a ½-inch thick, dethatch your lawn first to greater exposure of the soil.