As your highly trained professional Turf Specialists, we are here to help you become more knowledgeable about your new aeration and overseeding project. You can count on us to be there to help you through this process with watering instructions on when to water and how much to water. Our information below lists some of the important tips and tricks on how to maintain the best-looking grass and plants.
Aeration and Overseeding
After your Aeration and Overseeding Service
WATER
Keep your newly seeded areas moist for three weeks. Water the lawn (avoid puddling) enough to keep the lawn moist to the touch at the base of the grass blades, or up to 2 times a day for at least 10-15 minutes. You should water as early in the morning as possible.
Benefits:
- Virtually no water loss from the sun’s evaporation
- Watering at night or right before can leave your lawn vulnerable to a fungus due to dark and damp conditions.
- The turf is already cool so there is no shock from cool water on a lawn that has been in the sun all day
Germination
Seed should begin to germinate in about 14-21 days. The seed will not all germinate at once. Maximum germination will not occur until mid-February of next year. BE PATIENT. Germination typically takes 14-21 days but can take longer, depending on the weather. Seedlings are very susceptible to drying out and dying because they have not rooted properly in the soil.
Keep leaves off
Fescue must have sunlight to do well next year. When the leaves are off the trees in the winter, fescue is busy using sunlight to build carbohydrate reserves through photosynthesis to get through the hot summer to come. Keep leaves off the seeded areas before and after germination. Using a blower is the best to accomplish this task until the seed is up and it has been mowed. Do not use a rake on the seed or new seedlings.
Leave clumps alone
Aeration and seeding will leave clumps of dirt on the lawn, it is best to leave them in place. The clump of dirt and the holes in the soil are seed beds and they will dissolve and disappear with time.
Mowing
It is okay to mow after seeding. Try to mow carefully so the wheels are not gouging when turning. You can bag the clippings to keep the leaves off it more easily.
Weeds will germinate as well
It is more important to establish the grass than to kill the weeds at this time. Winter annual weed germination, such as henbit, chickweed, wild garlic/onion and bittercress, it is normal. Weed control herbicides cannot be applied to new turf. New turf must have been mowed at least 2-3 times before we can apply such applications
