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Home > Lawns > Existing Lawn? > YardScaping the Lawn You Have

YardScaping the Lawn You Have

To begin the transition to a lawn using lower inputs, over-seed your existing lawn with lower maintenance grass varieties. Lawn grasses more tolerant of lower moisture and nutrient levels include the common varieties of Kentucky bluegrasses (Kenblue, Park, South Dakota Certified, and Newport) and fine-leaved fescues (creeping red fescue, chewings fescue, and hard fescue). Other bluegrass varieties that do acceptably well once adapted to lower input levels include Rugby, Parade, Touchdown, Ram I, Nugget, Sydsport, and Monoply.

Note: Because there are many more seeds per pound of bluegrass than fine-leaved fescues, slightly higher seeding rates are required when using mixtures that include fine-leaved fescues.

The Two Best Times to Seed

The preferred time for over-seeding/renovating a lawn is from mid-August to early September. The second best time is early spring as the lawn is beginning to turn green and grow. Use these methods also when introducing different species and varieties into your lawn.

BASIC STEPS FOR RENOVATING LAWNS

Steps
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1. Soil Test

Contact your county Extension office for soil test forms and bags.
2. Weed Control
Physically pull. For large or spreading weeds; won't kill all weeds. If weeds are primarily non-grasses.
Broadleaf Herbicide Nonselective Herbicide Kills most green vegetation; requires 5-14 days.
3. Soil Moisture Replenishment If needed (especially in fall) Soak soil to a depth of 6-8 in.; then allow surface to dry until steps 4 and beyond can be done (may require 1-2 days)
4. Thatch Removal
Vigorous hand raking Not practical for extreme thatch problem or large areas.

Vertical Mower 		Rent of hire; use also to prepare seedbed (see below)
Sod Cutter Recommended for extreme thatch problem; rent or hire.
5. Soil Preparation
Vigorous hand raking For small sites with little vegetation remaining.
Aerification 3-5 passes with commercial aerifier; use for compacted soil.
Vertical Mowing Tines should nick surface to a depth of 1/8-½ inch.
6. Fertilize Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K) 		½-1 pound of N per 1,000 sp. ft; add P & K as determined by soil test (depends on whether or not clippings are left on lawn). Too much N stimulates growth of existing grass and competes with new seedlings.
7. Seeding
Hand Divide seed lot in half or quarters and seed in 2 or 4 directions.
Small sites (less than 8 ft. across): mix 1 part seed with 4 parts sawdust or a product like Milogranite.
Rotary Spreader Preferred method if mixed sawdust or Milogranite
Drop Spreader Seed in 2 directions or overlap ½ way
Slit Seeder Rent equipment (but requires skill); generally best done by a professional. Go over site 2-4 times.
8. Water Lightly to provide seed-to-soil contact; then, for at least 3 weeks, water lightly twice daily to rewet soil surface (if surface remains moist, may require watering once or not at all). Don't allow soil to become soggy.
9. Mow When 3-3½ inches tall, mow to 2½ inches with sharp mower; as lawn thickens, gradually lower mowing height until desired grass height is reached.