Despite the heat, fall has arrived in sunny Southern California. This time of year we often think about pumpkins, falling leaves and the possibility of cooler temperatures, but it’s also a great time to start thinking about overseeding our lawns and turf areas.

Why Fall Is A Good Time To Overseed

Fall is the perfect time to begin overseeding in the Golden State because the soil is still warm and the air is becoming cooler. By overseeding during this time of year, you’re allowing cool season turf that’s more suitable for the winter climate to flourish while the summer grass goes dormant.

Why Overseeding Is Beneficial

Over time, grass can get worn out and eventually needs to be filled or replaced or some warm season grasses can get thatch or spongy and in the fall is a good time to scalp to remove that build-up; that’s where the process of overseeding comes into play. This practice is an easy and cost-effective way to bring that lush green look back to your turf areas without tearing everything out and starting over.

How To Overseed

• Mow low: While this may be a rough look at first, it’s a crucial step in making your turf look revived. Cutting your grass shorter than normal will allow the new seed to properly germinate. Be sure to bag up the clippings otherwise, they could block the new seeds from going into the soil.
• Dethatching: Thatch is a mixture of living and dead plant material that forms at the base of grass plants. This layer of stems, leaves, and roots can block nutrients, air, and water from reaching the soil if it’s too thick. Make sure to measure your thatch; if it’s well over half-an-inch, it should be removed. You can rake it yourself, or use a power rake to remove it. Thinning out that layer will help improve the health of your grass.
  

• Aeration: This process penetrates the soil, giving it the opportunity to breathe. It also allows nutrients and water to seep deeper into the ground. Aeration isn’t always necessary, it just depends on the health of your soil.

• Adding seed: After you’re finished preparing your lawn, it’s time to seed. You’ll want to start applying the seed over the top of your current turf. Make sure you’re applying an equal spread of seeds to ensure your turf grows back even.

Remember, overseeding is all about proper timing. If you choose to overseed during the wrong season, you’ll end up wasting your time, money and will most likely be disappointed with the results.

Do you need help preparing your turf for winter? At Mission Landscape, we are the experts in commercial landscape maintenance, tree care, water management, mulch and green waste recycling, landscape architecture, and landscape construction. We serve a multitude of areas in California including: Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Sacramento County, and Imperial County.