Overseeding...too early?
 

Live in NJ and want to overseed and do the winter fertilization. I
just aerated the lawn last weekend and want to know if it's too early
to do the seeding? I know it's "officially" fall but it's still
supposed to be near 80 this weekend (is that too hot?). Should I wait
a few more weeks or will that be too late?

Also...when I overseed (this is my first time), I know I have to water
more often to get the seed started but won't that hurt my other
existing grass since everything I've read says to only water once per
week?

Rule of thumb I've heard when overseeding is to water three times a day
for about 15 minutes each watering. Do this for about two weeks and
then return to your normal watering schedule. My guess is two weeks of
the altered schedule won't affect the existing lawn too much since it
is only for a short period of time.

I'm by no means an expert as we've just completed our first overseeding
last weekend. I'm just reciting the advice I was given.

Best of luck.

I dont think so..October is days away. We did our's a few days ago, on Long
Isand, NY

Long Island, NY
Home of the US's worst drivers!

"The Other Mike" wrote in message
...
Live in NJ and want to overseed and do the winter fertilization. I
just aerated the lawn last weekend and want to know if it's too early
to do the seeding? I know it's "officially" fall but it's still
supposed to be near 80 this weekend (is that too hot?). Should I wait
a few more weeks or will that be too late?

Also...when I overseed (this is my first time), I know I have to water
more often to get the seed started but won't that hurt my other
existing grass since everything I've read says to only water once per
week?

Some of 'em moved south to TX and bred some more worst drivers.

"Elwood" wrote in message ...
I dont think so..October is days away. We did our's a few days ago, on
Long
Isand, NY

Long Island, NY
Home of the US's worst drivers!

"The Other Mike" wrote in message
...
Live in NJ and want to overseed and do the winter fertilization. I
just aerated the lawn last weekend and want to know if it's too early
to do the seeding? I know it's "officially" fall but it's still
supposed to be near 80 this weekend (is that too hot?). Should I wait
a few more weeks or will that be too late?

Also...when I overseed (this is my first time), I know I have to water
more often to get the seed started but won't that hurt my other
existing grass since everything I've read says to only water once per
week?

In NJ, from Labor Day through early Oct is the window for seeding.
What you're looking for is cooler and wetter weather, so that you don't
have to constantly apply water. Competition from weeds declines with
lower temps too. However, it has been so hot and dry this year, that
unless you can easily and economically provide a lot of water, this
year has been very poor for seeding.

As for watering, you need to keep the seed constantly moist. In cooler
weather, that could be a 15 min watering 3 times a day. If it's in the
80's, then it may require watering every few hours during the daytime,
which is why this year has been so poor for seeding. If you need to do
it, I'd be looking to do it no later than the next 2 weeks, hopefully
right before forecasted rain. And if you can't water it, then I'd wait
until spring.

The extra water for a few weeks this time of year shouldn't harm the
existing grass. The advice to water deeply once a week is to encourage
deep root growth. And that is predicated on having good deep topsoil.
If you don't than you may need to water every 4 days or so. Keeping
the grass constantly wet is not ideal for the existing grass, but with
cooler temps, the chance of problems like fungus are diminished.