NewsMany homeowners wish they had a lush, green grass carpet for their children and dogs to play on.
However, due to tough growth circumstances, this may be difficult to achieve. Disease, dryness, and, most importantly, weeds may quickly destroy a yard. Growing weed-choking grass may make all the difference in the warmer months.
There are several grass seed varieties available, but you must ensure that you are overseeding your lawn with the correct grass seed.
In this advice, you can locate the finest grass seed for growing a wonderful lawn that will choke off weeds. By the end, you’ll have a choice between cool-season grasses, warm-season grasses, or a blend that will provide a green lawn for longer and a resilient grass that will deal with weeds on your behalf. (Read What Permanently Kills Weeds.)
Will Healthy Grass Choke Out Weeds?
Weeds, regardless of the kind of grass, need certain growth conditions. To keep weeds at bay, make sure you have good grass growing.
Here are a few tips for promoting the growth of different grasses.
Mowing Habits
Mowing height has a big influence on the health of your grass. Weed seeds can access sunlight through short grass, while thick grass inhibits it. Cut your lawn in thirds; longer grass is preferable than shorter grass.
Water Deeply
Water is the only thing grass need in addition to fertilizer. Irrigation promotes deeper roots and better grass, which outnumbers weeds and denies them sustenance. Watering properly will choke out existing weeds and prevent future weed development. For information on properly hydrating your grass, see our lawn watering instructions. (Find Out How Often You Should Water Your Vegetable Garden)
Aerate Your Lawn
Weeds thrive in compacted soil, which is why you find them in overgrown parks and ballfields. Aeration loosens the soil, enabling oxygen, water, and nutrients to reach the roots of the grass. Weeds despise good soil and grass. For more information on aeration and available aerators, speak with a local lawn care specialist.
Can You Plant Grass Seed On Top Of Weeds?
Grass seed may be used to replace a weedy lawn. However, if the weeds are dense, dealing with them first will produce better results. Pull the most noticeable weeds first, then spread grass seed if just a few weeds remain.
The two primary varieties of grass seed are warm-season and cool-season grasses. Warm-season grasses tolerate hot southern climates much better than cool-season grasses.
Warm-season grasses become brown in the winter when they fall dormant. Cool-season grasses thrive throughout the colder months of the year before becoming dormant during the summer heat. Warm-season grasses may be reseeded in the spring and summer, but cool-season grasses should be reseeded in the spring and autumn.
Warm Season Grasses
Bahia Because of its heat tolerance and drought resilience, this warm-season grass is suitable in hot places with long dog days. Bahia grass, with its big leaves and gritty texture, thrives in hot, sunny places where other grasses fail. This makes it a popular low-maintenance grass species in the Deep South throughout summer.
Bermuda Bermuda grass, like many other warm-season grasses, thrives in hot climates because to its strong tolerance to heat and foot activity. Bermuda grass needs a plenty of nutrients, good drainage, and full sun exposure. Because the grass can not tolerate cold conditions well, it is best employed in warmer weather in the southern half of the nation.
Buffalo Despite its classification as a warm-season grass, Buffalo grass grows in a variety of temperatures and is popular in areas with severe winters. It stays dormant and brown in colder weather, exactly as other warm-season grasses. April and May are great months for sowing buffalo grass.
Centipede Centipede grass is known for its excellent heat tolerance and minimal care requirements. This makes it a popular lawn grass for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time maintaining their lawns. Centipedes require full sun, but may tolerate moderate shade. Because of these conditions, it flourishes in the Southeast. Sow centipede grass seed in the spring after the fear of frost has passed.
St. Augustine Because of its capacity to resist high temperatures and humidity, St. Augustine is one of Florida’s most favored grasses. It features blue-green grass blades that spread swiftly over a lawn. Because St. Augustine can survive seawater, it is a popular option for coastal settings. Because St. Augustine grass spreads swiftly when seeded in the spring or summer, planting plugs is one of the most effective methods to establish it.
Zoysia The hardy, low-maintenance grass known as zoysia lawn is well-known for its resilience to heat, drought, and high foot traffic. Zoysia lawns grow lush grass that chokes away weeds and requires minimal maintenance. Although certain zoysia grass kinds may only be produced from zoysia sod or zoysia plugs, some grass seed companies provide zoysia seed. After the danger of frost has gone, plant Zoysia grass in the spring.
Cool Season Grasses
Fescue The most prevalent grass in the United States is tall fescue grass. This is owing to its capacity to adapt to many conditions, since it can tolerate heat, cold, shade, and drought. This is due to a deep root system that may reach depths of two to three feet. Tall fescue is easy to cultivate, although it may be damaged by heavy traffic. Tall fescue should be sown in the autumn and reseeded in the spring.
Kentucky Bluegrass Blue Grass is the sort of grass that most people imagine when they think of the perfect lawn. The bright green hue of Kentucky bluegrass makes it a popular plant. This grass is difficult to cultivate and demands a great deal of attention and care. It is more suited to northern lawns due to its shallow root structure, which does not tolerate heat well. Kentucky bluegrass may be sown and reseeded in the spring and autumn.
Perennial Ryegrass Annual ryegrass, a transitory grass used to reduce erosion, should not be confused with permanent ryegrass. Perennial ryegrass returns year after year. Because it germinates fast, ryegrass is good for new lawns. It grows best in colder climates with moderate summers, although it may also be found in the southern US. Perennial ryegrass should be sowed or reseeded in the autumn.
Will overseeding choke out weeds?
Overseeding your existing lawn with fresh grass seeds fills up barren spots and encourages greater grass growth. A lush grass lawn with no bare areas casts shadows on the earth underneath it, preventing weed seeds from obtaining sunlight and dying. Thick-growing grass takes soil moisture and nutrients before weed seeds can reach them. To get the greatest results, put a weed killer on lawn weeds before overseeding to establish strong grass that will not allow weeds to return.
- Weeds are less prone to overrun barren areas where grass has been overseeded.
- Overseeding thickens lawns, stifling weed seeds by preventing them from obtaining sunshine and nourishment.
- Regular overseeding provides a lush, weed-resistant grass without the need of pesticides.
- Grass plants, like other plants, degrade and die. By overseeding, you may revitalize your yard with new grass plants. This constant replenishment keeps your grass thick enough to suffocate new weeds. This means you won’t have to apply chemical weed killers as often on your current lawn.
Removing Weeds Before Overseeding
- The greatest results are obtained when existing weeds are killed before overseeding. This is due to the fact that no amount of grass, no matter how dense, can choke out existing, established weeds. Only good grass can inhibit the growth of fresh weed seeds.
- Weeds present during overseeding might deprive your new grass seedlings of water, nutrients, and sunshine. Get rid of the weeds to give your lawn a fighting chance.
- Existing weeds will not be killed or choked out by overseeding. A dense, overseeded grass will keep young weeds at bay.
- Kill established weeds before they reduce the water and nutrients in your grass seedlings.
- Remove existing weeds before overseeding for a higher germination rate and more new grass shoots. Overseeding weed-infested grass will result in a poor yield since new grass struggles to compete with weeds in an existing lawn.
Best Time of Year to Overseed Entire Lawn?
The finest benefits will come from seeding your lawn at the appropriate time for your grass kind. In the spring, warm-season grass lawns (such as Bermuda, Zoysia, and Centipede grass) should be overseeded. Cool-season grasses (Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, and Ryegrass) grow and thrive best when overseeded in the autumn.
- Overseed warm-season grasses in spring.
- Overseed cool-season grasses in fall.
Another benefit of overseeding cool-season grass lawns in the autumn is that there will be fewer weeds. Even if your lawn had crabgrass, it would have spread its seeds in the spring and perished by the autumn.
If you overseed in the autumn, new grass sprouts and establishes itself. The grass grows thick, and by spring, you’ll have a lush turf that will prevent many crabgrass seeds from sprouting.