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Along with helping your grass grow in thicker and healthier, overseeding better equips it against hungry insects, common lawn diseases, drought, heavy foot traffic, and other foes that can weaken or kill the grass over time. By investing the extra time and money into overseeding, you’re lowering potential costs of fertilizer, pesticides, or possibly reseeding the lawn in the future.

The best time to plant grass seed depends on your local climate and whether you have cool-season or warm-season grass.

For cool-season grasses (like tall fescue), the ideal time to seed is late summer or early fall (typically August and September). During this period, the soil is still warm from the summer, but the air is cooler, creating optimal conditions for germination and root establishment before winter. There is also less competition from weeds. Spring is a secondary option, but cooler soil temperatures, the risk of a late frost, and less time for the grass to mature before summer heat can make it less successful.

For warm-season grasses (like St. Augustine), the best time to plant is from late spring through mid-summer (typically May and June), when temperatures are consistently between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

In general, it is best to avoid seeding during winter or early spring, as cold soil and air can prevent seeds from germinating. For recommendations tailored to your specific grass type and climate, consider consulting a local lawn care professional.

Unfortunately, no. Grass seeds need a lot of moisture until they become sprouts, so this is an especially sensitive time. While they'll dry out if they get dehydrated, over-watering creates other problems. The grass seeds don't recover because they can just wash away or even rot, making for low germination rates. The ones that do germinate after being pushed under the soil may start to sprout only to die from lack of sunlight.

Power seeding can be worth it if your existing lawn is looking sparse or patchy. Power seeding can quickly and effectively plant new grass seeds and help grow a thicker lawn. But if your lawn is in pretty good health but could use a little more TLC through dethatching, fertilizing, weeding, or aerating, you may not need to spend money on power seeding costs.