Get matched with top lawn irrigation specialists in Yah-ta-hey, NM

While it may seem easier and faster to throw grass seed onto dirt and call it a day, that method likely won’t yield great results. Preparing your lawn for reseeding or seeding by clearing rocks and debris, aerating, removing existing grass, or leveling it. You should also plan out the best time to plant your grass based on its type and your location to ensure it grows well. So, if you want your grass to grow successfully, put more time and effort into the project than throwing seed on the ground.

Although these terms sound similar and are sometimes used interchangeably, overseeding and reseeding your lawn are very different processes. Overseeding, the simpler of the two, involves a few steps to restore thinned or patchy grass by raking, aerating, and seeding uneven areas of turf to promote regrowth.

Reseeding a lawn is a more drastic and involved process, often necessary if the lawn is diseased, more than a third dead, or very overgrown with weeds. Unlike overseeding, it requires removing most of the existing lawn and starting a new one from scratch, a much bigger and more time-consuming job.

Technically, yes, at least some of the grass seed you throw on the ground will germinate. If the area doesn’t have good drainage, rain or overwatering can move seeds before they have germinated, leaving your patches still patchy. What does grow won’t have strong roots if there isn’t proper aeration.

When stored under ideal conditions, grass seed lasts anywhere from 10 to 18 months from the testing date without any real decrease in the germination rate. You can still use the seeds after this timeframe, but the germination rates drop 10% to 20% each year. 

If you’re just embarking on an overseeding project, using seeds that have been in storage for a few years isn’t too big of a deal. However, if you’re planning on redoing your entire landscape, your best bet for a healthy, luscious lawn is to use new seeds.