Fescue turf has taken a beating this summer between the heat and weeds. Fall brings a respite to the stressed turf. However it takes more than cooler weather to get your fescue back in prime condition and to give it back that lush look we all want and love in our lawns. Aeration and overseeding is a process that alleviates soil compaction and replaces turf lost in summer. With the hot recent weather in the Charlotte area, it is almost a requirement if you want to get the best look for your fescue.
Aeration is the loosening of the soil to allow the essential elements (air, water, and nutrients) to better penetrate our heavy clay soils. It can be done with a core aerator (a machine that pulls plugs of dirt out of the soil) or an aerovator which is a tractor mounted machine that shakes and shatters the top 3 to 4 inches of soil. Both are effective, but where the landscape allows, we prefer to use the aerovator as the plugs left by the core aerator will be messy and shaking the soil provides a more uniform loosening effect than plugs. In areas that are too small to maneuver the tractor for the aerovator, we use the smaller core aerator. Either device will relieve the soil compaction, which with our hard, clay soil is essential for good seed germination.
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| Aerovator and Aerator |
Overseeding replaces the turf that could not survive the heat of summer. Fescue is not a spreading grass, so overseeding fills in any bare areas left when crabgrass dies out. Timing is important. Typically, we try to aerate and seed in the September/October timeframe. Doing it earlier as opposed to later gives you the opportunity to touch-up any areas that may not germinate due to a variety of factors.
Seed and technique matter. If you are going to tackle this yourself, make sure you are using good, quality seed and take your time to get adequate coverage with the aerator and spreader. Be careful not to put down too much seed. Optimally, you want the seed to be about 1 to 1.5 inches apart because as fescue matures, each seedling will form a plant about the size of your fist. So putting too much seed in one area hinders root growth because too many plants are competing for the same nutrients. Eventually they will choke each other out.
What can you do to help the process along?
Before aeration and overseeding:
- Mow: Mow your lawn at 2 inches tall to allow good seed to soil contact when overseeding.
- Irrigation: If you have sprinkler heads, it is important that you mark your sprinkler heads with flags to avoid any damage by heavy aerators and aerovators.We want to prevent damage to your property as well as complete the job as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- Water: A good watering the night before can make sure the soil is soft for aeration. Better plugs allow more chance for your seed to grow.
- Water: Once the lawn has been aerated and seeded it is vital that your lawn receives daily watering to ensure the best germination possible. The best rule of thumb is to keep soil moist for two weeks after seeding. Allow the seed to dry out between waterings as overwatering can decrease germination results also.
- Mow: Once seeded, you want to give the young seedlings time to take hold before mowing. We try to hold off mowing until the seedlings are at least 2 inches tall (typically 10 - 21 days.) Mowing too soon can pull up the tender shoots.
- Traffic: With newly seeded lawns, you want to avoid stepping on them as much as possible until they are established. I know that with kids and dogs this is more difficult, but the more undisturbed time you can give the new seed to grow, the better the germination will be.
Just to be clear, this article applies to fescue turfs. If you have a bermudagrass lawn, aeration and seeding typically takes place in the spring before the bermudagrass growing season starts. Hopefully these tips will help you make the most out of your lawn this fall. As always, visit our website or give us a call if AA Tex Lawn can be of any help to you with this process.
Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team
