Turfgrass (Lawn) Renovation

Renovating lawns includes overseeding existing lawn or killing weeds and old grass and reseeding the lawn. Major lawn renovations which include overseeding, or complete lawn renovation (seeding, sod, plugs, sprigs) should be done in the early fall (late August or early September) so the new grass has time to get established. If it can’t be done in the fall, early spring is acceptable.

Overseeding |Complete Lawn Renovation (Seed, Sod, Plugs, Sprigs)

Overseeding  [back to top]

Overseeding may be done if more than 50% of the lawn is in good condition. In the north, overseed in the fall and in the south, overseed in spring. Follow these steps to properly overseed a lawn; (1) mow lawn down to ¼ to ½ inch, rake out thatch, (2)pull out weeds, (3) broadcast seed (use handheld broadcast spreader), (4) lightly rake surface to assure seed makes contact with soil, (5) gently water the lawn, and (6) add a light layer of straw, hay, or pelletized straw mulch.

Because southern grasses turn brown during the winter, it may be necessary to overseed the lawn with northern grass seed. To maintain a southern lawns beautiful appearance, throughout the season, overseed in late August or early September with Kentucky bluegrass, annual ryegrass, or perennial ryegrass.  

Handheld Broadcast Spreader Distribute seed more evenly and over a wider area.

Shade Champ Grass Seed Does well anywhere--even in full shade!

Gardener's GoldTM Mulch Natural, effective way to ensure fast germination of grass seed.

Complete Renovation (Seed, Sod, Plugs, Sprigs) [back to top]

Complete lawn renovation is necessary when the lawn encompasses over 50% weeds and other half has spots or looks weak. To remove a lawn, a sod stripper or rotary tiller may be used (sod strippers are quick but require the loss of topsoil). After removing the existing grass, a new lawn can be established by using of seed, sod, plugs, or sprigs. Seeding requires following the same steps previously mentioned in the overseeding section.

The installation of sod involves the following steps: (1) water the soil to a depth of 6 inches, (2) lay the first strips of sod against a walkway or some other straight boundary, (3) stagger the remaining strips tightly together, (4) use a lawn roller to firm the sod, and (5) keep the lawn moist until established.

Plugs are small blocks of sod about 2 inches square and about 2 to 3 inches thick. To plant them, dig holes just a bit bigger than the plugs at 1 foot apart, and then insert the plugs.

Sprigs are stolons (shoots) that root when planted in the soil. They are produced by shredding sod into individual stems 4 to 8 inches long. Bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysia all can be grown from sprigs.

Ball, Jeff and Liz. Rodale's Landscape Problem Solver: A Plant-by-Plant Guide. Pennsylvania: Rodale Press. 1989.

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