Overseeding a lawn

Find out how to overseed a lawn successfully with our quick guide that breaks down the step-by-step processes to get your lawn growing thick and luscious in no time!

Overseeding an existing lawn is our recommended way to repair the wear and tear your grass has received throughout the year. It will encourage your grass to grow healthy, thick and strong – you can also give it a helping hand by applying a pre-seed fertiliser, which provides a boost of nutrients that will enhance the growth of its roots and increase your lawn's health in the long run!

What does overseeding a lawn do?

Spreading grass seed across the worn-out and thinning areas of your lawn is a reliable way to bring your garden lawn back to life. Overseeding a lawn should follow the removal of weeds and moss and the scarifying of a tired lawn. Adding fresh grass seed in this way is the perfect solution to repairing a lawn or garden that's looking patchy, tired, thin or worn out. Also known as reseeding, it's an important part of lawn care and will repair damaged areas of your garden, giving you lush green grass and making your garden lawn beautiful again!

When is the best time to overseed a garden lawn?

We recommend overseeding your lawn during September, as an autumn renovation job is best. If this is not possible, another beneficial time is during April or May as a spring renovation. Grass seed takes between 5-15 days to germinate when conditions are right, and temperatures of 8-10°C+ are required for at least two weeks from sowing the seed for the best results.

Our video below shares our expert advice on how to repair a lawn and get it looking fantastic again:

How to overseed your lawn

First, begin by removing weeds and moss from the area. You can do this by digging weeds out by the roots, which helps ensure they won’t return.
To get rid of moss, you can scarify your lawn to remove it if it doesn't cover a large area of your garden. However, if moss and weeds are seen across the entire surface of your garden and if your lawn is at least six months old, then our Feed, Weed and Moss Killer product will be the most effective solution. This works over two weeks to eradicate weeds and moss. Ensure your lawn has been scarified to remove any extra thatch before applying this or sowing your grass seed.
Once you have removed the weeds, moss and thatch from your lawn, you can mow it. It’s best to do the mowing now because you won’t be able to for six weeks after sowing the new grass seed.
Select the correct grass seed mixture and the correct amount for your needs - you'll need 35g per m2 to overseed.
You can also use our grass seed calculator to help you get the perfect amount of grass seed for your needs.
It's best to leave the prepared area to cultivate for 10-14 days. This encourages dormant weeds to appear, which can be removed by hand.
You can now sow your grass seed by hand or use a spreader.
The next stage is to water your new grass seeds daily for six weeks after sowing.
Your lawn will be ready for its first mow when the grass is 5-7cm tall
Mow the entire lawn (old and new grass) on the highest setting on your mower before dropping to the recommended height for your mix.

Further advice for overseeding a lawn

Depending on the time of year, apply an Autumn/Winter fertiliser or a Spring/Summer fertiliser around a week after sowing the grass seed to boost the growth of your lawn.

We have further reading on all things grass seed and lawn care in our Help & Advice area, including our Frequently Asked Questions section.

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