Over-Seeding this lawn will be a waste of effort and resources.
Lawns with pale colored grass, weeds and bare spots are probably deficient in nutrients and consist of compacted soil or clay soil. Spreading a few handfuls of seed would achieve the same result................there is already bare soil there and grass seed would make soil contact and be expected to sprout.
How do you get and maintain a deep lush lawn? Here at Gap Power we rent aerators and overseeders so we are often asked for advice. While we cannot substitute for the Lawn Care Pros we can provide some caution on what to expect from an aerator or overseeder.
An overseeder is intended to place seed very precisely into the ground to maximize seed to soil contact. Without seed to soil contact you cannot get good germination rates - few of the seeds will sprout.
An aerator works by removing plugs of soil and sod from the ground. It encourages deeper root growth and maintains the overall soil health by allowing water, air and nutrients to penetrate below the soil surface.
However, lawns in a run-down condition require nutrients such as Scotts Turf Builder or other top dressing with a
Top Dresser. Apply Turf Builder or other top dressing, then work it into the soil by using an aerator like the one below. Click on it to get rental rates and more info. You'll see we have walk behind aerators, ride on aerators, tow behind aerators and 3 point hitch tractor mount aerators to rent at Gap Power. All are easy to use, can be delivered to your door and deliver
great results if you give some thought to the entire process as opposed to expecting the machine alone to provide the needed cure.
