The Ultimate Post-Overseeding Checklist: Water, Mow, and Traffic Rules

You’ve gone to the trouble to prep your yard, purchase seed, and spread it. Now it’s time to make sure that it grows, and that requires a strict watering schedule otherwise all that hard work will go to waste. Miss just one watering, and the germination rate of that new seed drops dramatically. Allow traffic on your lawn too early, and you’ll kill delicate seedlings. Mow at the wrong time and you’ll stress the new seedlings, or allow them to become overwhelmed by existing turf. Here’s the regimen to follow after you overseed your lawn. 

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Short and Frequent Water Cycles Are Key

Forget watering for 30 minutes every morning. Instead, you need to water  3 times daily at 5 to 10 minutes each for 15 to 20 days. The goal here is to keep the 1/4 inch of soil looking like a wrung out sponge. It should be dark and damp, but you should never have puddles or so much moisture that it leads to fungus growth. Once you reach that 20 day period, switch back to watering twice a week. 

Traffic Control

Keep off newly seeded grass for 2 to 3 weeks to allow the seeds to germinate and establish roots. Avoid all foot traffic from people and pets to prevent soil compaction and damage to the new seedlings. Light traffic to move around sprinklers is okay, but keep kids and pets off the lawn during this period. If possible, try to minimize foot traffic on the lawn for 6 to 8 weeks to allow the roots to really establish themselves. 

When to Mow After Overseeding

Wait as long as possible before mowing. This gives your new seed time to grow and establish itself before you stress it. That said, you don’t want to wait too long for your existing turf to overgrow the new seed and begin shading it out. Once your new seed reaches 3 inches long, it’s time to mow. 

Mowing your lawn goes hand in hand with watering. Watering your lawn three times a day makes it very soft, and hence susceptible to damage from a heavy mower. Before you drop your mowing schedule to twice a week, wait a couple of days for the lawn to firm up, then make your first mow so you don’t leave ruts in your yard. After that mow, start following your twice a week schedule.

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When to Fertilize

Wait to fertilize your lawn until you’ve mowed the new grass at least three to four times. Remember, the first mow should be after the new grass reaches 3 inches tall. Fertilizer can easily burn new seedlings, so it's crucial to give them time to mature before exposing them to fertilizer.