Overseeding your lawn in Iowa is a great way to fill in any bare or patchy areas with new grass growth, which will make it thicker and denser. However, there are some things that you should do before overseeding to ensure the seeds have the best chance of germinating successfully. First, you should mow your lawn shorter than usual so the seeds can get good seed-to-soil contact. Second, you should remove debris from your lawn because it can block the seeds from reaching the soil. Finally, you should aerate your lawn before overseeding it because the holes created during the aeration process provide the perfect spot for the seeds to fall into!

1. Mow Your Lawn Shorter Than Usual Before Overseeding

Worker mowing a lawn on a green mower in Ankeny, IA.

The first thing you should do before overseeding your lawn is to mow it shorter than usual. That's because if you were to overseed your lawn while it was still at its normal height, the seeds could become caught in the grass blades and may not be able to reach the ground.

To prevent this from happening, you should cut your grass to a shorter length to give the seeds better access to the soil. By doing so, the seeds will have no trouble making their way down to the ground where they can fall into the perfect spots!

Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass seeds are the ideal type of seed to use when overseeding lawns here in Iowa.

2. Remove Any Debris From Your Lawn Before Overseeding

Leaves scattered across a lawn in Ankeny, IA.

Another important task you need to complete before overseeding your lawn is to remove any debris from it. This includes leaves, sticks, twigs, and other various types of debris that tend to accumulate throughout the year. If you were to overseed your lawn without removing these obstructions, then they could potentially block the seeds from reaching the ground. What's more, they could also block any seeds that do reach the soil from receiving essential resources, such as sunlight, oxygen, and water. Without these resources, the seeds likely won't germinate. So, by removing debris from your lawn, you'll be giving the seeds the best opportunity to grow into beautiful, healthy blades of grass!

3. Aerate Your Lawn Before Overseeding It

Holes left in the grass as a result from core aeration.

A third thing you should do before overseeding your lawn is to have it aerated. Aeration involves pulling up plugs of soil to loosen compaction and allow nutrients and resources like sunlight, air, and water to easily penetrate the ground and reach the roots of your grass. This process creates thousands of tiny holes in the ground that are the perfect spot for the seeds to fall into! In fact, after the seeds are spread, they'll fall into those holes and have excellent contact with the soil. Not only that, but they'll also have extra protection from the wind, rain, and critters that eat seeds. When this happens, more of them will germinate, and you'll reap even better results!

Call us today to sign up for our overseeding service!

If you want to turn a thin, lackluster lawn into a thick, lush one, then we are the company to call! At ETCH Outdoor Living, we offer an overseeding service that involves spreading cool-season seeds across your turf to increase its overall density. We typically perform this service after we aerate your lawn to give the seeds the best chance of germinating.

We offer our overseeding service to residential and commercial property owners, as well as HOAs, in Ankeny, Johnston, Urbandale, West Des Moines, Waukee, IA, and throughout the surrounding areas. Give us a call today at (515) 654-5447 to sign up for our overseeding service. We look forward to hearing from you!