Transform Your Lawn: A Winnipeger's Guide to Overseeding
Feb 19, 2024
What is overseeding:
Overseeding means spreading new grass seeds on top of your existing lawn to make it thicker and healthier.
It helps fill in bare spots and makes your lawn look full.
Why should you overseed in Winnipeg, Manitoba:
Winnipeg's weather can be tough on lawns, making them thin and patchy.
This is due to the large temperature variance between our winter and summer seasons.
How overseeding can revitalize patches of grass damaged by Voles:
Voles can dig tunnels in your lawn and eat the grass roots, leaving ugly bare spots.
Overseeding helps fill in these spots and makes your lawn look nice again.
Annual vs Perennial Grass Seed
Annual grass seeds last only for one year.
Perennial grass seeds grow back year after year.
Perennial grass is better because you don't have to keep planting it every year, saving time and effort.
What time of year should you overseed:
Fall and spring are the best times to overseed because the weather is cooler, and there's more rain, which helps the new seeds grow.
Overseeding in the middle of summer is fine too, but you should consider investing in an irrigation system if you don't already have one. This could be in the form of an underground sprinkler system or spot sprinkler.
If you would like a sprinkler system installed you can contact Eli at 4EverGreen Irrigation, he does great work.
If you don't want to go all in on a sprinkler system like the one above, this one from Aqua Joe will work great. It has over 30,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5.
How to Prep Your Lawn for Overseeding
Aerate or Put Down Top Soil (Optional)
Aeration or spreading topsoil allows seed-to-soil contact, a necessary step for germination
Aeration and topsoil ensures the soil contacts the seed (although not necessary if your lawn is soft and soil is showing)
If you need aeration we can do this for you, click here
Put Down Seed
Lay your seed on top of the bare areas
If you aerated aim for the cores
If you put down soil spread your seed on top of it
Water Frequently
Water your seed three times per week for 30 minutes
This helps create deep grass roots and is superior to watering every day for 15 minutes
Best brand of seed for Winnipeg's Climate:
Premium: Scotts Supreme Grass Seed
Contains grass seed varieties like Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, which are known to thrive in Winnipeg's climate.
Designed to withstand the temperature fluctuations and harsh weather conditions typical of Winnipeg, ensuring long-term resilience and durability.
Formulated with Scotts' WaterSmart PLUS coating, which helps seeds absorb water efficiently, crucial for promoting healthy growth in Winnipeg's varying moisture levels.
Perennial Seed
Thrives in Winnipeg due to its mix of grass seed varieties (Red Fescue, Ryegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass) that are well-suited to the city's climate and soil conditions, providing resilience against temperature fluctuations and harsh weather.
Offers advantages over more premium seeds in terms of affordability while still delivering reliable performance, making it a practical choice for homeowners seeking a thick, healthy lawn without breaking the bank.
Perennial Seed
Budget Friendly: Scotts Grass Seed All Purpose
Includes Kentucky Blue and Ryegrass
As an all-purpose blend, it is designed to perform well in both sunny and shady areas, ensuring satisfactory growth across various lawn conditions, albeit with a capped potential.
Available in a budget-friendly option of 5kg, providing significantly more seed for a similar price compared to other packages offering only a fifth of the amount.
Perennial
Thank you for reading this far! If you're tired of overseeding duties, why not leave it to us? Contact Yardona Property Maintenance at 204-771-7838. We're here to make your lawn care hassle-free.