10 Benefits of Overseeding

The most well-known benefits of overseeding turf are a thicker, greener lawn and better grass resilience to drought, pests, and diseases. 

But that’s not all it offers. There are many benefits of overseeding your lawn, and we’re discussing all the important ones in this article.

1. Thick, uniform, good-looking grass

Spreading grass seed over an existing lawn is the simplest way to fill bare spots, improve density in thinned areas, and correct unsightly patches. 

But there’s a catch here. If it’s soil issues, pests, or diseases that damage the grass in the first place, you must improve the soil and treat the lawn before overseeding. Otherwise, new turf might not grow properly. 

If you’re looking for faster solutions to cover brown patches, you can spray grass paint or install sod or plugs.

2. Less hand-weeding and nice savings on herbicides 

Dense turf is naturally equipped to smother weeds, depriving them of water, nutrients, sunlight, and space. It shades the soil, stopping weed seeds from germinating and giving any young weeds a hard time growing.

It’s a strong competition for resources that leads to fewer weeds to hand-pick and savings on herbicide costs and professional weed control fees. Overseeding is the best eco-friendly weed-control method for homeowners who want a chemical-free yard. 

3. Faster recovery from pest attacks and diseases

Tired of seeing your grass ruined by fungi or insects? Overseeding with more resilient grass species makes your lawn less prone to lawn diseases and pests. Bugs and fungi will still test your grass if there’s an infestation in the area, but you’ll see less damage and faster recovery from outbreaks.

Properly overseeded grass is more successful in beating diseases and pests without chemical treatments, thus creating more opportunities to save on lawn maintenance and keep the lawn pesticide-free. 

4. Improved drought tolerance

It’s that exposed soil surface you see through the thinned grass canopy? That bare dirt loses water fast on hot days. When you overseed, you hide it underneath thick grass, protected from the scorching sun. 

Dense turf shades the soil and lowers its temperature, reducing water evaporation. This means moisture stays longer in the ground and has time to go deeper into the soil. 

In normal conditions, dense turf leads to less watering. During drought and watering restrictions, the grass better handles intense heat, water scarcity, and sunlight exposure. To ensure a healthy, thick lawn during summer, choose a drought-tolerant grass from the start, such as Bermuda, buffalograss, or tall fescue.

Learn more about lawn care during the drought from our guides:

• “How to Prepare Your Lawn for Drought”
• “Best Ways to Water During a Drought”
• “How to Help Your Lawn Recover from Drought”

5. Better tolerance to foot traffic

Dense, healthy turf can handle traffic better than thinned grass. Overseeding high-traffic areas is an effective way to delay wear and tear signs across the lawn. 

The results are even better if you use the overseeding to add turf species and varieties that are more resilient to wear and tear, such as Bermudagrass and Kentucky bluegrass.

6. Steadier slopes, less soil erosion and runoff

If your lawn is sloped or rich in sand, yearly overseeding is essential to keep the soil in place.

Overseeding to keep the lawn thick limits the wind speed at the ground level, preventing it from eroding the soil. It also builds a dense network of hairy grassroots that keeps the topsoil in place under heavy rain. 

Sloped lawns are notoriously difficult to manage. Here are a few guides that can help:

• “How to Plant Grass Seed on a Slope”
• “How to Mow on a Slope or Incline”
• “Best Grass for Sandy Soil”

7. Better drainage around the house

A properly dense lawn also absorbs and holds more water. It improves water drainage and helps you better manage flooding and runoff across your property. With a yard prone to pooling water, maintaining a healthy, thick lawn is one method of keeping water away from your home during the rainy season.

Note: Depending on the type of grass, a dense lawn can also mean more thatch. Keep the thatch layer thin (less than 1/2 inches thick). Otherwise, it can compromise water absorption and airflow.

8. Improved soil structure 

Homeowners often aerate the soil before overseeding. Lawn aeration creates tiny holes that allow better airflow, water drainage, and nutrient absorption. It is a practice that reduces soil compaction and supports deep roots and healthier grass.

In overseeded lawns, the thick turf canopy softens the impact of heavy rainfall and foot traffic on the soil surface. The soil still compacts in time but slower than on a thinned lawn or a lawn with bare patches.

Dense, healthy grass also keeps the soil attractive (moist and cool) for friendly earthworms digging tiny tunnels to search for food. These little guys improve airflow and enrich the soil with plant-available nutrients.

9. Prolonged green-lawn season 

If you grow a Bermudagrass lawn, overseeding can help keep your yard green longer during the cold season. Overseeding Bermuda with perennial ryegrass is common in mid-southern states for homeowners who want a green lawn after Bermuda enters dormancy.  

10. Limits water pollution

Overseeded lawns require fewer chemicals (herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides) to thrive and slow down runoff. Their dense root systems capture and break pollutants that reach the lawn area, protecting the local waters from chemical pollution. 

What lawns benefit the most from aeration and overseeding

Cool-season lawns benefit the most from overseeding. Perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and fine fescue have a bunch-growing habit that prevents them from spreading across the lawn to replace damaged plants. Good-quality seeds are also readily available.

On the other hand, Bermuda, zoysia, Bahia, and other warm-season grasses often stay thick and neat without overseeding. They spread less through seed and mainly through rhizomes and stolons, which can fill thinned and bare patches with proper watering and fertilization.

“Centipedegrass and bahiagrass both are prolific seed producers, but due to their spreading growth habit, overseeding them is typically not necessary and/or recommended,” says Dr. Bryan Unruh, Professor and Associate Center Director at the West Florida Research and Education Center.

FAQ about overseeding benefits

Can you use too much seed when overseeding?

Yes. If you go above the recommended seeding rates, overly dense turf causes grass plants to compete against each other for resources. A lawn that is seeded too thick also can cause limited airflow, a higher risk for fungal diseases, and excessive thatch.  

How much does overseeding cost?

Seeding a lawn costs $0.09 and $0.19 per square foot, depending on the type of grass and seeding method. If you plan to DIY, read our guide on overseeding the lawn to learn more about the correct steps, tools, and useful tips.

When is the best time to overseed?

The best time to overseed your lawn is late spring to early summer for warm-season grasses and late summer to early fall for cool-season grasses. Spring overseeding is the second-best option for cool-season grasses. 

Enjoy the benefits of professional overseeding!

Stop worrying about all the overseeding details. Find a local lawn care company with Lawn Love, schedule professional overseeding, and enjoy all the benefits of a thick, healthy, lush lawn with no effort on your part!

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock

Sinziana Spiridon

Sinziana Spiridon is an outdoorsy blog writer with a green thumb and a passion for organic gardening. When not writing about weeds, pests, soil, and growing plants, she's tending to her veggie garden and the lovely turf strip in her front yard.

Posts by Sinziana Spiridon