School is back in session, and your family’s little offshoots are growing their minds and cultivating their futures in the classroom. Now it’s time for moms to give their gardens the TLC needed to succeed in the year to come. Grab your gardening gloves because fall is upon us, and late September offers ideal conditions to aerate and overseed.

Aeration
Before aeration, Georgia gardeners need to ready their roots for revitalization. Weed and dethatch your lawn using herbicides, dethatching machines, or good old fashioned gardening gloves. Clearing your lawn’s buildup of dead grass, tangled weeds, and thick fibrous plant life allows your lawn to breathe easy, making your aeration more effective. Then choose the right tool for your DIY aeration:

Hand aerator
Aerator shoes
Spike aerator
Rolling aerator
Plug aerator
Rolling aerators and plug aerators work efficiently with one use, but hand aerators, aerator shoes, and spike aerators may need multiple applications to effectively allow oxygen and nutrients to your plants’ roots. Simply follow the purchase or rental instructions to aerate your landscape.

Overseeding
Applying fresh seed to your fall fescue fills dry or bare patches that may have developed during your family’s hot summer escapades. Overseeding machines are easy to rent and use. To begin:

Aerate your lawn
Find the right seed
Apply a layer of starter fertilizer
Irrigate and hydrate your soil
Lay your seed, focusing on laying even layers without gaps or overlap
Water several times daily for the first 2 weeks
Fertilize every few weeks
Allow your grass to grow several inches before mowing
Once your grass is established, you can trim, design, and enjoy your lush, maintained lawn. Then reward the hard work of your kids’ favorite gardener by planning a late fall picnic, organizing a pickup game of football, or simply cutting loose with your family on your green, gorgeous grass.

Call Bloom’n Gardens with any questions about aerating and overseeding your fescue lawn this fall.