Winter Lawn Overseeding in Phoenix, Arizona

Those of us who live in the Valley of the Sun are lucky, unlike other parts of the country, you have a choice whether to keep your lawn green all year, or to let it go dormant. Most people do chose to keep it green. In addition to being more esthetically pleasing than a straw colored landscape, maintaining a healthy green lawn all year provides the added benefit of keeping weeds from getting a foothold in your commercial property landscaping.

It is important that you make the decision early on, so you can properly prepare your lawn for overseeding. Start the discussion with Greens Keeper in August, so that we can begin transitioning your commercial landscaping in September for installation in October. Waiting until your Bermuda lawn goes dormant naturally before overseeding is not a good idea. Good seed germination takes sun (warmth), adequate water and contact with soil. You want to make sure temperatures are still warm enough to help with germination. There is only a small window of opportunity each year when conditions are ideal, which is why it is so important to plan ahead. Late season installations should be avoided.

Winter Lawn Overseeding
Warm season grasses like Bermuda go dormant and turn blondish/brown when soil temperatures fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want your lawn to remain green you must overseed the Bermuda with a cooler season grass, like Rye. Perennial Ryegrass is preferred to annual Ryegrass for winter because it’s blade is darker green, hardier, finer and easier to mow.

Do not overseed a Bermuda lawn unless it has been established for at least three months. Overseeding is also not recommended for St. Augustine lawns. If you have Zoysia, use half the recommended seeding rate. For shaded areas overseeding with Fescue is recommended.

How We Install A Winter Lawn in Phoenix, Arizona

We stop fertilizing 4 to 6 weeks prior to overseeding your Bermuda lawn, and cut back on watering. If needed, we will dethatch the landscaping lightly. Thatch is dead grass below the green part of the lawn and above the soil. We set the dethatcher blades to run at about 1/4” above the soil, so as not to dig into the soil, this might damage the root structure of your Bermuda, and we DO want it to fill back in next year when the Rye dies. next we rake the removed thatch into piles and dispose of it. The next step is scalping. This lowers the height of the Bermuda, making it easier for the Rye seed to receive the sunlight/warmth it needs to germinate. 10 to 15 lbs of seed per 1000 sq. ft. of greenscape is applied, Including a starter fertilizer with seed. We then will rake or drag to ensure seed makes contact with soil. The seed  is lightly covered with no more than 1/4” of weed and salt free organic mulch. Keep seeds damp by watering 3 to 4 times per day with light 5 to 7 minute durations. You want to avoid seed becoming dry, or overly saturated.

After germination (7-10 days), reduce watering frequency as needed. This is dependent upon the type of sprinkler heads you have, temperature, wind, and rain, and may vary from once every two weeks to every other day. Only water enough to avoid wilt between watering. When grass is 2” tall (about 2 weeks) we can mow for the first time. Two weeks after planting, Greens Keeper will fertilize your landscape using a balance fertilizer. We will fertilize monthly, or as needed after that. Iron & calcium nitrate should be applied at least once before frost. 

Keep in mind that Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance can Help!  Please contact us at; Sales: 623-848-8277 We serve businesses like yours throughout the entire Phoenix Metro Area.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net