How to overseed our lawn and when to do it?anyone done this?

[Frisco mommy2]

We have a huge yard and a few years ago my husband overseeded with some grass seed, not sure what but it grows so fast and it thick blades so our lawn looks like 2 different grasses pretty much. Those who overseeded before what did you use and how and when to do it. We have 1/2 acre so a huge yard, loved it when we moved it just too much grass to mow. Thanks

[JJFrisco]

We have southern grasses here, which fall into 3 main types:
- Bermuda (95% of Frisco has bermuda)
- St Augustine
- Zoysia

Typically you overseed the southern grasses in the winter with rye. Most people do not do this, but you can do it for winter color. You would do this in the early fall and it dies out from the heat by summertime.

You can also overseed in the spring, but the grass seed has to be able to withstand the summer heat. The varieties that can do this are:
Bermuda - Only use this if you are seeding pasture or large bare areas. If your existing bermuda is thin from shade, don't seed bermuda into bermuda. Fix the shade issue or use a more shade lolerant grass type.
St. Augustine - This isnt available in seed, but can be sodded for better shade tolerance. This is a much wider blade of grass than bermuda, has different fertilizer requirements than bermuda, and IMO looks like crap mixed in with bermuda.
Zoysia - This can be seeded (sod is better though) into bermuda for better shade tolerance. Its only a little wider blade than bermuda and looks okay mixed together.
Tall Fescue - We are at the very southern limit on where Tall Fescue can survive. It has excellent shade tolerance, but it will thin in the summer heat. It also grows straight up, is a different shade of green and will really stand apart from bermuda and not look good mixed together.

[JJFrisco]

After I re-read your post, I would guess that he overseeded with Tall Fescue (my last bullet above). Here is some additional info on Tall Fescue:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/a.../tallfesc.html

[FCS Wes]

Originally Posted by Frisco mommy2

We have a huge yard and a few years ago my husband overseeded with some grass seed, not sure what but it grows so fast and it thick blades so our lawn looks like 2 different grasses pretty much. Those who overseeded before what did you use and how and when to do it. We have 1/2 acre so a huge yard, loved it when we moved it just too much grass to mow. Thanks

Thick bladed grass that was seeded is likely rye. Fescue is a very thin blade and doesn't usually survive here year to year without repeated reseeding; fescue would also blend in with Bermuda and not be very noticeable or as much as rye would. Rye blades look similar to St Augustine blades but it doesn't run, it only grows straight up.



This is Rye Grass


Tall Fescue