10 Of The Best Seeds To Use When Overseeding Your Lawn This Fall

When the summer months have turned and the nights draw in, it can be easy to forget about giving our outside space the TLC it needs to thrive and survive over the winter. However, your yard can still be a place of nature and beauty during the colder months by tending to the plants and landscaping. One great way to do this is by overseeding your lawn in the fall. Overseeding allows you to patch up the worn and tired-looking parts of your lawn. By growing cool-season grasses as a stand-in for your warm-season grasses, your lawn will look dense and healthy until your warm-season grasses start to thrive. 

When picking seeds to use for overseeding your lawn, think about your climate and the location of your grass. Certain seeds, such as Kentucky bluegrass, do well in sunny locations. However, if your lawn is in the shade, you may wish to pick creeping red fescue or hard fescue seeds. A mix of different seeds is recommended for overseeding, but ensure that all grass types are appropriate for your lawn and climate. 

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is a grass seed best for overseeding in sunny locations, although it can tolerate partial shade. It grows well during the fall, winter, and spring months, with its growth slowing down once the hotter weather arrives. Although slower to establish compared to other cool-season options, with a germination rate of 14 days, Kentucky bluegrass adapts well in many climates across the U.S. and is widely used. Thriving in humid, cool conditions, this low-growing grass does well in a range of soils and is very winter hardy.

Another great grass for sunny locations, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) seeds can be used for overseeding lawns in the fall. This cool-season grass provides color and density over the winter months and has a quick germination time of five to 10 days. Perennial ryegrass quickly emerges shortly after sowing to help your lawn stay attractive and suppress weeds. It tolerates colder weather well but will often suffer in hotter climates in spring and summer, where it will need to be controlled before it gets clumpy and difficult to manage. 

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is a widely planted cool-season grass that is suitable for both sunny and partially shady lawns. It has a germination time of seven to 12 days and can tolerate heat, drought, and traffic well. However, it will suffer from more extreme winter conditions. Tall fescue can be grown in a range of soils but does prefer fertile soils with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. It will establish itself and remain looking good in the summer as long as you have a decent lawn irrigation system set up. 

A quick-to-establish grass, red fescue (Festuca rubra), is a great option for overseeding a lawn that is in a shady location. With a germination time of seven to 14 days, red fescue can grow up to 3 feet, but is usually mown and kept short. It is also used for erosion control as it stabilizes the soil well. When compared to other varieties of fescue grass, red fescue does have the lowest cost per pound. However, it does have a higher sowing rate, which leads to more seeds used overall. 

Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. Commutata) is another suitable grass seed for a shady lawn. It is closely related to red fescue but requires less maintenance because of its low-growing nature. As it grows aggressively and quickly takes over a lawn, chewings fescue allows you to get strong results when overseeding. It does well in acidic soils with low fertility and is tolerant of drought. However, chewings fescue is known to go dormant in the summer months and should not be mowed during this time to protect its health. 

Hard fescue (Festuca brevipila) is a fantastic low-maintenance option that is resilient to drought, freezing temperatures, and low fertility. It has a germination rate of seven to 14 days but can be slow to establish. Hard fescue is suitable for overseeding no-mow lawns, as it doesn't recover well from injury and can be difficult to mow. However, it is very useful for soil stability and erosion control. If you overseed with hard fescue in the fall, it will survive into the summer months by going into dormancy to protect itself from heat stress. 

Like hard fescue, sheep fescue (Festuca ovina) is a tough grass that can tolerate drought and low-fertility soils. Sheep fescue is suitable for lawns that are in partial shade. It can grow to around 12 inches tall, which means you can either mow it back or let it grow for a slightly wilder look. Once it has established itself, sheep fescue does not need that much water. If you have overseeded with sheep fescue in the fall, it will do most of its growing during this time and then turn a rich green color in spring. 

Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is a quick-growing grass that is perfect for cover and overseeding in the fall. As the name suggests, annual ryegrass will not last once the summer comes around because of its life cycle and sensitivity to heat and drought. However, it does provide warm-season grasses with great cover over the winter months, germinating within five to 10 days of seeding and establishing itself rapidly. Annual ryegrass is suitable for shadier locations and can help with soil health and stability. It can do well in a range of soils. 

Supina bluegrass (Poa supina) thrives in cool, moist areas and can grow fast when used to overseed a lawn during a damp fall. It is one of the best grasses to go for if your lawn is in a very shady location, as supina bluegrass can grow well in as much as 90% shade. It is tolerant of traffic and wear, too, so it is a great choice for a lawn that gets a lot of use. Although it does well in the cold, it can suffer when the months get warmer. 

Colonial bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris) does well in cooler locations and can thrive in soils with low fertility. You can grow colonial bentgrass in areas with partial shade, and it often thrives when it is protected from the harsh afternoon sun. However, it is pretty sensitive to traffic and can suffer in a busy area. With a germination time of 10 to 14 days, colonial bluegrass is fairly quick to start growing when spread in the fall. Once it has established itself, it needs to be mowed once a week.