# Rolling Lawn after Overseeding?



## tgoulart (Jun 21, 2018)

Here in southern Maine I will be overseeding in a few weeks (3rd week of August). I plan on core aerating and then broadcast seeding a KBF, TTTF and PRG mix. I have full irrigation, so I will plan on watering 3 times per day.

My 2017 Simplicity tractor has a deck with full width rollers. The question is should I roll the lawn by running the tractor as I would when I mow, but obviously not running the blades? The effect would be a rolled lawn.

My front lawn has a rather steep hill, so pulling/pushing a standard roller wouldn't work and I don't have a tow behind roller.

Should I roll using the mower deck?


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## jessehurlburt (Oct 18, 2017)

I would roll it- absolutely.


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

As long as the rollers are applying enough pressure then it will work. If not just use the tires. I use my zero turn for rolling in the seed and it works just fine. Takes a little longer than a pull behind roller since I'm only doing 24" at a time (2 X 12" wide tires) but the money I save not renting or buying a roller is money I can spend on other lawn care stuff.


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## XiolaOne (Jul 30, 2018)

Not OP, but would one of those rollers that you fill with water be heavy enough to get good seed to soil contact? Especially if the existing grass was short enough and you watered before to soften up the soil some? Think it gets about 270lbs


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## tgoulart (Jun 21, 2018)

ForsheeMS said:


> As long as the rollers are applying enough pressure then it will work. If not just use the tires. I use my zero turn for rolling in the seed and it works just fine. Takes a little longer than a pull behind roller since I'm only doing 24" at a time (2 X 12" wide tires) but the money I save not renting or buying a roller is money I can spend on other lawn care stuff.


Thanks. The deck actually floats the lawn on the rollers, so there's approximately 200 lbs of "pressure". The rollers are 50" wide.


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## FuzzeWuzze (Aug 25, 2017)

XiolaOne said:


> Not OP, but would one of those rollers that you fill with water be heavy enough to get good seed to soil contact? Especially if the existing grass was short enough and you watered before to soften up the soil some? Think it gets about 270lbs


Thats what most people use, so i would say yes  I dont think you typically fill them up more than about half way, you dont want it so heavy it compacts your soil.


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## Mozart (Jul 17, 2018)

Noob question - do you roll before or after Pete moss?

I assume this is done after seeding/fertilizing but before Pete Moss?

When would you spray Tenacity? After rolling but before Pete moss?

Thanks and sorry for thread hijack.


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

FuzzeWuzze said:


> XiolaOne said:
> 
> 
> > Not OP, but would one of those rollers that you fill with water be heavy enough to get good seed to soil contact? Especially if the existing grass was short enough and you watered before to soften up the soil some? Think it gets about 270lbs
> ...


A 300lbs roller once a year during an overseed shouldn't cause compaction. If it does you have soil issues. I mow twice per week most of the growing season with a 1300lbs zero turn mower with no compaction however I do not mow if the ground is overly wet.

@XiolaOne I wouldn't water prior to rolling unless the soil is extremely dry and in that case I would give it 24 hours after watering. Wet soggy soil is more likely to become compacted. The weight of the roller will press the seed into the soil.


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## CPA Nerd (May 8, 2018)

OP - what you describe is basically my plan after a lot of research and a couple discussion threads here.

Aerate (may be done a few days before the rest; depends when they come do it)
Broadcast seed
Roll
Water
Starter fertilizer after first mow, reason being I don't want to encourage growth in the established grass before the new grass sprouts.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

For watering, you want to be at field capacity the day before seed down. You want all the moisture you can get into the soil so it is not drying the top layer (the one with the seed). The days prior to seed, make sure you do a deep irrigation.

A 300lb roller wont compact the soil. Lets assume you weight 200lb, as you walk all of the 200lb are resting on one leg. That's a small area compared to the roller whole width.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

Mozart said:


> Noob question - do you roll before or after Pete moss?
> 
> I assume this is done after seeding/fertilizing but before Pete Moss?
> 
> ...


Peat moss should be the last step before watering for the first time.
I would roll after seed down, then fert, then tenacity, then peat. Then, time to endure the grind of watering, especially if you have no irrigation system.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

@Mozart Hold that thought on the tenacity. I just realized that you are asking about spraying tenacity. I've only used the granular. You might wait for someone else who has sprayed tenacity at seeding to chime in here.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

I sprayed Tenacity after rolling/fert and before peat last year.


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## Mozart (Jul 17, 2018)

Thanks guys. So for all bare spots you top dress with Pete moss, but do you top dress with anything if you are over seeding?

Not sure if I will/can properly over-seed due to not having PGR.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

Mozart said:


> Thanks guys. So for all bare spots you top dress with Pete moss, but do you top dress with anything if you are over seeding?
> 
> Not sure if I will/can properly over-seed due to not having PGR.


Peat moss helps with moisture retention during a reno. That is why it is usually recommended. The contribution of peat moss during an overseed is less clear.

Here's a perspective.

Some of us use it and are successful, and others don't and are successful. You may improve your outcome if you use it during an overseed, but I don't know by how much. I also suggest that if you are overseeding into a thick stand of turf, then peat moss is less crucial. If your turf is thin, peat is a good idea.

I think that the concept of diminishing returns enters the decision-making process here. For me, the extra work and cost is worth the small gain that I may make in turf thickness. So, although my stand is relatively thick, most of my lawn will get peat when overseeding this year.


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

I always use peat. Then again, I don't have irrigation and I hand water once a day usually in the afternoon after work. The peat helps to hold the moisture the rest of the day, all night, and half the next day. If you water like the pros recommend, usually lightly at 7am,11am,3pm,7pm then you probably don't need peat since the seed stays moist. So, depending on your situation...


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