How to Overseed Bare Cool Grasses

Mow patches of grass down to 1 inch.

Power-rake or verticut the entire lawn, including the patches of grass and the bare areas. This will get rid of thatch and prepare the soil for seeds. You can also use a core aerator. Set the equipment to work the soil 1/4-inch deep. Make a pass across the lawn in one direction, and then repeat in the other direction. Make one more pass in each direction -- so, in total, four passes are made across the lawn with a power rake, verticutter or core aerator.

Apply seed at a rate recommended on the seed package, since rates will differ among varieties. For example, apply approximately 6 to 8 lbs. of tall fescue seed for a 1,000 square-foot lawn, but only 2 to 3 lbs. of Kentucky bluegrass seed is needed for the same space.

Broadcast seeds using a broadcast spreader. Walk around the perimeter of the lawn first, then to the interior section of your lawn, walking back and forth in rows. Make a second pass to the interior part of your lawn, walking in the other direction, to evenly apply the seed. For example, if you walked the first time in a north-south pattern, for the second pass, walk in an east-west pattern.

Apply a fertilizer labeled as a "starter fertilizer for lawns." Use the rate recommended on the label.

Cover the lawn with a thin layer of hay or wheatstraw. This will help retain moisture and help prevent the seeds from washing away.

Water the lawn with 1 inch of water right after sowing the seeds. Then, every day until the grass reaches 2 inches, water the overseeded lawn two times a day for five minutes each time if rain does not meet this need. After the grass reaches 3 inches tall, irrigate the lawn back to a normal schedule, which is often one to two times a week with 1 inch of water.