Sustaining a lush, green lawn throughout the year is appealing to many home and business owners. However, the additional water needed for cool-season grasses is difficult to justify when water is such a precious resource.

By learning to accept a less-than-lush lawn during the winter months, property owners will not only realize significant water savings, but they will also save a lot of time and money. If you're looking for a reason not to overseed, here are 10 to choose from! 

10. Save Time - No need to scalp the lawn, prepare the seedbed, seed, water, or mow.

9. Save Water - Getting ryegrass seed to germinate requires watering three times a day or more, and spikes in water usage are always noticeable during October and November when winter rye is seeded. By not overseeding, you can save more than 8,000 gallons of water for every 1,000 square feet of grass each season.

   

8. Preserve Water Quality - Your landscape will require less fertilizers and pesticides. Much of our water pollution comes from the runoff of these products from urban landscapes. The pollutants end up in our storm drains and eventually make their way into our groundwater and surface waters. 

7. Save Money - Save on the cost of seed, labor, water, and gasoline for mowing. Also, wastewater rates are often determined by your winter water usage. If you use more water in the winter, your wastewater charges will likely be higher for the rest of the year.

6. Save Landfill Space - Scalping Bermuda grass creates a great deal of waste for the landfills. And, when landscapes are overseeded, ryegrass clippings create additional waste during the winter and spring. Grass waste that ends up in the landfill creates methane, a common cause of greenhouse gas emissions. 

5. Save the Air - Gasoline mowers and other lawn equipment contribute to our air pollution problems, and the scalping process releases dust and other particles into the air.

4. Decrease Noise Pollution - Mowers, weed whackers, and leaf blowers have become a major source of background noise in many neighborhoods and around businesses. The drone of lawn equipment contributes to an already noisy world.

3. Save Frustration - Problems with seed germination, fertilizers, diseases, and irrigation are all common when planting a winter lawn.

2. Set an Example -We live in a desert and this is an opportunity to demonstrate your community leadership with a responsible outlook toward our water supply.

And the number one reason not to plant a winter lawn...

1. Give Your Bermuda a Break - Overseeding can be stressful for your Bermuda grass. In the fall, scalping the summer grass before dormancy doesn't allow for adequate storage of energy in the roots. In the spring, the rye competes with Bermuda, and customers often withhold water to transition from winter to summer grass. Unfortunately, this will also stress Bermuda.

You say you have to overseed...

OK, OK, so you say that you have to overseed. You are required to do so by your HOA, your business has always done it that way (See items 1-10 above) or you just have to put your toes into some green grass in the winter and you can't afford a trip south of the equator? Here are some tips to keep it as water efficient as possible:

1. Use Best Practices: Follow these proper steps for Overseeding Bermuda from the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. 
2. Dust Control: Reduce dust and the negative impact on air quality by implementing the Maricopa County Overseeding Tips for Dust Control. 
3. Time It Right: Don't overseed too early. Mid-October to mid-November is best. Less water will be needed, and the rye won't get stressed from the higher temperatures of early fall. Check out the Desert Lawn Care Guide on the Water – Use It Wisely resources page for extra care tips.
4. Be Selective: Don't overseed your entire yard or business if you don't have to. Prioritize and only overseed the areas that are functional. 
5. Water It Properly: Water your grass properly. To germinate the grass seed, apply light, frequent watering about four times a day. Cut back on the frequency once the grass is germinated. For winter watering schedules, check out our Landscape Watering guide. It tells you how much and how often to water to keep your grass healthy.
6. Alternative Options: If your grass is in your backyard, you might want to consider having ryegrass only and having no grass (or watering) in the summer months. We're still not sure how well this would work (weeds, dust, etc.), but if you try it and it works well, let us know.
7. Xeriscape Instead: When you've had enough of this vicious cycle, consider removing all the grass and replacing it with low-water-use plants that are beautiful and low maintenance. Arizona Municipal Water Users Association can help you through the process.  And, we have residential and commercial incentives for future grass removal projects.