Skip the overseed

Overseeding is the process of installing a temporary, cool-season grass (typically ryegrass) on top of the permanent, warm-season Bermuda grass that will go dormant during the colder months.  While in dormancy, Bermuda grass will turn into a golden brown stand of grass that doesn’t need much water or maintenance during the winter months, assuming that Tucson receives the usual amount of winter rainfall. Although it takes a significant amount of water to germinate and maintain, the winter ryegrass will usually stay green for a few months until the temperatures start to rise in the spring.

During this spring transition time, the winter ryegrass will die off and the Bermuda grass comes out of dormancy, becoming green once again. However, this transition from cool-season to warm-season grass can become unsightly and delay the Bermuda grass from fully coming out of dormancy, resulting in patchy, unhealthy grass areas.  For most properties, overseeding is a choice made for highly used areas such as ball fields and event spaces. For non-functional grass areas, overseeding is rarely necessary and might serve as an aesthetic element to a landscape rather than a practical one. 

How can skipping overseeding save water?

The Colorado River Basin is facing a long-term drought and water is becoming even more precious by the day, especially here in Tucson.  The first step when overseeding is to germinate the seed, which requires very frequent watering, three or more times per day.  This amount of water will produce a noticeable spike in your October and November water bills, depending on when you start. Oftentimes, this will lead to over spray and water running down the curb, which is not a good sight, and can lead to water waste violations.  

It’s estimated that over 8,000 gallons of water is required for every 1,000 square feet of grass each winter season, while the same amount of dormant grass will only require around 500 gallons. Typically, during the winter, you won’t need to water your dormant Bermuda grass more than once or twice per month. By not overseeding in the fall, you’ll see major water savings while helping conserve water for future generations of Arizonans.  

How can skipping overseeding save grass?

The key to maintaining a healthy grass lawn here in the desert isn’t always about the color.  Overseeding may make your grass look greener for a few months, but without proper care, the dormant Bermuda grass will suffer and appear unsightly.  Once spring comes, the winter rye grass starts to die and the dormant Bermuda will attempt to become green again, as it is a warm-season grass.  However, overseeding will affect the transition by not allowing the summer grass to “wake up” and become its vibrant green self.  

 During the lovely spring months, your lawn will become patchy while the dormant summer Bermuda grass will struggle to take color.  More water isn’t the solution- the grass has already been harmed by having a competing winter grass use precious resources.  If you forego the winter grass, your spring, summer, and fall grass will become much healthier and more attractive. Give your Bermuda grass a break and avoid overseeding this year. 

Additional Resources

While it may be water-intensive, rye grass can provide a great surface for an active space you’d like to use during the winter months (sports, events, etc.). During this time, it is still possible to be efficient with your watering schedule while keeping the grass healthy.   

  For these reasons, we’ve included a few recommendations for winter grass care.  

Want to know more about overseeding? The links below were created by our regional partners and are very informative if you need more reasons to skip the overseed.

Water Use It Wisely - To Overseed or NOT to Overseed

Arizona Municipal Water Users Association - Rethink your winter lawn and skip overseeding to save water, money, and time

University of Arizona Cooperative Extension - Overseeding Winter Grasses into Bermudagrass Turf