Bring your lawn back to life with professional overseeding, slice seeding (also known as slit seeding), and patch repair services. Our team restores lawns that have thinned or died back from heat stress, high foot traffic, or dog urine burns, or become bare due to common insect damage such as grubs, chinch bugs, and non-native armyworms. We use drought tolerant and disease resistant grass seed designed for Columbus and surrounding area soil types.
- Fill bare spots and thicken turf
- Improve lawn color, density, and root strength
- Drought tolerant and disease resistant grass seed for Columbus area soils
Slice Seeding
Slice seeding, also known as slit seeding, is a mechanical process that plants grass seed directly into the soil using a machine with vertical blades. These blades create narrow grooves in the surface, allowing the seed to fall into contact with the soil instead of sitting on top of the thatch layer where it might dry out or be washed away.
This method provides better seed-to-soil contact than traditional overseeding, producing faster and more consistent germination. It is ideal for lawns in Columbus and surrounding areas that have severe thinning, severe wide-spread insect damage from insects like grubs, or a lawn overrun with out-of-control weeds.
Because lawn renovation with slice seeding allows for more soil preparation and deeper seed placement, it often delivers thicker and more even turf growth compared to broadcasting methods. It is especially effective for lawns with minimal existing grass coverage or where insects and heat stress have caused widespread thinning.
For long-term results, slice seeding is best paired with our lawn care service program that supports and maintains turf health into the future.
Patch Repair
Patch repair focuses on restoring small damaged areas of your lawn that have become bare from pet urine, insect activity, turf diseases, drought damage, or foot traffic. These bare areas or dead spots are re-seeded using cool season grasses that are cultivated for Columbus, Ohio and surrounding communities to encourage strong germination and fast recovery.
Patch repair is ideal for lawns that are mostly healthy but have isolated problem areas. It provides a cost-effective solution for repairing small sections without requiring slice seeding or yard leveling and grading service.
Patch repair is available throughout Columbus and surrounding areas and can be combined with our fertilization and weed control program for continued turf health and long-term results.
Overseeding
Overseeding helps restore the density and color of thinning lawns by broadcasting new grass seed across the existing turf. It is an effective way to fill in areas of the lawn that have thinned from heat stress or drought damage.
This process improves lawn density and appearance by adding a viable seed bank that germinates when conditions are right such as proper soil contact, sunlight, and moisture. As new grass establishes, it naturally thickens the existing turf and enhances the overall look of the lawn.
The best time to overseed in Columbus and surrounding areas is typically near the end of summer and the beginning of fall. This timing is ideal because cool season grasses, which are the types of grass that grow best in this area, do most of their active growing during the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. Natural rainfall during this period helps, but supplemental irrigation is always recommended for quicker and more consistent germination.
At Grasshuggers, overseeding is offered exclusively as part of our fertilization and weed control program, ensuring your lawn receives the balanced nutrients and ongoing care needed for long-term turf health.
For larger damaged areas like urine burns from pets, heavy foot traffic, or insect damage from grubs, our slice seeding and patch repair services provide better results as more soil preparation or contact with the soil is needed.
For more information on how to protect your lawn during periods of heat and limited rainfall, visit Ohio State University’s Buckeye Turf Guide on managing lawns during drought.
faqs
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Q: What is slice seeding?A:
Slice seeding mechanically plants grass seed into the soil to create optimal seed-to-soil contact when renovating or planting a new lawn. This process ensures even seed placement and improved germination, producing a thicker and healthier lawn.
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Q: Is slice seeding better than having sod installed?A:
It's not that one is better than the other — both require continual care to maintain a healthy look. Slice seeding requires more watering because the new grass isn't yet established. It's important to understand that cool season grasses take about six months to mature and fully establish, making them better equipped to handle heat stress and winter cold.
Sod, on the other hand, is already mature when installed but needs time to root and bond with the soil. Slice seeding requires less initial investment but has a longer recovery period where pets and people should stay off the lawn, whereas sod can typically handle light foot traffic after about 30 days.
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Q: How long does it take for slice seeding to mature to a usable lawn for normal everyday use?A:
Under typical cool weather growing conditions with adequate watering, sunshine, and soil contact, germination usually happens within 14 to 21 days. You can expect to see a full stand of turf in about 30 days after initial widespread germination.
We recommend keeping off newly seeded areas until the grass shows uniform growth and has been mowed three or four times to maintain a height of around 3½ inches. Generally, only light traffic should occur for the first six months. It takes grass seed that long to develop the strength and endurance needed to withstand environmental pressure and regular use.
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Q: How long does it take for slice seeding to mature to a usable lawn for normal everyday use?A:
Under typical cool weather growing conditions with adequate watering, sunshine, and soil contact, germination usually happens within 14 to 21 days. You can expect to see a full stand of turf in about 30 days after initial widespread germination.
We recommend keeping off newly seeded areas until the grass shows uniform growth and has been mowed three or four times to maintain a height of around 3½ inches. Generally, only light traffic should occur for the first six months. It takes grass seed that long to develop the strength and endurance needed to withstand environmental pressure and regular use.
The seed varieties we use are tested through the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) to ensure they are not only suited for Ohio's cool-season growing conditions but are also more likely to germinate successfully.
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Q: What areas do you provide lawn seeding services to?A:
Do I have to water with slice seeding or sod? Yes. Whether you choose slice seeding or sod, consistent daily watering is essential for successful establishment. It will be important to consistently water your newly seeded areas immediately following your slice seeding service. Typically, you will need to keep the first ½ inch of soil moist until germination is visible. After which, you will switch to deep watering the first 1 inch of soil to encourage root development while still maintaining consistent moisture throughout the top layer of soil.
Sod also requires steady watering, even though it is already mature when installed. For the first 30 days, you will water daily. Our aftercare page outlines our general recommendations for watering your renovated turf.
We will send your personalized aftercare instructions following your service to help guide watering for the best results.
Our Process
Request a quote
Quotes for lawn repair and seeding services in Columbus, Ohio and surrounding areas are always free and based on the size and condition of your lawn.
Fill out our contact form and we will visit your property, usually within 10 business days of your request. Sometimes we are able to come out sooner, but during busier times we may get a little behind. You typically do not need to be home for this visit. We will send you a text when we are on the way so you know to expect us. If you prefer to be present, just let us know on the form and we will reach out to schedule a time that works for you.
Approve your quote
After visiting your home, we will email you a quote for your lawn repair service, whether it's for patch repair, slice seeding, or sod installation. Once you approve it, we will add your service to our schedule based on the date range shared on your quote for the service window time frame.
Scheduling your service
When you approve your quote, you will already have a time frame written into your quote for your service window. Because of weather and schedule load, we do not lock in a specific day until the week of service. Your scheduling time frame will be centered around when cool-season grasses perform optimally for the best germination and establishment.
Service day
On service day, grasshuggers will complete the lawn repair work approved in your quote. This may include slice seeding, patch repair, or overseeding depending on your approved quote.
You will receive a text message when we are headed to your property. Our goal is always to complete your lawn work under the best possible conditions for lasting results.
Payment
Once you receive your lawn repair invoice by email, you will be able to pay your invoice directly through our secure portal for convenience.
We accept ACH check and credit card payments through the payment portal.
We do not accept checks mailed directly from your bank or through the mail.
Ready to Give Your Lawn a Fresh Start?
From lawn seeding to sod installation, we handle every detail to ensure your lawn grows in healthy, thick, and resilient. Our lawn repair and seeding services restore bare, thinning, or damaged turf with overseeding, slice seeding, and patch repair designed for Columbus, Ohio and surrounding areas lawns.
Serving Your Community
We're proud to provide lawn repair and seeding services in Columbus, Ohio and surrounding areas.
Grasshuggers provides professional lawn repair and seeding services designed to meet the needs of Ohio lawns. We continually adapt our methods to the most current turf care practices to deliver consistent, reliable results for homeowners who want a lawn that looks great and stays healthy year-round.
Grasshuggers proudly serves neighborhoods in:
Bexley, Clintonville, Columbus, Gahanna, New Albany, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Worthington
Service area ZIP codes:
43081, 43085, 43054, 43209, 43214, 43230, 43231, 43229, 43240
As a locally owned and operated company, grasshuggers has been serving central Ohio homeowners for over 15 years. Every project is backed by The Grasshuggers Way: safety, integrity, and attention to detail from start to finish.
Why Choose Grasshuggers?
For more than 15 years, grasshuggers has provided reliable, professional lawn care that homeowners trust season after season. Our team delivers on what we promise, and our track record of highly rated Google reviews shows that our focus on quality and integrity makes a lasting difference for every lawn we care for.
The Grasshuggers Way — because quality service is our mission.