It’s Time to Seed Your Lawn

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When do I seed the bare areas in my lawn?

There is absolutely no better time for lawn seeding than in the fall. The exact timing will vary for different parts of the country but here in the Midwest, August though early October is the ideal time.  Fall lawn seeding is ideal for several reasons. In the spring, the soil temperatures are much cooler than in the fall.  Spring temperatures can often fluctuate wildly from extreme heat to below freezing temperatures. These temperature swings can quickly stunt and even kill new grass seedlings requiring the entire process to be redone in the fall. Seed germination is dependent upon warm soil conditions which are predominately warm and consistently warm in the fall.  Fall weather conditions are more conducive to having rainfall that will help provide adequate moisture levels needed for germination. This does not mean that supplementary irrigation and consistent irrigation will not be required to establish a new lawn. You must diligently keep new seed and seedlings moist at all times. Lastly, but an often overlooked fall benefit is that there is minimal weed seed in the air to compete with your new desirable turfgrass mix.  If your lawn has spots of bare soil, dead grass, and dry spots or simply appears like the Mohave Desert, then you should consider fall lawn seeding.
Unfortunately, most people don’t think about seeding their lawns in the fall after drought, disease and insect damaged areas have been created throughout the summer growing season. Instead, most people think about spring lawn seeding which is much less than the ideal time to seed. The only other worst timing for seeding would be mid-summer in the extreme heat or late fall when the seed  might germinate only to be killed by freezing temperatures.
 
Does my lawn need to be completely torn out and start over?

Depending on the condition of your lawn, there are a variety of ways to make your lawn one in which you can be proud. If your lawn is thin or has some smaller bare areas, you should consider slice seeding or overseeding. This can be done by a commercial contractor that has this specialty type of equipment or you can rent slice-seeders from select locations. If your lawn is a complete mess and you want to fix it immediately, perhaps sodding is your best option. If you want to choose the exact type of turf seed that will be called your future lawn, maybe a complete lawn renovation is in order for your more discerning turf palette. For spotty, minor lawn problems, spot seeding with a little topsoil might be your solution. No matter which option you choose to repair your lawn, your decision should be based upon its current condition, your desired quality of your lawn and your patience, the availability of irrigation and of course, your budget. Lawn sodding is much more expensive than lawn seeding.

Why or why not use sod?

Sod is an instant lawn. Adding sod to your home lawn is like going to the hospital to pick up your newborn baby without having had nine months of gestation and prenatal care. Instant lawn….instant baby!  Lawn sodding eliminates or at least minimizes any initial weed problems and reduces or eliminates erosion on slopes. Sod comes in different blends of grasses. The most common sod that you will encounter in the Midwest is grown from a blend of Kentucky bluegrasses. You should ask your sod supplier for the seed mix or blend from which your sod was grown. A mix of perennial ryegrass and bluegrass is also an excellent choice.

 Core aeration and overseeding Don’t confuse core aeration with slice seeding or overseeding. Core aeration is the process of mechanically pulling up plugs of soil and thatch from your lawn. This technique reduces soil compaction, minimizes thatch accumulation, and will give you an overall healthier lawn. Core aeration combined with overseeding is an alternative to slice seeding because it combines aeration with the benefit of adding a select seed variety to your lawn. Core aeration combined with overseeding however will not produce the same results as a true slice seeding machine.

Fall is the time for turf. Kentucky bluegrass especially loves the warm days and cooler evenings of the fall season. With proper care and the right seed mix, you can have your lawn looking its best by late fall. A thick, dark green lawn is a beautiful canvas to fallen gold and red leaves of October.

 

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