When is the best and worst time to seed your lawn?

When is the best time of year to seed? What about the the worst time? Here’s the answer from best to worst:

1) Most successful

The last five weeks of summer to early autumn, pending the weather, is the best time of year to seed. At this time, day and nighttime temperatures are cooling, dew is more present on lawns, and annual broadleaf weeds and crabgrass are dying. This means new turf can easily establish with little to no competition. If you’re going to seed, this is absolutely the best time of year to do it. Don’t miss your opportunity otherwise you’ll be waiting an entire year for the next window to open.

When you do seed, watch it closely. Kentucky bluegrass mix can take upwards of 4 to 6 weeks to fully emerge while perennial rye can take 1 to 2 weeks. If you seed during drought conditions, and the seed doesn’t take, don’t hesitate to seed again. Getting something established before the ground freezes is paramount and will make a big difference in what you’re able to do with the new turf the subsequent spring. The thicker your turf is in the fall, the better it’ll hold crabgrass pre-emergent the following year.

2) Mid-autumn

By mid-October your window to seed is usually rapidly closing. A mixed bag of seed or hydroseed can take upwards of 4 to 6 weeks to emerge and establish itself to the point that it’s able to survive the winter. Remember, at this stage in the turf’s life it’s not all about the blade…it’s about its root system. The harder the soil (due to it being frozen) the more difficult it is for roots to penetrate deep underground. At this time of year use perennial rye grass, which grows faster.

3) Early spring

Early spring is second to last on this list for a few reasons. Yes, the seed is likely to grow just fine because of the typically wet, cool weather. However, here’s the caveat: Under many circumstances, pre-emergent crabgrass control and broadleaf weed control will negatively impact the new turf. It can also be challenging to near impossible to keep young turf alive through the brutal New England summer. We do not recommend aerating and overseeding (or renovating) an entire lawn at this time of year.  While aerating is beneficial, the process can actually pull weed seeds from the soil depths to the surface, exacerbating weed problems. However, if you want to patch up a few small spots, this may be a fine time to do so.

4) Late spring (May/June) – late July/early August

There is little to no long-term success when seeding an entire lawn or large sections of your property at this time of year. Doing so could set your lawn back a few to several years. You’ll be constantly battling crabgrass and weeds.

If you’re overseeding, keep the following in mind:

1. Always aerate before you overseed. The seed germinates in the plugged holes which presents a cool, wet, soft, and favorable growing environment. Little to no seed establishes when placed directly on top of soil that hasn’t been cultivated.
2. It may take upwards of 2 to 3 years to see the full results from a single aeration/overseeding as new grass emerges from the holes and the canopy of already existing turf thickens.
3. If you’re patching up small areas of your lawn, loosen up existing soil and apply top soil. This will give the new seed a better chance to take root. Otherwise, it’s like trying to plant grass on concrete.
4. Just because new seed emerges in the fall it doesn’t mean it’ll survive the following year without proper care. For example, if you forget about it several months later, it’s very unlikely to make it through the summer. This turf needs to stay well-watered and manicured. 
5. It’s not uncommon to have to seed areas of your lawn that succumbs to summer heat or general wear and tear. Adhering to the tips presented here will give your lawn the best chance of success.

We service parts of Norfolk and Bristol County, Massachusetts. Towns include Foxborough, Mansfield, Wrentham, Walpole, Plainville, Franklin, Stoughton, Sharon, Canton, North Attleborough, Atteleboro, Norfolk, Easton, Norton and Norwood. Learn more about each of the services we provide.