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When to Seed Grass in the Fall

Sow cool-season grass seeds in the fall, according to Lance Walheim from the National Gardening Association. This grass type cannot tolerate hot summer months. Even though temperatures may be cool enough for planting in the spring, gardeners risk losing some of the new grass seedlings in the summer months. Prepare the soil for fall seeding before broadcasting seed.

  1. Cool Season Grass

    • Cool-season grass types include fescues, ryegrasses and bluegrasses. Gardeners living in the northern regions of the United States plant cool-season grass types because their climate favors a long growing season. Cool season grass planted in climates receiving hot summer temperatures go dormant or die. Plant cool-season grass when soil temperatures promote their germination and root growth.

    Soil Temperature

    • Seed cool-season grass types when soil temperatures dip below 40 degrees, according to gardening Julie Day for Danny Lipford. Check your soil temperature by making a pilot hole 6 inches deep in the lawn. Press a soil thermometer inside of the hole. Avoid allowing direct sunlight to hit the soil thermometer. Check the soil temperature both in the morning and in the afternoon. The average of both temperatures gives an accurate reading.

    Site Preparation

    • Prepare the soil at the end of the summer for fall planting. Remove all weeds from the planting area with an herbicide containing glyphosate. Glyphosate prevents weeds from producing proteins, killing them within days. Pick a dry day for spraying the weeds so that the foliage absorbs the toxins. Glyphosate leaves little residue in the soil. Till the dead weeds. Break up the first 6 inches of topsoil, so that grass seeds can establish strong root systems. Wait five to 14 days before seeding the lawn after spraying the glyphosate, suggests the University of Minnesota.

    Seeding

    • Apply a starter fertilizer high in phosphorous. Use a starter fertilizer with a NPK amount of 5-10-5. Spread it at a rate of 20 lbs. per 1,000 square feet. Work the fertilizer into the first 6 inches of soil. Broadcast cool-season grass seeds over the lawn. Cover the seeds with 1/8 inch of compost. Watering the area promotes germination, keeping the soil moist for a week. If the grass seeds dry out, they will not germinate.

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Growing Grass
  1. When to Plant Grass Seed in Denver?
  2. Depth for Grass Seeds in the Soil
  3. The Best Temperature for Sowing Grass Seed in the Fall
  4. Can I Grass Seed & Lime My Yard at the Same Time in the Fall?
  5. When to Sow Grass Seed?
  6. When Do You Plant Grass Seed in Fall?
  7. The Germination of Grass Seeds
  8. The Best Grass Seed for Poor Soil
  9. The Best Way to Seed Grass
  10. The Best Soil for Grass Seed
  11. When to Plant Grass Seed in the Soil?
  12. Grass Seed Planting in the Fall

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