The fall season comes with a mix of warm soil and cold air, perfect for planting grass seeds and allowing time for new grass roots to develop before winter comes. It's also a good time to fertilize to build stronger, deeper roots during the winter, which will result in a thicker, greener lawn next spring. These are optimal times for growth and, consequently, the optimal times for sowing turf seeds for the respective cold or warm season grass. If you sow in autumn, do it at least 45 days before the expected date of the first frost.
It could be late September in Minnesota, or early November in Oklahoma. When planting lawn seeds in the fall, plan planting to allow the turf seed to fully germinate before freezing temperatures hit your region. It is also important to consider any weed control you have applied and allow an adequate waiting period before sowing, as indicated on the weed control product label. Maintaining proper humidity levels is also essential for growing your lawn.
One reason why fall is the best time of year to plant grass is that the soil can better maintain a healthy moisture level. This is one of the main reasons why lawns and so many other types of plants benefit from autumn planting. Continue with your normal mowing schedule and when the grass reaches a height of 3 to 4 inches. Mow the grass to a height of 3 inches with a sharp blade when the grass is not wet.
Avoid aggressive turns that could cause damage to newly repaired areas. Mowers that move directly through repaired areas should. Keep mowing your lawn as needed throughout the season. Several distinctive advantages make autumn the best time to plant cold-season grass seeds.
In early autumn, the soil is still warm from the summer sunshine months. This combination of warm soil, moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights encourages rapid germination and establishment of freshly sown cool-season grass seeds. To make it easier for the consumer, manufacturers label some grass seed mixtures specifically for problematic situations, such as shade or heavy traffic. Don't dig too deep, you just need to roughen the top layer of soil to help the turf seed make better contact.
The second best time to sow cold-season grass grass is in spring, once soil and air temperatures warm up back to their optimal range. Seeds planted during the fall months enjoy a competitive advantage during their growth cycle because the lawn has much more room to thrive. Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda grass, Bahia grass, Zoysia grass, and centipede grass peak during warmer temperatures in late spring and early summer. New and established turf plants store food reserves to help resist winter injuries, combat turf diseases, and stimulate turf root growth.
Whether this is your first lawn or you're the neighborhood expert, follow the advice of lawn professionals and get to know your grasses and soil before you start planting. I recently received a lot of questions from homeowners regarding fall planting options if they did not reach the optimal planting window from mid-August to mid-September. During fall, grass seeds can germinate more effectively because soil temperatures remain warm (around 60°F). The degree of success of your idle planting efforts will depend on the wintering conditions that are granted to the newly planted areas.
Sphagnum peat moss or Primera Sports field conditioner will help keep moisture close to the grass seed and prevent the seed from flying away. For those of you who postponed sowing grass early last summer, consider planting dormant this fall. Larger areas can be made with a droplet spreader, which deposits the seed under it, or a diffusion spreader, which ejects the seed in a circular motion. Rain showers will help your seeds start strong, but if you sow just before a line of severe thunderstorms hit, the seeds may creep in the downpour.
The next step is to find out what type of grass you are growing in your garden or what type of grass you would like to grow. . .
