Grass Question

[Pine Strip]

When is the best time of year to top seed a worn grass runway strip. Fall, Winter or Spring...... any opinions ! How about fertility recommendations ?

 

[oosik]

I've found spring is best around here. This time of year is just too cool for good germination. I either fertilize a week or so before I lay down the seed or wait until the grass is up an inch or so.

 

[cartod]

The next ten days are the best days of the year to seed grass.

 

[jeff9366]

How about fertility recommendations ?

Take in 3-4 soil samples for testing. If you impart that you are going to grow grass you will receive specific amendment recommendations for that 'crop'. Follow the recommendations, not ignoring micro-nutrients.

In Minnesota I think it is too late to Fall plant. You will have plenty of time to amend before Spring.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've done it in the spring and in the fall. I've found that it works fine in the spring, but it takes quite awhile for the grass to get thick. When I do it in the fall, the grass takes off quickly, then goes dormant over winter and looks like it's all died off, but then in the spring it really gets going and is nice and thick far sooner then anything I plant in the spring.

Eddie

 

[Bird]

My grass problem is getting grass to grow in places that get little or no sun. I've tried scratching the surface (not tilling deep) and sowing grass seed from Walmart and/or Home Depot that claims to be for "dense shade" but it's never worked.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Fall is the best time if you have moisture. The ground is warm so the seed will sprout quickly. During the winter the roots will keep growing and like Eddie said come spring it will take off. September was very dry here Less the 1/2 inch of rain until last week. I spread seed last week just before some rain and it has already started growing.
Rick

 

[BHD]

depending on the grass some grasses need a freeze thaw cycle, on the seed before it will germinate,

fall is many times the best, and in some grasses it may take up to 6 years of natural process to germinate,

on many of the government projects such as CRP, in our area they say do not even be concerned over the grass stand unless three years have passed, and I have noticed that some areas have needed to go ten years before the grass is of a reasonable stand and some of it took 8 to 10 years to come up,

 

[Jay4200]

When is the best time of year to top seed a worn grass runway strip. Fall, Winter or Spring...... any opinions ! How about fertility recommendations ?

Fall is the only time you can seed and get away with it in your climate (unless you irrigate, which is cheating...). Fertilize toward the end of August then seed two weeks later. Last week of August or first week of September is ideal to put down seed. Rake it in good and it should come up by the end of the month. You'll have 6 weeks of growth before it goes dormant for the winter, but the roots will still grow. Fertilize first thing in the spring, and it should be well established and healthy by the time the July brown-out comes along. If you seed in the spring, the grass might come up and look good by June, but the roots don't have enough time to get established enough to survive a brown-out in July and August, and it'll all die and you'll be right back where you started the next year (been there, done that).

 

[ruffdog]

I have better luck seeding here in the Fall. In Spring, it seems it goes from too cold to too dry too quickly. If you can water it, that would make all the difference. I seeded some about 3 weeks ago and it is up about 3" with no watering and we get nice rains in the Fall.