Seed cool-season lawns now rather than spring for best results

It sure is cold outside. I know that you are going to think I am nuts when I suggest that now is the second-best time of the year to seed your cool-season lawn. Of course, the best time is in the early fall, but if you failed to get it done then, consider doing it now instead of waiting till spring.

Fall is the best time to seed for a number of reasons. First, the soils are warm so lawn seed germinates rapidly if there is enough moisture in the soil.

Crabgrass does not germinate in the fall so it will not compete with newly germinated seed. Broadleaf weeds will germinate with the desired grass seed, but they can easily be controlled with a broadleaf herbicide later in the fall.

Because cool season grasses grow better in cool seasons, an early fall planting is just before the best growing season of the year. The cool season grasses will get off to a good start.

Many gardeners would argue that a spring seeding is the second best time to seed, but spring seeding poses several problems. First, if you decide to apply a pre-emergent for crabgrass in the spring before you seed, it will kill grass seed as it germinates. If you don't apply the pre-emergent, crabgrass will smother the desired lawn grass.

If your lawn seed does germinate well, the young seedlings will suffer from the impending summer heat. If you water your new lawn in the late spring, this encourages crabgrass germination and also creates environmental conditions for lawn diseases to grow rapidly and damage your new lawn.

Needless to say, seeding a cool-season lawn in the spring poses many challenges. Dormant seeding instead eliminates many of those challenges.

Seeding in January and February generally results in a good stand of grass by late March or early April. This allows you time to apply a pre-emergent for crabgrass before its seed germinates, and yet get good control without damaging your desirable grass plants.

Early development of a grass stand occurs before the stress of summer heat and drought occur. You also beat the period when environmental conditions develop for lawn disease problems.

There are some more advantages of seeding in January or early February. You don't have to worry about scheduling a time to rent a verticutter. No one else is using them. And, of course, you won't break a sweat doing the work.

If your cool-season lawn needs a little TLC to look good, consider performing a dormant seeding right now. After all it is the second best time of the year to seed.

Send your gardening and landscape questions to Paul Schnare at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702-0699 or by e-mail to news@semissourian.com.