Today is May Day. Is it too late to over seed my yard?

Today’s lawn problem needs attention today. Waiting for August merely is not acceptable. Killing dandelions and henbit today will leave bare areas for crabgrass to move in this summer and when the crabgrass dies this winter, the dandelions and henbit move back in for the spring. It’s a vicious cycle, and the only thing that will stop the cycle is to keep grass growing in those bare spots. No bare spots no weeds. 

Longer daylight hours, and gradually warming soil temperatures have started to green up area lawns and golf courses. Hazy brown turf is turning bright green as new grass shoots pop out of the ground in response to the first spring fertilizer treatment.

Thin areas and bare spots show up quickly as the rest of the lawn begins to turn green. Winter injury to newly seeded areas is apparent. Dead crabgrass and foxtail form brown patches and bare spots in the otherwise green turf. Heavily shaded areas look particularly forlorn and muddy.

Question of the week. Can I seed my lawn today? The answer is almost always, YES! Grass Pad customers have been successful in seeding twelve months of the year. Every year and every season brings a new challenge when it comes to overseeding, and if you have reasonable expectations when you seed your lawn in May, you can be successful.

Reasonable expectations. If the coming summer is as wet as the last three, then there is an excellent chance the majority of your spring seeding will survive the summer with routine watering. If the weather pattern changes and we get high heat, blowing wind and no rainfall for extended periods, even the most drought tolerant grass seed will have a tough time surviving without a mature root system.

The good news is that Mother Nature wants to give you some help in greening up your lawn and filling in those unsightly bare spots. Grass plants have a biological clock and will begin to sprout and fill as the weather warms. The bad news is that ordinary lawn weeds will also start as fast

Weed control problems can create an interruption in spring seeding. But patience and timing will help guaranteed success. If broadleaf weeds are a severe problem, treat before starting to seed. Liquid weed control products containing Trimec or Speedzone do an excellent job for spot treatment or granular Loveland Weed and Feed for large areas.

Wait five days after broadleaf weed treatments and then begin your seeding program. Although some seed may be lost by seeding so quickly, the higher risk is summer’s approaching hot weather.

Eliminate crabgrass when overseeding in early May by applying Tupersan, a seed safe pre-emergent, and Golf Course Starter the same day. Once the seed has germinated and has grown tall enough to have been mowed twice, apply Prevent for season-long crabgrass control.

How long do I wait to seed after applying Prevent? Overseeding is not an option after you have applied Prevent. However, you can be successful seeding small bare spot areas using Uncle's Seed Sandwich technique, using a layer of PrimeraFC as an insulator above the Prevent barrier.