We get questions about spring lawn seeding every year. Many people, especially grass seed producers, recommend it, but it may not be the best option. While we can aerate and overseed in the spring, we recommend waiting until the fall for two main reasons. First, the weather in the spring and summer is challenging to seed and new grass. The spring weather can be unpredictably warm or cold, and grass seed needs soil temperatures for germination that are far from guaranteed. Additionally, the grass is in the early stages of growth during the heat of the summer, leaving it susceptible to disease and heat and drought stress. For these reasons, spring lawn seeding is less successful than fall seedings. The second reason is weeds, namely crabgrass. Crabgrass is the most important weed to control throughout the lifetime of the lawn, especially in the first few years of treatment. Because of this, our first application of the year includes a pre-emergent crabgrass control which stops the crabgrass seeds from sprouting by creating a protective barrier of herbicide that kills the crabgrass before it can reach the surface of the soil. It also prevents desirable turfgrass from sprouting, making seeding and crabgrass control almost mutually-exclusive. (more…)