Why You Should Be Dormant Seeding Your Lawn

What is Dormant Seeding?

Dormant seeding is a collective term for overseeding lawns in late fall and winter when soil temperatures are too cold to allow grass seed to germinate. In the mid-west, the opportunity for dormant seeding is best from mid-November through early March, while soil temperatures remain below 50 degrees.

Here’s why you should be dormant seeding.

When you have missed the fall overseeding window, dormant seeding helps to eliminate bare spots and thickens turf to fight spring weed pressure. Research shows winter dormant overseeding outperforms spring overseeding when using cool-season grasses. Turf-type tall fescue, bluegrass, and ryegrass germinate sooner in cold soils and will have more time to develop than seed sown in spring. Grass seeds sown over densely shaded areas, specifically under trees, will gain an advantage allowing emerging grass plants to establish before spring foliage arrives.

What is Snow Seeding?

Snow seeding is a style of dormant seeding. It requires a light snowfall (up to an inch) that allows bare spots to be seen. Spread seed by hand on areas that need thickening up. As the snow melts, it brings the seed into good contact with the soil.

What is Frost Seeding?

Frost seeding is another style of dormant seeding, overseeding moist soil before freezing weather. The natural freeze and thaw cycle of freezing soils will create small cracks or pockets, perfect for catching and holding grass seeds. As the soil dries, the pockets collapse and cover the seed. This same freeze and thaw cycle are also Mother Nature’s natural soil aeration process.

When is the Best Time to Dormant Seed?

Dormant seeding is the most successful when applied after the last tree leaves have fallen and have been removed. Removing yard debris allows for better seed-to-soil contact. Dormant seeding should occur early enough in winter to avoid the muddy conditions from spring thaw and rain. Once you develop a good dormant seeding plan, you will be surprised at the positive results.

Best Seed for Dormant Seeding?

Cool-season grasses are best for dormant seeding. These cool-season grass seed blends and mixes will perform perfectly for dormant seeding. Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, turf-type tall fescue, and perennial rye sown over cold winter soils will germinate sooner than the same grass seed sown in April.

See Related: How to Choose the Right Grass Seed

What are the Benefits of Dormant Seeding?

There are many benefits to dormant seeding. The biggest benefit is it allows for more time for overseeding. If your schedule does not line up with the perfect fall overseeding window, you have an extended window for dormant seeding from November to March. Another benefit is under large shade trees. Dormant seeding allows seeds to germinate in early spring before the leaves start to fill in in late spring. And last, but not least, dormant seeding is better than spring seeding. Grass seeds sown during the dormant season will germinate sooner than grass seeds sown in April

Image showing the 5 steps of the Seed Safe Idiot Proof Lawn Program.

Follow Uncle’s (Seed Safe) Idiot Proof Program after Dormant Seeding!

The following spring you will want to use Uncle’s Seed Safe Idiot Proof Program. While mostly the same as Uncle’s traditional Idiot Proof Program, steps 1 and 2 of the Seed Safe program have been redesigned to jumpstart new growth while also stopping crabgrass from sprouting and reducing pressure from early spring weeds.

Step 1: Renovator (or Golf Course Starter for lawns less than 5,000 sq ft.) – to feed new growth.

Step 2: Seed Safe – Feeds the good grass, stops the crabgrass.

Seed Safe works very well; however, it will only be effective at holding back crabgrass for 4-6 weeks. It’s important to not delay putting down step 3: Prevent! in order to have protection throughout the summer.