To Seed or Not to Seed

To seed or not to seed, that is the question. Whether it’s nobler to suffer through the summer with a thin lawn, or to take arms against the bare spots and end them. And what if the lawn looketh full and lush? The balance of decisions rests in your hands. Read below to decide which fate awaits you and your lawn this spring. The answer to this question will send you down one of two paths:

The Idiot Proof Lawn Program
OR
The Seed Safe Lawn Program

To fully understand which direction you want to head, you’ll need to consider the pros and cons of spring and fall seeding. Read the checklist below to decide which is better for your situation, and if you’re not sure, give us a call or come on down and we can help you figure it out.

The Lawn Looks Rough – To Seed

If you missed the fall seeding, or had a ton of winter and early spring traffic on the lawn, your lawn might look thin and bare. If that’s the case, spring seeding might be a good option. However, since fall is the optimal time for seeding cool season grasses, you’ll need to switch over to the Seed Safe Lawn Care Program, which is designed to control and prevent weeds in damaged lawns that will benefit from this SAFE for spring seeding option. While fall seeding is the traditional route for cool season grasses, spring seeding can be successful if you follow Uncle’s tips.

Pro: You can fix the lawn now, and don’t have to wait until fall to have a nicer lawn.

Pro: With the Seed Safe Program, you can prevent crabgrass while seeding in the spring.

Pro: Shady areas benefit greatly from being seeded twice a year.

Con: The new grass will require more water this summer than grass planted in fall.

Con: Aeration and verticutting in the spring are not recommended.

If you need to seed this spring, the Seed Safe Lawn Program is the best choice for you. Bring in some pictures of the lawn, a sample of your grass and let our experts help you on your spring seeding journey.

The Lawn Looks Pretty Good – Not to Seed

As you step out into the lawn this spring, look around and examine the state of things. Is the lawn full and lush? If you seeded last fall, chances are this is the case. A little brown on the top of the grass is a normal result of winter dormancy, and the first mow of the year will reveal the green blades underneath. If you’re satisfied with how thick the lawn is, it’s time to jump on the Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program, which is designed to prevent and control weeds in established lawns that will be overseeded in the fall. Fall seeding, usually in September, provides the longest time for the grass to get established before the hot summer months return.

Pro: Warm fall soils and cooling temps make for quick germination and establishment.

Pro: Grass planted in fall has a 6 month head start on grass seeded in spring.

Pro: Aeration and verticutting both happen in the fall.

Con: Repairing or reseeding large areas won’t happen until the fall.

If fall seeding is right for you, it’s time to get on the Idiot Proof Lawn Program. Start today by putting down Step 1 Prevent before a rain or get it watered in with 1/2″ of water.

The best way to prevent crabgrass from taking over is to have more good grass – by eliminating the bare spots, you prevent the crabgrass seeds from getting the sunlight and space they need to sprout. After the good grass is established, you’ll need a good crabgrass preventer, like our Step 1 Prevent.

What if I already applied Prevent and have some bare spots? 

Prevent will inhibit germination of turf seed if overseeded too soon after application. A single application of Prevent remains active in the soil for 10-12 weeks. Therefore, overseeding after Prevent application is not recommended until the fall overseeding season. However, if you have bare spots in the lawn, you can repair spots using Uncle’s Seed Sandwich technique.