How to Seed a Lawn in Fall

First, identify whether your lawn is made of cool-season grasses. Cool season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye grass and tall or fine fescue. These types of grasses are especially beneficial in zones with hot summers and cold, freezing winters. Cool-season lawns need an application of high-nitrogen fertilizer in fall and spring. Additionally, overseeding in fall prevents bald patches in early spring.

A healthy cool season lawn starts with good soil. Testing your soil will make sure you use the right fertilizer and seed. If you haven’t tested the soil in your lawn in the last three or four years, now is the time. Choose a slow- or timed-release fertilizer with a balanced NPK ratio. “N” stands for nitrogen. Nitrogen helps stems and leaves to grow. “P” stands for phosphorus ,which is good for better root and flower development. “K” is for potassium, an essential component for good overall plant health. You can use a soil test kit or contact your local Cooperative Extension Service for a soil test.

Insects, drought, fungi or flooding can cause your lawn to have bald spots. It’s important to correct those for a fuller, better-looking lawn. Start by removing any dead grass or weeds. Turn the soil and add in a healthy amount of compost. Next, there are two ways to fill the bare spots:

• Scatter grass seed in the spot, covering it with soil and fertilizer.
• Compact the soil lightly and water generously.
• Patch the spot. Harvest a patch from an area of your yard where the grass is growing well.
• Place the patch, then press it down with your feet. Follow with a relative amount of fertilizer and water.

Overseeding is simply scattering a good amount of grass seed into your existing grass. For cool-season lawns, it’s best to overseed in the fall.

Select a broadcast spreader for large lawns, or you can use a drop spreader for smaller spaces. Start with a dry lawn and overseed by making passes back and forth in a single direction. Make a second round of passes perpendicular to the first for uniform coverage.

Tip: Measure your lawn to find out how much seed and fertilizer you’ll need. Multiply the length by the width to figure out square footage.

If you have only a few weeds, pull them up by hand. Most annual weeds have short roots and should be easy to remove. However, one of the best ways to control or even prevent weeds is having a thick, full lawn that keeps weeds from taking root.

Most experts recommend weeding and feeding your lawn at the same time. For cool season grasses, count on fertilizing your yard at the end of summer or in the early fall. This will provide the nutrients your grass needs to rebound from the heat and strengthen its root system.

Tip: Spread fertilizer the same day you seed your lawn. Consider using a weed and seed product that does both.

Taking care of your cool season grass properly every season is the best way to grow a great lawn. Here’s a few tips to keep in mind:

• Watch out for falling leaves. Don’t let them pile up on grass because they can suffocate the seeds. Mulch leaves with a mulching lawn mower or leaf blower with a mulching feature. If you can, collect the chopped leaves. They make great mulch for your flowerbeds.
• Water the lawn generously to work the seed and feed into the soil and off the grass blades.
• Keep an eye on the weather. Don’t seed or feed if a strong thunderstorm is headed your way.