Prepare for Spring Grass Seed Planting If You Live in One of These States

If you’re planning to plant grass seed this spring and live in the transition zone, a 200 mile wide belt that straddles the South and MidAtlantic and includes North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri, then now is the time to plan.  

Cool season grasses, including fescues, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass germinate when soil temperatures reach 50°F and air temperatures are consistently between 60°F and 75°F. For states in the transition zone, soil temperatures begin to crest the 50°F mark in early March to mid April. While grass will continue to germinate up until soil temperatures reach 65°F later in the spring, by then it’s too late. You need to get seed in the ground as soon as possible to give it the best chance at survival before summer arrives. 

Related: Overseeding? Here’s How to Keep Weeds Out

The Challenge of Spring Grass Seed Planting in the Transition Zone

Spring grass seeding in the transition zone is fraught with peril:

• Summer heat: Seed has very little time to germinate and develop roots before warmer weather arrives. Temperatures in the transition zone can routinely rise above 87°F, stressing out young plants that don’t yet have an established root system to endure drought. 
• Crabgrass: Spring is prime growing season for such weeds as crabgrass, which can crowd out young grass plants
• Weed Control Conflicts: The most effective premergent herbicides that prevent weed growth will also prevent grass seed from germinating. Hence, you have to choose between planting grass seed and preventing weed growth. 
• Unpredictable weather: Spring weather can be wildly unpredictable, shifting from hot and dry to cold and wet. This puts your seeds in danger of either drying out or rotting from too much water. 
• Heavy rain: Spring is a wet month that’s notorious for heavy rainfall, which can wash your seeds away before they have time to germinate. 

Wait, If Possible

Given all the challenges associated with planting grass seed in the transition zone, it makes better sense to hold off until fall, which is the optimal time for planting grass. However, that isn't always possible. If you missed your fall overseeding window, need to repair bare spots that appeared over the winter, or have a brand new lawn to plant, waiting isn’t an option. If you have bare dirt, something is going to grow there. It may as well be grass and not weeds.  

Spring Survival Strategy

If you’re planting seed in the spring, you need to give it the best possible shot at survival. Here’s how:

• Plant ASAP: Don’t rely on guessing to choose your planting time. Instead, monitor soil temperature beginning in March using a soil thermometer or meat thermometer. 
• Use Polymer-Coated seed: It’s more expensive pound for pound than traditional seed, but polymer coated seed holds on to water, preventing your seeds from drying out. 
• Plant with a Seed Slitter: Don’t just throw soil on the ground and expect it to grow. Rent a seed slitter that will plant seeds in the earth, giving them much better odds of germinating. 

Use selective preemergent: The best weed control products aren’t compatible with spring seeding, but there are some that are. Use a preemergent with mesotrione, which will control weeds without killing your seed, as long as you apply it when you seed.