Fall Lawn Seeding

• Fall planting from the end of August through October provides mild ambient temperatures for seed germination. It also provides a time of reduced sun stress and thus slower moisture evaporation while still providing long enough daily periods of sunlight to germinate and start the seed off well. You should time your fall planting so that you have at least 2-1/2 to 3 months of root establishment time before the first hard frost in your area (if applicable).
  
  

Spring Lawn Seeding

• Spring grass seed sowing, from just after the last frost through June, allows for the roots to be established before the hottest heat of summer arrives in most areas. Spring sowing also takes advantage of spring rain showers, which can cut down considerably on watering labor in certain regions. Seeds should only be sown into completely thawed ground soil that is easy to work with and well tilled.
  
  

Establishment Period Care

• When laying new grass by seed either in the spring or fall, plan on an initial higher maintenance period of at least 2 to 3 months. Your greater attention during the germination and establishment phases will ensure a healthier long-lived lawn with deep roots that will protect the grass from drought.
  After sowing, watering is the critical issue. If there is no rain, mist the seeded expanse twice a day in the morning and early evening. In hot or dry climates, a third mid-day misting may be required to keep the soil and seed uniformly and consistently moist.
  Seeds sprout anywhere from 8 days to 3 weeks after planting, depending on the varietal of seed and conditions. When each sprout has multiple blades of grass on it, you can begin watering every other day for the next 2-3 months. Thereafter, you can follow a maintenance watering regimen of applying 1 inch of water per week to the lawn. During the germination and establishment phases, keep all human and animal foot traffic off of the seeded area so as not to disturb and set back the newly forming roots. Wait at least 5 weeks before walking on it and hold off on mowing until the grass blades are at least 3 inches in height.