Spring Seeding Tips for a Successful Lawn

Most Purdue University publications recommend seeding lawns in the fall or in late winter before the soil thaws. Winter seeding allows the seeds to enter cracks in the frozen soil creating great seed to soil contact. Sometimes we are forced to seed our lawn in the spring due to winter damage or initial establishment of a new lawn. If this is the case for you, please follow these tips to be successful.

Although any cool-season grass can be seeded in the spring, spring seedings are more successful with tall fescue and perennial ryegrass than with Kentucky bluegrass due to the faster germination rate and better seedling vigor of perennial ryegrass and tall fescue compared to Kentucky bluegrass. See image above for germination example.  If Kentucky bluegrass is seeded in the spring consider using a mixture of tall fescue: Kentucky bluegrass (90:10, weight: weight) or a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass:perennial ryegrass (such as 80:20, weight: weight). Seeding Kentucky bluegrass alone will result in marginal bluegrass establishment due to the slow germination and vigor of the seedlings and increased comp

etition from crabgrass. The table below gives the recommended seeding rates and days to germination per recommended species.  

New turfgrass seedlings have poorly developed root systems and thus they cannot effectively take up the nutrients from the soil. Therefore, it is important to fertilize frequently after seeding to encourage

establishment. To help the turf establish, apply a “starter fertilizer” to enhance seed germination and development. Starter fertilizer is high in phosphorus which is listed as the second number in the analysis on the fertilizer bag. For instance, a 16-22-8 fertilizer contains 22% P2O5. Apply the fertilizer according to the label directions would should supply at least 1.0 lb. P2O5 /1000 ft2. This application will likely include nitrogen (first number in the fertilizer analysis), which will also help the turf develop an extensive fibrous root system that is better able to take up nutrients and obtain water.

Table 1. Recommended seeding rates for lawns in Indiana.

Species	Seeding rate lbs/1,000 ft2	Days to germinate
Kentucky bluegrass	1.0 to 2.0	10-21
Kentucky bluegrass + perennial ryegrass	3.0 to 6.0	5-21
Tall fescue	8.0 to 10.0	6 to 10
Tall fescue + Kentucky bluegrass	5.0 to 7.0	6 to 21

Taken from Turf Tips written by Aaron Patton, Assistant Professor/Turfgrass Extension Specialist