Lawn Dilemma: To seed or not to seed.

Contrary to conventional thought, spring lawn seeding is NOT recommended.  That’s right, Lawn Doctor experts encourage you to wait on seeding.

There are three reasons why you shouldn’t see in the Spring.

First, seed is very slow to germinate in the spring due to cooler soil temperatures according to Tom Norton, owner of Lawn Doctor.  “Even fast- growing perennial ryegrass will take 3-4 weeks when planted in April.” Secondly, Spring is the biological time for turf to reproduce and therefore expends its energy on the production of seed and top growth and not root development. “Turfgrass knows that spring is time to reproduce. It focuses all of its resources on growing tall, green shoots and seed heads instead of a root system. All the water in the world will not be enough to protect your grass from summer stress if it doesn’t have a developed root system.”

Third reason?

Weeds, weeds, weeds! The most important, time-sensitive thing you can do for you lawn is apply a weed and crabgrass preventative, AKA preemergent. If you seed, you cannot apply pre-emergent, and if your grass can’t make it through the summer, it’ll be overtaken by crabgrass. You’ll end up seeding in the fall again anyway. Even if you watered and fertilized faithfully, odds are, you’ll still end up with patchy, bare areas after the crabgrass recedes in the fall. 

Lawn Doctor is a local, family owned and operated business. Over 50 years of serving their neighbors has provided their team with invaluable insight as how best maintain your home’s greenest asset.

Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your lawncare routine or create one from scratch, the experts at Lawn Doctor can get you on track. For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit http://www.lawndoctor.com/or call 800-831-1319.