As a result, tall fescue grass seed does not germinate properly unless soil and air temperatures average around 60 to 75 degrees. When seed is put down in the spring, a standard weed control program has to skip the pre-emergent weed control and restrict the post-emergent weed control. It is subject to brown (large) patch, especially in prolonged periods of warm, wet conditions. Smooth the surface with a rake making sure to remove vegetative growth. Under the right conditions, fescue is green year-round, but it can go dormant (brown) during severe heat and drought. Fescue grasses die back in the summer heat, so you will need to plant a warm-season grass in the spring. When fescue seed is put down in the fall, maintenance herbicide applications are halted to prevent the risk of harm to the seed or baby grass. Analyze the soil test results to determine which, if any, amendments will be required. Chesterfield | This in turn depends on proper seeding. Although spring seeding is very common for garden crops and other plants, spring seeding of grass is very difficult due to conditions that are often beyond our control. Fescue is a cool-season grass. Analyze the soil test results to determine which, if any, amendments will be required. Choose a planting time between mid-February and April to plant fescue grass seed. Water the planting area with the fine mist setting on your hose or sprinkler and water daily until the seeds germinate. At the end of the day, the greatest benefits to successfully planting fescue in spring are the improvements to a lawn’s overall health and appearance as well as the faster results in a lawn this option can provide. Seeding aftercare is important in the fall between watering, delaying any mowing, and monitoring for problems, but each part of this homeowner care is ten times as important with a spring seeding. At PPLM, we like to get the bad out of the way first. Lawns that are seeded in the spring and carefully maintained to maximize on the lawn’s ability to survive the summer see faster improvement and will be thicker and healthier during the season that they’re most enjoyed than lawns that have to wait until fall. Roll the planting area with the hand roller until the soil is compacted. Alternately the second choice is to plant in spring when spring temperatures have reached 60 ° and are rising in the spring. you are not 100% satisfied with our service, please contact us immediately, and we will make it right---no questions asked! Rake the area lightly so that the seeds are just slightly covered. To seed, or not to seed? Give it new growth by aerating the soil and and mixing in fresh seed. But with the need for both moisture and moderate temperatures, it is better to seed a little early in anticipation of spring rainfall. Chester | A pre-emergent chemical will prevent germination of ANY seed – weed or turfgrass. Sow 3 to 5 lbs of winter rye seed per 1,000 square feet of existing grasses or use 5 to 7 lbs of seed for 1,000 square feet of bare earth. Allow clippings to fall into the turf where they will decay and release nutrients. September – October is the BEST time to plant a fescue lawn but March -April is also a possibility. Midlothian | Fall is the optimal time to plant fescue grasses. It is not as important as you think it is, but everyone’s first thought is what fescue … If a lawn is still experiencing significant thin or bare areas as a result of harsh weather, damage, or subpar fall seeding results, spring seeding may be a viable option if the proper precautions are taken. To start, the most obvious consideration in deciding when to plant fescue is the chance of success for the seed’s germination and development. That is the question many homeowners ask when surveying their lawn as the weather first starts to warm into spring. Problems like extreme weather, fungus, and construction can either compromise the success of a fall seeding or create so many issues in a lawn that just one fall seeding can’t completely recover the integrity of the turf. Test your soil before sowing the fescue seed. Although fall is considered the best time to plant fescue seed, planting in spring is also possible. If it has been two weeks and there are no grass sprouts or very few then reseed and make sure you water thoroughly. Fall is the best time to plant fescue and other cool season grass. In order to prevent significant loss of the baby grass once summer arrives, homeowners that have invested in planting fescue in spring have to stay on top of a strict watering regimen from the start. In some circumstances, you may see them in only a few days. Existing fescue lawns can also be reseeded. If you plant grass seed in the wrong season, it will not germinate properly or even survive. Planting in summer can … … A: Although late fall is the optimum time to plant fescue, mid- to late February is a workable alternate. As we mentioned, a lot can go wrong in a year for a fescue lawn. Fescue is a hardy grass that grows in cool weather and browns during the summer. Priming can be accomplished by soaking the seed in warm water for 24 hours then partially drying it on a layer of newspapers in your garage. In addition to this, adult fescue grass is easily stressed and damaged by high temperatures like those RVA experiences in the summer. Once your seeds are sowed, rake or drag the seeded area, so that as many of the seeds as possible are lightly covered (1/4 inch is ideal covering). Master gardeners at the Gloucester County, Virgina, extension suggest that residential plantings of fescue do not require a straw mulch. Pour the amendments, at the rate suggested by the soil analysis, over the planting bed. Even established fescue that was seeded last fall will falter in the 100⁰+ temperatures and drought during the summer. However, you can simply comb them out with your fingers. This brings us to the second downside to spring seeding, which is the need for homeowner involvement. Planting fescue in spring is not as ideal as planting it in the fall, but it does have some merits for a fescue lawn that has struggled since its fall seeding. In transition zone states, such as North Carolina or Arkansas, September is typically the best month for planting tall fescue seed. As a result, a fescue lawn that had seed put down in the spring is very likely to see more weed activity for that year than a lawn that received its normal amount of weed control. When you have procrastinated past the proper planting season for fescue, you can get quicker germination if you prime or pre-germinate the seed before you scatter it over your plot. The best time to plant new tall fescue and bluegrass seed is in early to mid September. Choosing the appropriate grass is the first step, and briefly put, the only two cool-season grasses that have application in the Piedmont and Tidewater regions of the state are tall fescue and the new hybrid bluegrasses. However, ungerminated seed may stay viable through winter and some additional germination may come with spring. Common amendments for a fescue lawn include nitrogen, lime and compost. These issues include the threat of summer, the need for homeowner involvement, and conflict with spring weed control. However, when temperatures climb in the summer problems begin to occur. All Rights Reserved. Ideally, the soil temperature should be between 50 and 65 degrees F. This will normally occur when the air temperature reaches 60 degrees F, according to turf growers at Fescue.com. This is why a fescue lawn does best if it receives aeration and seeding in the fall. I have found that the most important factor when planting grass seed is water. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Q: I know October is the best time for overseeding a fescue lawn but can it be done in the spring? Where turfgrass is concerned, it is definitely possible to have too much of a good thing. Mow newly seeded fescue back to 3” when it reaches 4.5” in height. Be sure and use the correct rate for seeding Fescue grass. Seeding is a large investment for most homeowners, so it is valuable to weigh the pros and cons to make sure the chances of successful germination and development are high while the concern with missing out on spring weed control is low. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, University of Illinois Extension: Planting a New Lawn, Virginia Cooperative Extension: Establishing Lawns. If you intend to seed a lawn, you CAN NOT use a pre-emergent before you plant nor can one be applied for several weeks thereafter. Even under ideal conditions, you can expect approximately one third of those individual grass plants to die off due to fungus and/or heat stress. So, when you plant seeds be sure to … For colder climates, you can plant grass seed in the winter for overseeding purposes. Unfortunately, there are several cons to planting fescue in spring that can seriously impact not only whether or not the service is appealing to a homeowner, but also the actual germination success of the tall fescue grass seed. The best way to weigh the option of planting fescue in spring is with a pros and cons list. Dinwiddie | Normally, spring is not considered the ideal time to overseed a cool season bluegrass or fescue lawn because of the shorter establishment period before summer and the increased issues with weeds. As a result, many homeowners are discouraged by thin or bare areas in their lawn coming out of winter when faced with having to wait until fall to seed again. Because fescue isn’t able to spread laterally the way warm season grasses can, the grass you have is the grass you have until you seed again. During spring, temperature and rainfall is perfect for grass seed germination and growth. Seeding at less optimum time may result in reduced fill which may increase weed germination. Pour half of the fescue seed and half of the sand into the broadcast spreader. When To Plant Fescue Grass. Deciding when to plant fescue is a consistent decision for most lawns where fall seeding is concerned, but it has to be a case by case decision when thinking about planting fescue in spring. It tolerates heat and drought. 1 If you plant late, expect lower germination rates and less hardy root establishment. How should one determine if you should plant grass in the spring? When it's October, people often wonder if it is too late to plant new seed. About Fescue Grass Lawns. Overseeding – Planting Fescue In Spring. If it is too high, establishment costs will be prohibitive. Planting in the Fall presents the least risk of planting failure for cool season grass. Sod requires an initial irrigation of the s… Overseeding – Planting Fescue In Spring. Our Work is 100% GuaranteedWe want you to be over the top ecstatic with our PPLM Lawn Care, Landscape Maintenance, and Fertilizer services---So thrilled that you will refer us to your family, friends and neighbors. These include cool season grasses, such as ryegrass, fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, which will germinate and then flourish in spring when snow has melted. Proud to provide services to central & southside Virginia: Moseley | Level the soil with the rake, removing any hills or depressions. Tall fescue is a moderate- to coarse-bladed grass that can be grown in the shade and in many soil types. The older leaves adhere to the plant and spoil the bright coloration. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in creative writing. Fescue is a cool-season grass; that means it grows best in the spring and fall when temperatures are cooler, and it struggles during the heat of summer. Ft Lee | There is no bigger influence on this than seasonal weather. However, if done properly and with attention to maintenance, spring might be a viable option. You will need 3 to 5 … Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! However, when fescue is put down in the spring, it only has one season instead of three to develop before it gets rocked by summer. After you plant your grass seeds, you should see new sprouts no later than two weeks afterwards. The key is getting good seed-to-soil contact. This is best done during the fall. Before you plant fescue seed, you want to do a bit of preparation to your lawn. Walk over the planting area in an east-to-west direction, sowing the seed as you walk. Proud to provide services to central & southside Virginia. You want to see healthy and thriving fescue grass by bathing suit season. This break in weed control is accommodated by falling temperatures that result in much fewer incidences of crabgrass and other weeds anyway. Fescue is a cool growing season grass that declines in growth during summer. Fill the broadcast spreader with the remaining seed and sand and walk in a north-to-south direction, seeding as you walk. The most important aspect in choosing when to plant the fescue seed is the temperature of the soil. Warm-Season Grass Warm-season grasses, which grow well throughout the state, should be planted in the spring. Some products are available that serve as pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control without being a risk to the germination or development of fescue seed, but these are usually quite expensive and would be an additional cost with a turf management company. Because fescue does not repair itself, over-seeding annually in September or October is needed for the turf to recover from summer damage and to look its best. If the seeding rate is too low, the stand will be thin and weedy. Check with your county cooperative extension office for soil-testing facilities or purchase testing kits at a gardening center or nursery. This can reduce the need for fertilizer by 20-30%. Keep in mind, however, that a fescue lawn that is already uniform and healthy can actually be harmed by spring seeding. Seedlings require more care and consideration than sod and have a longer time from planting to germination, which means the cooler temperatures throughout fall and winter are thoroughly utilized. Petersburg. Plant your cool season grass seed when the fall temperatures reach 75° and are dropping as winter approaches. Blue fescue plants are evergreen but they do lose some of the older blades and grow new fresh deep blue leaves in spring. The best time to apply fescue grass in spring is immediately after the ground has thawed and as soon as you’re able to till and work the soil adequately. If for any reason Although fall is considered the best time to plant fescue seed, planting in spring is also possible. Level the soil with the rake, removing any hills or depressions. Rye Grasses The rye grasses are also appropriate for October planting in warmer climates. Business Address:23421 Old Cox Rd Dinwiddie, Virginia 23803, Copyright © 2019 Picture Perfect Lawn Maintenance. If tall fescue is seeded at less than ideal conditions (too cool or no soil moisture), the seed will stay viable in the spring until the temperatures warm and soil moisture is available. Ideally, the soil temperature should be between 50 and 65 degrees F. This will normally occur when the air temperature reaches 60 degrees F, according to turf growers at Fescue.com. If a lawn is still experiencing significant thin or bare areas as a result of harsh weather, damage, or subpar fall seeding results, spring seeding may be a viable option if the proper precautions are taken. Some winter weeds begin to develop after fall seeding, but these are generally controlled with post-emergent weed control in the spring, at which point pre-emergent weed control is also applied to prevent most summer weeds. Fertilize the soil before planting the seed, then again in late winter. When trying to decide whether or not to spring seed, homeowners should talk with their professional turf management company to decide whether or not it’s recommended for their lawn. Spring seeding should be planned if there any obvious areas of exposed soil. When fescue is put down around September or October, it has all of the fall to germinate and begin developing, all of the winter to extend its roots, and all of the spring to thicken up and mature its blades. Do not fertilize during the spring or summer, when weeds grow, but fertilize again in the fall to nourish the grass for the winter. If you missed the window for fall seeding of a cool-season lawn, you can still plant a lawn for spring. Unless you keep it thoroughly irrigated, you will lose some of your fescue to our hot summers, every year – which is why you should overseed it every fall. Many times a herbicide can’t tell the difference between a “weed” and your grass. So, you will lose about half of what you seeded, maybe more. The third issue with spring seeding is the significant limitations it puts on weed control, which is most heavily applied during the spring. Planting fescue in spring is not as ideal as planting it in the fall, but it does have some merits for a fescue lawn that has struggled since its fall seeding. I also cover what kind of fescue is best. The first step in forage management is the proper establishment of pasture and hay fields. Her articles have appeared at Trulia.com, SFGate.com, GardenGuides.com, RE/MAX.com, MarketLeader.com, RealEstate.com, USAToday.com and in "Chicago Agent" magazine, to name a few. Should I be planting Fescue in Spring?? Planting Fescue in Spring…..Is It Right For My Lawn? You can use a commercial turf grass planter, slit seeder, or sow the seeds by hand, or just as easy and much preferred, buy a lawn grass seeder. After all, getting your fescue seed planted is only part of the battle. As a result, spring seeding has a much higher risk of loss in the summer than a fall seeding does. These areas can represent a large percentage of the property, or be as small as a baseball or basketball. How often you need to mow will depend on how quickly the turf grows, which will vary with temperature, fertility, and moisture levels. Hopewell | You will need 3 to 5 pounds of fescue seed per 1,000 square feet of planting area, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. In spring or fall, new fescue seeds can be planted after clearing an area of vegetation or mowing old grass. The most important aspect in choosing when to plant the fescue seed is the temperature of the soil. Tall fescue grows rapidly and requires frequent mowing but does not tolerate close mowing. Use a tiller to work and loosen the ground prior to planting. There are some key things to keep in mind when planting grass seed in the winter months. Seeding fescue in spring offers a compromise that cuts this “wait time” in half. How to Plant Grass in November. You can also plant fescue grass in early spring. Plant over an empty soil by tilling and fertilizing the soil. Bermuda, St. Augustine, Centipede and Zoysia are all good choices. Most grasses grow readily from seed and do well with fall planting. Design ... You should plant tall fescue seed in the fall, and it may require annual reseeding. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Late Winter: Fertilize fescue lawns in late winter when soil temperatures rise to a consistent 50° in order to stimulate deep root growth. Such is the case with pre-emergents and fescue. Fescue is a cool season turf, which means that it does best in mild conditions. This is usually in late February/early March. Use high-nitrogen, low-phosphorus fertilizer like 18-0-4 that includes a pre-emergence weed control (unless you plan on reseeding in the spring). However, if you are faced with either a sparse turf or the need to plant a new lawn this spring, you have no other choice but to do the best you can. I have tips on planting a new lawn or an existing lawn, whether with seed or sod. Prince George | Based in the American Southwest, Bridget Kelly has been writing about gardening and real estate since 2005. Although fall is considered the best time to plant fescue seed, planting in spring is also possible. 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