Knowledgebase
To OverSeed or Not To OverSeed #768721
Asked August 23, 2021, 1:05 PM EDT
Summit County Ohio
Expert Response
Your question about Overseeding has several parts. First, most grasses in the Midwest grow best when it's under 75 degrees F, making autumn the ideal time to overseed. Be sure to give your new grass about a month before your first average first frost so it can get established.
In the cooler northern climates, the best time to overseed is in late summer to early fall. In fall the soil is warm enough to support germination, but the temperatures aren't too extreme for the tender new grass to develop before winter sets in.
In our Midwest region, cool season grasses like fescue and bluegrass perform the very best. Early spring green up and year-round good looks of fescue and bluegrass make beautiful lawns with the least amount of maintenance.
The effective life of most preemergent treatments is about three months. After the spring treatment, any seed planted will not germinate. Any corrections would have to wait until next fall.
www.trugreen.com has a garden advice section that may help.