Why Fall Is Best for Grass Seed

For most of North America, fall is the absolute best time of year to plant grass seed. If you live in the top half to two-thirds of the United States, you're in what's called cool-season grass territory. That means fall is prime time for your lawn love to shine.

Whether you're thickening up some thin, tired grass or keeping your lawn thick and lush for paws or tiny feet, fall seeding or overseeding is the secret ingredient to creating — and sustaining — the lawn of your dreams. Dive into planting grass seed this fall, and you'll jumpstart your lawn for spring.

Planting cool-season grass in fall aligns with nature's plan.

Why Fall Is Best for Seeding Lawns

If planting grass seed right before winter seems counterintuitive, don't worry. You're about to change your mind. The key to timing grass seed right is understanding how Mother Nature designed your lawn grass to grow.

Outside of the southern tier of the United States, cool-season lawn grasses are the rule. These grasses get their name because the cool seasons — think fall and spring — are the time of year when they peak in vigor and growth. That's just as beneficial for establishing new grass seed as it is for your existing lawn.

Spring's a good season for cool-season grasses, too. But why is fall even better? It's the same reason fall's perfect for planting hardy trees and shrubs.

In fall, air temperatures get cooler, but the soil is still warm from summer sun. That combo, plus some extra precipitation, is perfect for germinating cool-season grass seed. (And fall usually means less pressure from weeds, pests and disease.)

If you don't know when your area normally gets your first fall freeze, do a quick search for "first fall freeze" and your zip code. Then count back about 45 days from that date, and that's your target time for getting cool-season lawn grass in the ground and growing well before winter comes.    

When your new grass seed has time to germinate and get its roots established in that nice warm soil, it's ready to meet winter. And when spring comes, your new lawn seed already has a mini growing season under its belt. It's ahead of the game for cool spring — and summer heat.

Overseeding existing lawns helps keep grass thick and lush.  

New Seeding vs. Overseeding

Fall seeding of cool-season lawns can go two ways: planting grass seed in areas that don't have any grass or adding more grass seed to areas that do. For starters, be brutally honest with yourself about the condition of your lawn.

Embarrassed to entertain because of your lawn? Your best bet may be to essentially start from scratch. Proud of your lawn? (Or at least not as embarrassed.) You may want to just improve on what you have.

Adding seed to existing lawns — what's known as overseeding — is something lawn pros do regularly so lawns always stay thick and lush and never thin. The prep is pretty simple: Cut your lawn extra short and rake it to remove any thatch and grass clippings so the soil is ready to receive the seed.

Seeding new lawns involves a little more preparation, but not that much. And it's definitely worth the effort if your lawn needs a major makeover. You want to create a nice, clean soil surface so your seed can get established easily, without competition from weeds or unattractive grasses you don't want to leave.

With either approach, stay away from weed killers that could harm your seed or young grass sprouts. (They can't tell the difference between a weed seed and a grass seed.)

By raking to loosen and expose the soil, you can make sure your new grass seed makes good contact with the soil — and gets plenty of water and sunlight as it germinates and establishes its roots.

Quality grass seed products deliver beautiful lawns.

Choosing Your Grass Seed

Next to timing your planting right, your second most important decision comes in choosing the best cool-season grass seed for your lawn. No, all grass seed is not created equal. (Just take a look at the germination rates on a seed tag label on different grass seed companies.) When you choose Pennington, you're choosing the best grass seed.

Pennington Smart Seed grasses actually help you grow a more sustainable lawn. Once established, water-conserving Smart Seed grasses need up to 30% less water compared to ordinary grass seed, year after year. That's for the life of your lawn. And that's good for your budget, your little slice of earth and the environment at large.

For overseeding an existing lawn or seeding a new one, Pennington Smart Seed + Fertilizer mixes have the key components to boost your lawn cred and wow your neighbors. These premium mixes combine purebred, drought-tolerant Pennington Smart Seed with a professional-grade fertilizer to help your fall planting take root and produce a sustainable lawn you'll be proud to show family and friends.

If your heart's set on a drought-tolerant tall fescue lawn, turn to The Rebels Brand, the one that started turf-type tall fescues long ago with lower growth, finer texture, darker color and denser turf. For an economical, low-maintenance alternative, turn to Kentucky 31 tall fescue, a grass trusted by homeowners for decades.

Plant grass seed in fall for a headstart on spring.

Caring for New Grass This Fall

Once you have your fall grass seed planted and on its way to becoming an awe-inspiring carpet of green, there are a few more steps to keep in mind:

  1. Continue to avoid weed killers, including preemergent herbicides, until your grass has been mowed at least twice. (If you have a weed, try the old-fashioned way: pull it or dig it up.)

  2. Water your seeded areas to keep the soil moist until grass sprouts and reaches about 3 inches tall. (That can mean watering daily, as needed, depending on how weather cooperates.) Don't ignore this one. It's the most important part!

  3. Mow your new grass once it reaches 3 inches tall. If that doesn't happen this fall, that's okay. You get a pass to wait until spring.

Then set back and enjoy the new grass you'll see this fall and again in spring. At Pennington, we care about your lawn as much as you do. It's definitely our thing. We've been helping lawn dreams come true for more than three generations. Now it's your turn. Have a question? Send it our way. Let us help you nurture your roots.  

Always read product labels thoroughly and follow instructions.

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