Whew! You made it! We are on the downhill side of the year. The family has made it through the family vacation with all of its members still alive(which is a feat in and of itself). The footballs are going to be flying through the smoke of BBQ’s in backyards and tailgates throughout the country. Department stores will start putting out elves and Christmas trees anytime now(*sigh*). However, one milestone that should not go by unnoticed is the optimal seeding time of the year.

The green carpet which is often overlooked and stepped on may need some help or even a major overhaul. It is often thought that spring is the best time to seed the lawn because of the warming temperatures and bountiful rainfall but spring is only good for dire situations.

Seeding is best done in the fall for a number of reasons:
The soil temperature is still warm from the summer which encourages faster germination.
The daytime temperatures are getting cooler which is favorable for the cool season Fescue’s growth that is typically planted in the area.
Crabgrass will be dying at the first frost making more room for your good grass to fill in.
Speaking of Crabgrass, seeding or overseeding this fall will make the lawn ready for the first round of crabgrass preventer come early spring rather than having to wait for fear of hurting spring seedings.
The lawn will be able to continue to “harden” up through the winter and come out swinging in the spring.

With all those reasons why wouldn’t you give yourself an early Christmas present and take care of that yard this fall? But don’t wait too long! Seeding season only lasts through the middle of October and fills up quickly. If you don’t get on the schedule this fall then you’ll have to wait until spring which is only second best and you deserve better than that!