There are spring people, who get giddy about tulips, love splashing in puddles, and stop everything to gawk at the first robin.
And there are fall people, who get misty-eyed about their sweater collections, squeal with delight over the first falling leaf, and stop everything to gawk at the first pumpkin latte.
Which of these sentimental season-lovers should be planting grass seed?
If this seems too much like a math story problem, we’ll get to the point: When is the best time to seed your lawn in Wisconsin and Minnesota?
Is it Better to Seed Your Lawn in Fall or Spring?
We know how tempting it is to gleefully prance around your yard in the spring, happily tossing handfuls of grass seed like it’s celebratory spring confetti.
Or maybe that’s just us.
But rein in your enthusiasm. In most cases, It’s really best to seed your lawn in fall.
Sure, if you have some bare spots you’re really itching to fill in, it’s ok to seed in the spring.
But here are some reasons why fall is the best time to plant grass seed in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Crabgrass Killer Might Kill Grass Seed
As if crabgrass wasn’t already enough of a huge pain, now it’s also messing up your spring seeding plans. $&@!# crabgrass.
Everybody wants to stop crabgrass, which means using that all-important pre-emergent crabgrass killer in the spring.
But guess what? That great pre-emergent that prevents crabgrass also kills grass seed. So you can’t seed and prevent crabgrass at the same time.
Weed Seeds are Worse in Spring
Another reason fall wins in the fall vs. spring seeding competition: weed seeds.
In the spring, the air is filled with the smell of your neighbor grilling hot dogs for the first time. More importantly for this topic, it’s also filled with all kinds of dastardly weed seeds blowing around, just looking for a nice cozy place to land.
Imagine you’ve just aerated your lawn to prepare it for a nice sprinkling of fresh grass seed. Being the smart lawn owner that you are, you know the importance of seed to soil contact, and that freshly aerated soil is perfect for the grass seed to stick.
But when those weed seeds blowing around in the spring air spy that nicely prepared soil they yell, “Yippee!” and snuggle right in.
In the fall, there aren’t nearly as many weed seeds blowing around yelling “yippee!” They’re busy watching football.
Here’s the Good News About When to Plant Grass Seed
If this seed info is bumming you out, because you really want to seed in the spring, there’s some good news.
Partner with RainMaster lawn care in Eau Claire, WI or Minneapolis, and you can plant grass seed and control crabgrass at the same time in spring, because we have a professional-grade product that allows both.
Don’t look for this magic potion on the home improvement store shelf. This is pro level.
The Best Time to Plant Grass Seed in Each Season
Spring and fall each have an ideal window for planting grass.
When should you seed your lawn in spring? Mid-May is ideal for planting grass seed in the spring. Use Mother’s Day as a guide, but please don’t tell your mom we said you should spend her special day planting grass seed.
If you plant earlier than that, your baby seedlings could be zapped by frost or freezing temperatures.
For fall lawn seeding, shoot for mid-August through mid-September. Plant too early, and the hot temperatures will make it challenging. Plant too late, and freezing air or frost will jeopardize your seedlings.
Spring or Fall Lawn Seeding: Trust RainMaster
Whenever you decide to plant that grass seed, remember it’s just the first step toward a healthy, thriving lawn.
Sure, celebrate that great feeling of putting down a fresh new layer of grass seed. It’s exciting stuff.
But don’t stop there.
Invest in a complete, proactive lawn care program to continuously improve and protect your lawn.
Looking for lawn care in Eau Claire, WI or Minneapolis? Let’s create a custom nutrition plan for your lawn, so the roots will be nourished, the soil packed with nutrients, and your grass so thick and healthy, lawn weeds will have a tough fight ahead.
You choose from three different levels of lawn care programs at RainMaster, based on the results you’d like, how fast you want to see results, and your budget.
- Luscious Lawn is a high-end, proactive program that will promote amazing lawn care results. This is the program to choose for the quickest and best results, particularly if your lawn needs a lot of help.
- Terrific Turf, a mid-level option, is our most popular program to grow a thick, green lawn and deal with most challenges.
- Healthy Habitat is a basic plan that includes the elements you need for a better lawn.
Once that seed sprouts, are you ready to give your new lawn the healthy life it deserves, through all the seasons? Request a quote today! We’ll review your lawn care options together so you can make a great choice. Then, you can finally enjoy your lawn and stop worrying about it.
