The title should raise a question mark in your frontal lobes…dormant? Most Midwestern gardeners are familiar with plants going dormant and seeing that happen in late November and early December; plants such as lilac, fruit trees, roses, iris, dogwood…even perennial veggies such as asparagus and rhubarb. But why the interest in seeding something and doing it when it’s the dormant time of year? The answer? Several reasons.
When it comes to seeding lawns, there are 3 basic times of the year that are favorable, but each can be unfavorable due to unsuitable wet soils. The best way to overcome this is to put the seed in the ground at a time of year when soils tend to be moist but not soggy and the ground can be loosened easily. That time is now.
Ok, so that time is now, but what about germination and growth of the new grass plants? Again, this is counter intuitive. Usually, after you install seeds, tubers, bulbs or root balls, new roots are expected to grow and help the plants establish themselves into the soil and begin growth in the landscape. With dormant seeding, the main objective is to get the seeds into the soil when it physically can be done and then remain in a holding pattern until the first rays of the April sun warm the soil and encourage growth. Sure, mid to late April might turn out to be a conducive time as well, but what if it isn’t? What if the lawn needs thickening or has some spots that are outright dead and that time of year is rainy and doesn’t allow for working the soil? If that is the case, grass seed that has already been placed in those spots will take off and grow well.
Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln supports this practice. In a recent study that compared all 3 timeframes – late April, late August and late November, all 3 times resulted in an acceptable stand of turf after 2 months of growth. The only significant difference between the 3 times is that it was found to be best if the seeds during the dormant season installations were placed slightly deeper than in spring and late summer due to the possibility of seed movement over the winter.
The same approach is recommended – loosen the soil with a stiff rake, apply seeds at the rate of 2-3 pounds of Kentucky bluegrass or 9-10 lbs. of tall fescue per 1,000 sq. ft., settle the seeds into the soil with an upturned leaf rake and sprinkle them with a light watering. With the sprinkler system turned off for the year and hoses disconnected from the house, this may be a challenge, however, since evaporation is low at this time of year, and growth is not expected or even desirable, watering after planting is not critical. In late April of the following year, a starter fertilizer/mesotrione product application is recommended following label instructions. At that time, it’s important to keep the soil moist, not soggy or dry to encourage root growth and establishment.
