Fall & Winter
Snow mold on Minnesota lawns last spring: what to change this fall
Snow mold hit many Minnesota lawns last spring. Learn the fall changes that reduce it: final mowing height, leaf handling, and fertilizer timing.
Why Spring Seeding Loses to Weeds (and What to Do Instead)
If you missed fall seeding, spring sounds like the next best time. Up north it usually isn't. Why spring seed struggles, and why dormant seeding or waiting for August often works better.
Jack · golf course superintendent·2 min read·October 5, 2026
Missed the fall window? A lot of people figure they'll just seed in April. Across the northern US, spring seeding is the hardest time to start grass. Here's why, and what to do instead.
Why spring seeding struggles
Weeds wake up at the same time. Crabgrass and other annual weeds germinate as the soil warms in spring, right alongside your new grass. Young grass can't compete.
Pre-emergent and seed don't mix. The crabgrass preventer most people put down in spring stops grass seed from coming up too. You usually have to pick one. See pre-emergent herbicide timing.
Summer is close. Spring seedlings have only a few weeks to grow roots before the heat and dry spells of summer hit. Shallow-rooted young grass is the first to brown out.
Cold, wet soil. Early spring soil is slow to warm, so seed sits there. Plant late enough for warm soil, and you're even closer to summer.
Purdue's turf team has written about this: spring seeding can work, but it's rarely the best option.
Better options
1. Dormant seeding in late fall. Spread seed after the soil is cold enough that it won't sprout (about 40°F or below), but before the ground freezes. Freeze and thaw work it into the soil. It germinates as early as the soil allows in spring, ahead of most weeds. See dormant seeding in November.
2. Wait for late summer. Mid-August to mid-September is the best time to seed cool-season grass. Warm soil, cool nights, fewer weeds coming up. See is it too late to overseed in October?.
If you have to seed in spring
Sometimes you have to: a dug-up yard, a new house, a big bare spot.
- Seed as early as soil temperature allows. See soil temperature decides your grass seed.
- Skip the regular crabgrass preventer on seeded areas. Some products are labeled as safe at seeding time. Read the label carefully.
- Water consistently into June.
- Hand-pull weeds while they're small.
- Accept that it may need touching up in the fall.
The plan
For thin spots now: rake, keep leaves off, and dormant seed later. For a bigger renovation: plan it for next August. See overseeding and fall renovation.
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