When to plant grass seed?

alliapistor

I know that Fall is ideally the best time to plant grass seed, but we missed that opportunity.

Our yard is overrun with weeds.

From what I've read, I'm supposed to wait until all risk of frost has passed.  I'm in Northern Virginia/Washington DC metro area and that would put us in late April or even early May.  I'm afraid that the weeds will have already germinated by then.

What is the best time in Spring to overseed? Do I really need to wait until all risk of frost has passed?  If I do, is there a way to treat the weeds without killing the new grass? 

SusieBW

Most grass goes dormant during the cold months, so it won't grow when it's still cold enough to frost.  If there's still a frost risk, then there's also a risk that you're going to lose all of the seed that you put down, and just have to start over.  I'm not really sure when the best time is, but I would definitely wait until the frost risk has passed.

DH puts down seed at random at any point in the summer when we have had bare patches, and it's always filled in just fine, but I know that's not really what you're looking to do.

~NB~

At the risk of being flamed for mentioning chemicals: Weed-B-Gone kills weeds and leaves behind the turfgrass. But it's still too early for even this.

FoxinFiji

I just got a newletter from my local nursery that reminded me of this post.  Here is the part about lawn care in March:

Lawn Care:         
March is the best month to get your lawn care going in the right direction. Once the snow has melted and the ground is dry enough to work on it is a good idea to rake off all the left over debris from the previous fall and winter. Once the lawn has been cleaned up it is much easier to tell where any holes or divots are that you may want to fill in with some top soil. Also you should be able to see in what parts of the lawn your grass may be thinning. Grass grows best in cool weather so in late march you can reseed your lawn as this gives the best chance for the grass seed to take root. 

 HTH

~NB~

FoxinFiji:

I just got a newletter from my local nursery that reminded me of this post.  Here is the part about lawn care in March:

Lawn Care:         
March is the best month to get your lawn care going in the right direction. Once the snow has melted and the ground is dry enough to work on it is a good idea to rake off all the left over debris from the previous fall and winter. Once the lawn has been cleaned up it is much easier to tell where any holes or divots are that you may want to fill in with some top soil. Also you should be able to see in what parts of the lawn your grass may be thinning. Grass grows best in cool weather so in late march you can reseed your lawn as this gives the best chance for the grass seed to take root. 

 HTH

March? Really? In Wisconsin?

FoxinFiji

LOL yeah this nursery newsletter tends to be a little ahead of schedule with their weather predictions.  Late-March to mid-April are complete guesses on what the weather will be like around here. 

alliapistor

~NB~:

At the risk of being flamed for mentioning chemicals: Weed-B-Gone kills weeds and leaves behind the turfgrass. But it's still too early for even this.

I used Weed-B-Gone last year.  It didn't really work. According to the label, it also isn't supposed to be used on newly seeded lawns because it can kill the seeds just starting out.  I would normally not be opposed to it, but it just doesn't seem to kill our weeds.  And I'm pregnant and trying to avoid handling any chemicals.

I tried corn gluten meal for weed control in our front yard last year, but it rained.  I felt like it just fertilized the dandelions.  But I would consider trying it again on the front (which won't be seeded this year) or in the back once we get grass better established. 

FoxinFiji

Overseeding will only do so much.  You're still going to have a lot of weeds.  For bigger weeds like dandelions I just dig them out by hand because like you I don't want to use any chemicals (we have an acre pond just off our lawn so I don't want to kill any of the aquatic life in there).  It takes forever but it has a bigger success rate than anything else I've tried.  Other plants people consider weeds I just learn to live with.  Ajuga and creeping charlie for example flower and can actually look nice when you learn to live with them.  I'd rather spend my time enjoying my yard than spending it fighting with weeds.