Garden Guide · Lawn
When to Plant Grass Seed in Upstate New York
Short answer: late summer to early fall — roughly mid-August through mid-September — is the best time to seed a cool-season lawn in the Capital Region. Spring (once the soil warms) is second best. Need a lawn right away? Lay sod.
Why late summer wins
Warm soil gets seed up fast, cooler nights and fall rain keep it growing, and weeds are slowing down. New grass has the fall and the next spring to root in before summer heat. Spring seeding works, but young grass then has to face its first summer right away.
What to buy
- Jonathan Green Black Beauty grass seed — Sun & Shade, Ultra, Sunny and Dense Shade mixes, plus Fall Magic for fall seeding and a Contractors Mix.
- New-seeding (starter) fertilizer to feed the young grass.
- Topsoil to fill low spots and level the area first.
Steps
- Rake out dead grass and loosen the top inch of soil; fill low spots with topsoil.
- Spread seed at the rate on the bag, half in one direction and half crosswise.
- Rake lightly so the seed touches soil, then apply starter fertilizer.
- Keep the top of the soil moist — light watering once or twice a day — until the grass is up, then water less often and deeper.