With the difficult fall we have seen across most of our territory, now is a good time to talk about dormant seeding.
Whether you’re looking to overseed a damaged area or establish a new turf area, applying seed in the late fall after it is expected to germinate (dormant seeding) can help deliver great success in the spring. While late summer and early fall establishment is best, it is not always possible, and dormant seeding can increase the chances of new turf surviving the summer over the typical spring seeding.
Dormant Seeding Time Frame
The time frame for dormant seeding will vary based on location and weather patterns. The concept is to place the seed in the soil after the soil temperature has dropped below 40°F and is expected to remain there until the spring. The seed will sit in the ground until conditions are right for germination in the spring.
Making Your Application
Using a slit seeder is the ideal application method for dormant seeding. This ensures seed-to-soil contact and reduces the movement or loss of seed during the winter. You can slit seed into slightly frozen or snow-covered ground, expanding the window in which establishment work can be done. Shallow aeration followed by broadcast or drop seeding can also be effective. If seed must be applied to bare ground without the use of slit seeding or aeration, it should be incorporated into the soil with a light raking or covered with sand or compost. With any of the above applications, using an erosion control blanket can help keep the seed in place and increase your success in the spring. When overseeding existing areas, broadcasting seed with a rotary spreader or drop seeder alone can work well if there is enough vegetation present to hold the seed in place until it can germinate in the spring.
Benefits of Dormant Seeding
The benefits of dormant seeding over spring seeding are numerous. Spring weather can often be unpredictable and wet. When dormant seeding, you know that the seed is in the ground and can emerge when conditions are right. You don’t have to worry about typical spring rains delaying your opportunity to seed. Dormant-seeded areas also typically germinate earlier in the season, well before seeding equipment can be brought onto the site.
Having seed in the ground for the initial spring warm-up can also be an advantage when trying to establish grass in an area shaded by deciduous trees. The absence of leaves on the trees in the spring can allow much-needed sunlight to reach areas that may be too shaded during the rest of the year to get good results.
Weed Control and Dormant Seeding
Weeds are a major concern during seed establishment. Dormant seeding promotes earlier germination, which can reduce weed pressure in the area because the new turf has a longer time to fill in before spring weeds begin to flourish. It is still recommended to use a weed control product like ArmorTech Trione (40% mesotrione) in the spring during cool-season establishment to decrease weed competition.
Potential Issues With Dormant Seeding
There are potential issues with dormant seeding that can decrease success. It is possible that a long, unseasonable warm-up will cause some seeds to germinate and then die off when cold temperatures return. Large amounts of runoff can also displace seed. To safeguard against these events, we suggest increasing seeding rates by 10-15% when dormant seeding.
Late summer and early fall will always be the recommended timeframe to seed, but dormant seeding can be successful when done properly and lengthen your season. Reach out to your ATS rep for more information about dormant seeding success.
