Pretty much everyone at least thinks about seeding areas of the lawn in the spring. Now, for me, the best time to throw down and grow grass seed is in the fall, but if your lawn has major thin areas or bare spots, you may need to go ahead and get it done now.

Growing Grass Seed

The first thing to realize is that you are not gonna be able to throw down any crab grass pre-emergent this year. Crab grass controls stop crab grass seed from germinating, and they do the same to your Kentucky Bluegrass or Perennial Rye. So if you’re gonna seed, learn to live with a little crab grass, too.

Next, remember the three “musts” for proper grass seed growing:

1) Moisture: If you cannot keep the seed wet, it will severely hamper the germination rates you get. Don’t just rely on the rain — go out and water the seeded areas for a few minutes each morning, just to keep the little beauties moist. It does not take a lot of water, but it does take consistent water… get it?

2) Warmth/Heat: Another thing to realize is that grass seedlings are susceptible to extreme temperatures, and in the spring time, night freezes and frosts are the main concern. You want temps to be above 50 consistently day and night for optimum seed growth.

3) Seed-Soil Contact: New grass roots need somewhere to dig in and that is why there has to be some soil around. Grass seed that collects in your lawn’s thatch layer is gonna have trouble, so make sure you rake out areas before seeding. If you really wanna get results, cover the top of the seed with soil, as well.

That’s it guys, pretty simple. If you can follow these tips, you should be able to grow grass seed anywhere, anytime!

By the time you guys read this, it will be Friday and just about 24 hours away from another awesome weekend of home improvement, including lawn care. But will you look at it like work, or will you get some enjoyment from it? I, of course, hope it is the latter. Here’s why I can almost always maximize my own lawn care experience.

The “Me” Time

This has to be the best part of working on the grass, especially while mowing, trimming, and edging. I put on my MP3 player (with noise canceling headphones, of course), crank up the mower and go to town. It’s automatic “me time” for at least 2 hours because no one can disturb me. I usually throw on some summertime tunes from Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet, and that really goes well with the freshly cut grass smell and sunshine on my face. I get a lot of thinking done during these times and I hope you can enjoy that part, too.

The Rewards

After all the time I get to spend with myself, I can sit back and admire my hard work almost immediately. Mowing some nice stripes in the lawn and creating a tight edge around the driveways and sidewalks makes my lawn pop out in comparison to everyone else’s, which is really my main goal. Think about it; all the other home improvement stuff you do around your house really doesn’t “show” too much. I mean, changing furnace filters and cleaning your rain gutters is important, but nothing really looks any different when you’re done. But your lawn care experience totally shows itself during the entire next week, and that is the cool part!

Then, there is the ultimate reward–when my wife tells me, “Hey Al, the lawn looks really good.”

When I get that, I am on top of the world all week long!

So get out Saturday and enjoy your time in the lawn. Don’t look at it like work, rather a time to get something accomplished that’s important for both you and the turf! Enjoy your lawn care experience!