Dawn wrote:

Kay Lancaster wrote:
There are a couple of possible gotchas he most lawn seed is sold in the
spring. Most lawn seed available in the fall has sat on some hot storeroom
shelf all summer long, and will not be as viable as it was when it was
tested.
I'd buy now and store it in the basement over the summer, on a pallet, not
directly on the concrete floor.

Do you think I could store it tightly wrapped in a refridgerator? I
happen to have an extra one in the garage. I'm worried about the
basement, which gets quite damp in the summer. (damp enough that laundry
won't dry there)

Sure, but seal the seed so it isn't dessicated. A frost free
refrigerator would be bad. Also, turn the temperature up to the 50s.

Planting in the spring is not bad. Grass can even be planted in mid
summer. However, most grasses are cold weather plants and do best in
cool weather. Depending upon where you live, if you plant it now and
keep it deep watered, it will do very well. Deep watering is a good
drenching approximately once a week. Daily sprinkles do more harm than
good. You want the surface to dry out between waterings so the roots
will grow deep. Most people spread straw over the ground after seeding
to keep the soil cooler and shade the new seedlings. If you have a
choice, fall planting is best, but spring planting is second best. If
the spring germination is not too strong, you can then overseed in the
fall and it will fill in nicely. Also, annual ryes only work in the
spring and shoot up first and help shade the perennial grasses. A mix
with annual rye is a waste of money in the fall.
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