Anyone?

The problem is that your question is one of variables and odds. Even planting in the Fall is no quarantee of success, but the odds are much better than seeding at any other time. Summer planting has almost no chance of success, but it's not a guarantee of failure. Spring seeding is better than summer, but less successful than Fall. Spring seeding should be done in late March through April. You are a bit late, but we are seeing a cool Spring so far. KBG can take 3 wks to germinate, that puts you into the beginning of June and the start of warmer/hot weather. The young turf isn't going to have much of a root system, so you are going to need to water alot all through summer to keep it alive and it's going to be more susceptable to disease. Technically, it's not too late to seed (seed will germinate with soil temps between approx. 60-85 degrees), but seeding in Spring (and the later into Spring you go) the greater the odds of being unsuccessful. Sorry, I just don't have a better answer.

Edit: If it was me I'd wait until September. The seed will be fine if kept in a cool, dry basement off the floor. I suggest you put down half a pound/k of 46-0-0 urea right now to promote growth and some spread of the existing turf. Put down anothe half pound of urea around June 1st. Drop Milorganite in July and August.

This post was edited by grass1950 on Sat, May 11, 13 at 16:08

Thanks for the response grass. After reading your post and thinking about it some more, I'm going to do what you suggested and wait until the first week of September. I know if I laid the seed now I'd be wondering if it will make it everyday, and cringing every time my kids decide to go out and play. So instead of stressing over the lawn all summer long I will just enjoy the grass we have until Fall. I'm definitely planning on trying the milogranite this year. Read good things. Should I lay the urea if I just laid scotts fert about 2 weeks ago? Thanks again for the help.

Seeing as turf grass growth (root + topgrowth) is greatest at lower temps (55-70 soil temps for roots, 60-75 air temps for blade growth) taking advantage of those temps for the first 3 years of a new lawns life will pay off in thickening and hardiness. (After the third year, you don't want to fert with N until very late May/early june at the earliest). If the Scotts was slow release N (and most Scotts ferts are), it wouldn't hurt to put down 1/2#/k of fast release urea now to take advantage of the N kick to the grass during these cool temps--make sure you water it in well.. Be prepared for some additional mowing. June 1st, put down any High N fertilizer you like (fast release urea or slow release), then try Milo for the rest of summer until your overseed. Glad to see you plan to use a slit seeder. Good luck on your lawn project..

This post was edited by grass1950 on Sun, May 12, 13 at 18:39