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Is it too late to overseed?

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Posted by serendipity525 NC (My Page) on
Sun, Oct 16, 11 at 9:16

We are hired a company to come out and do the overseeding for us next week, and considering the size/damage on our lawn, it is going to cost about $350. I'm hesitatant, though because it's late in the game (they are coming Oct 19). The average temps in our area during this time are high 40s in the mornings to low/mid 60s and sunny in the afternoons. The owner of the company said it would be fine, but I don't want to cough up that money and then have our grass not sprout or die in a week.

Anyone out there overseed in mid October? We live in Charlotte, NC.

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RE: Is it too late to overseed?

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No problem at all, in your zone you can seed right up to Halloween on any giving year without any problems. You're probably not going to mow it until March or April next year.

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RE: Is it too late to overseed?

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Forties, during evening, sixties during daylight seems to be ideal for growing grass. You'd be surprised at just how low temperatures can go and yet grass seed takes well.
When temperatures are not optimum, then seed will sit and wait for such temperatures to germinate.
One thing to remember, its not the air temperature that means anything; its the soil temperature that is important for the germination process.
While its true ground temperatures do fall during cold spells, it retains high enough temperatures to germinate grass well into November.

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RE: Is it too late to overseed?

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I agree, you should be okay. But don't waste any time.

This link will work for you in NC.
http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/cronos

Click on the Weather Map link in the middle of the page. On the next page click on the Station Displays dropdown list in the right corner and select Soil Temperatures.

Here is some info on soil temps. The web site where I got this does not work anymore but here is an excerpted from the report:

The following is a partial list of soil temperatures (F) at the 4-inch depth that
should be of the association with certain biological events.

Cool Season Grasses
90F Shoot growth ceases.
77F Root growth ceases.
70F Maximum temperature for root growth of any consequence.
70F Time to plant grasses in late summer.
60-75F Optimum temperature for shoot growth.
50-65F Optimum temperature for root growth.
40F Shoot growth ceases.
33F Root growth ceases.
20F Low temperature kill possible if temperature subsequently drops
rapidly below 20F
Warm Season Grasses
120F Shoot growth ceases.
110F Root growth ceases.
80-90F Optimum shoot growth.
75-85F Optimum root growth.
74F Optimum time to overseed bermudagrass with ryegrass in the fall.
Time to plant grasses in the spring.
64F Expected spring root decline is triggered and roots turn brown and
die within 1 or 2 days.
50F Root growth begins to slow below this temperature.
50F Chilling injury resulting in discoloration is possible.
50F Initiation of dormancy occurs resulting in discoloration.
25F Low temperature kill possible.

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