Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
Post Reply
Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by Green » December 17th, 2018, 8:43 pm

My gut feeling tells me to wait until March to order seed, because of the cold right now. I know some people have said that when you dormant seed, the cold fractures the seed husk. I would not want that happening to my seed while it's in transit, as I want it to last several years. I've always purchased during warmer weather. Anyone else have any input?

User avatar
PSU4ME
Posts: 1147
Joined: November 29th, 2016, 9:29 am
Location: Metrowest MA
Grass Type: Front: Bewitched/Midnight/Everglade Back: Midnight/Diva/Everest
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Some Experience

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by PSU4ME » December 24th, 2018, 11:47 pm

I don’t see a reason to buy it early other than dormant seeding and you can be pretty flexible on when you do that assuming there isn’t a ton of snow cover. Ideally you would have gotten it this fall but if you work with the company you’re getting it from you can ship in and around a warm up period.

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by Green » December 26th, 2018, 6:31 pm

Not a bad idea. Maybe I'll call around ahead of time and get info, and then wait to order and time it for warmer period. I don't really need it until mid March, anyway. It's still possible to dormant seed during March here. I have to do some Roundup on spots first anyway.

User avatar
turf_toes
Posts: 6042
Joined: December 17th, 2008, 8:46 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: 77% Blueberry/23% Midnight Star KBG in front. Bewitched KBG monostand in back.
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by turf_toes » December 26th, 2018, 8:32 pm

I store my seed in a freezer. Buying seed now vs later is not going to make a difference either way.

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by Green » December 26th, 2018, 9:42 pm

turf_toes wrote:
December 26th, 2018, 8:32 pm
I store my seed in a freezer. Buying seed now vs later is not going to make a difference either way.
Interesting. I have not heard of this being done for KBG or similar seed, until now. Once it's in there, do you have to keep it there?


User avatar
turf_toes
Posts: 6042
Joined: December 17th, 2008, 8:46 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: 77% Blueberry/23% Midnight Star KBG in front. Bewitched KBG monostand in back.
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by turf_toes » December 26th, 2018, 10:35 pm

It’s very common. People have discussed it here for years. The seed stays viable longer. I have used six year old KBG seed with excellent germination.

I’ve no need to take it out of the freezer unless I’m using it.

But I suspect you are overthinking this.

Seeds in nature can lay dormant for years while going through various freeze/thaw cycles. But once the seed is exposed to the right conditions, it germinates.

That isn’t to say that you can freeze seed and it will always germinate, no matter what. If the seed is frozen, then gets thawed and wet, that can impact the viability of the seed. Just make sure to keep it dry.

There is literally a doomsday seed vault that stores various kind of seeds in frozen conditions. If I recall, that’s some place in Norway.

bpgreen
Posts: 3871
Joined: January 3rd, 2009, 2:28 am
Location: Utah (Wasatch Front)
Grass Type: Western, Streambank, Crested wheatgrass in front (with blue grama added in the heckstrips), sheep fescue in back; strawberry clovetr in both
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by bpgreen » December 26th, 2018, 11:08 pm

I always freeze my grass seeds, but I plant native grasses and they benefit from a period of freezing before they're planted (stratification). I don't think KBG seeds benefit from freezing, but as turf toes points out, it'll keep them viable longer.

Chris LI
Posts: 182
Joined: June 9th, 2017, 10:38 am
Location: LI, NY
Grass Type: KBG/NoMix, TTTF/KBG, KBG/FF
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by Chris LI » December 27th, 2018, 10:09 am

I'm also another one who has stored my seed in the freezer. I do it for all of the reasons above, especially for the reason you are concerned about. I freeze it to cause the seed husk to split, to decrease time from sowing to germination. It is an old landscaper's trick I was taught about 15 years ago, from my instructor at my pesticide applicator training class. I once was able to get kbg to germinate in 5-6 days. Usually, I can get it to germinate in less than 10 days.

I'm planning on some spot dormant seeding on New Year's Day, if I can squeeze it in with family visiting. Temps should be cold enough, and hopefully won't rebound to cause premature winter germination. I need to blow a few leaves first, which have collected in the low, bare spots that need some seed. I usually get caught up in the late winter with snow or something else and don't drop seed until the end of March, so I'm planning a bit on the early side this year to beat any snow. I know some people have cast seed on top of snow, but I'm looking to avoid it, if possible.

User avatar
turf_toes
Posts: 6042
Joined: December 17th, 2008, 8:46 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: 77% Blueberry/23% Midnight Star KBG in front. Bewitched KBG monostand in back.
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by turf_toes » December 27th, 2018, 11:04 am

You can routinely see KBG germination in five to seven days. The 21 day period normally cited is the period when anything that is going to germinate has already germinated.

I’ve done dozens of KBG renovations and in every case, I have seen germination in five to seven days. Freezing the seed has nothing to do with it. You just need to keep the seedbed moist.

southern-ct-4
Posts: 645
Joined: May 7th, 2018, 3:31 pm
Location: Southern CT (6b)
Grass Type: PR/FF/KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by southern-ct-4 » January 17th, 2019, 1:15 pm

Chris LI wrote:
December 27th, 2018, 10:09 am
... I freeze it to cause the seed husk to split, to decrease time from sowing to germination...
Question concerning the husk splitting that you mention; I have some KBG sitting (unopened) in my garage, which will (and has already) of course gone below/above/below/above freezing... Is this bad given that the husk might split, but it's then not frozen all the time?

User avatar
turf_toes
Posts: 6042
Joined: December 17th, 2008, 8:46 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: 77% Blueberry/23% Midnight Star KBG in front. Bewitched KBG monostand in back.
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by turf_toes » January 17th, 2019, 2:36 pm

southern-ct-4 wrote:
January 17th, 2019, 1:15 pm
Chris LI wrote:
December 27th, 2018, 10:09 am
... I freeze it to cause the seed husk to split, to decrease time from sowing to germination...
Question concerning the husk splitting that you mention; I have some KBG sitting (unopened) in my garage, which will (and has already) of course gone below/above/below/above freezing... Is this bad given that the husk might split, but it's then not frozen all the time?
Freezing grass seed has negligible impact on grass seed, as far as future germination rates.

The advantage to winter seeding is the freeze thaw cycle can help get the seed worked into the soil.

But, in my experience, it’s not going to have any serious effect on the viability of the seed.

I have a friend who stores his seed in my freezer. He uses it, then returns it each fall when he is finished. It’s had zero impact on germination over several years of freeze thaw cycles.

southern-ct-4
Posts: 645
Joined: May 7th, 2018, 3:31 pm
Location: Southern CT (6b)
Grass Type: PR/FF/KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Bad idea to buy seed in Winter?

Post by southern-ct-4 » January 17th, 2019, 2:37 pm

Great, thanks so much!

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests