Fall pre-emergent and dormant seeding

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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jcb3030
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Fall pre-emergent and dormant seeding

Post by jcb3030 » September 18th, 2020, 9:48 pm

Is it possible to drop a fall pre-emergent and then do a dormant seed in late winter?

jcb3030
Posts: 91
Joined: February 27th, 2009, 10:23 pm
Location: NJ
Grass Type: Tall Fescue
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Re: Fall pre-emergent and dormant seeding

Post by jcb3030 » September 21st, 2020, 9:18 pm

Bueller? Bueller?

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andy10917
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Re: Fall pre-emergent and dormant seeding

Post by andy10917 » September 21st, 2020, 9:34 pm

OK - you asked for it....

I don't see any substantial advantage to dormant seeding in late Winter over timing the seeding in early Spring.

jcb3030
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Location: NJ
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Re: Fall pre-emergent and dormant seeding

Post by jcb3030 » September 21st, 2020, 10:48 pm

I have no irrigation. This would be my whole lawn. Spring seeding is out.

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Fall pre-emergent and dormant seeding

Post by MorpheusPA » September 22nd, 2020, 3:45 pm

OK, you asked for it, then. :-)

It depends. I didn't chime in because the decay of the pre-emergent layer is unpredictable. Late frost, early frost, late freeze, early freeze, heavy winter, light winter...? I also don't know your city/state combo to give a better estimate, and even that wouldn't help too much given the above in many cases given "transition zone." If you said Bangor, Maine, then the answer is simply, "Don't apply more pre-em than will cover you through October 31st."

Pre-emergent layers drop due to bacterial action, which consider the (high-energy) chemistry of the pre-emergent lunch. While temperatures are in the correct ranges for those particular bacterial species, decay occurs. Last winter, my layer wore away pretty fast as temps were often in the 40's, warm enough for decay of the layer to happen.

I'd apply a layer that's calculated to drop somewhat before the weather gets cold--or skip it this year and accept the consequences--if you plan to dormant seed or spring seed.

If it actually were me, I'd probably apply a layer calculated to drop long before the weather gets cold.

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