As spring approaches you will no doubt start inspecting your lawn only to re-discover that it is less than perfect. Most of us have bare spots or entire areas that are begging for new seed. Reliable sources will tell you that spring is the second best time of year to plant grass seed (the best time being fall). What they don't tell you is that in this case second best may not be good enough at all. We'll try to explain...

Fall is the best time to plant because seeds get the double benefit of warm soil and cooler air temperatures. Fall planted grass also establishes a strong root system even after the grass blades have stopped growing for the season. By contrast spring sown grass seed gets cool air temperatures but not warm soil - making it tougher to germinate. In many cases the grass is not established well enough to take the heat imposed on it by the typical Kansas City summer. More often than not, your new grass is toast by mid-July.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't plant new grass in the spring. You just need to be aware of the risks. At our house we try to limit spring grass seeding to small bare patches and hope for the best. For bigger jobs consider contacting a professional lawn care company (we use Ryan Lawn & Tree) to improve your chances.  

Planning on planting a tree (or two or three) this spring? Make sure you do it right. That tree is supposed to be around for a long time. Our friends at K-State Research & Extension have helped by publishing 10 Rules for Planting Trees. Check it out here...