When Can I Seed After Preventing Crabgrass?
I hear that question quite a few times this time of year. I have two answers depending on the size of the lawn area that needs new grass seed. However, before I give those two answers here is a quick rundown of crabgrass prevention 101.
Scotts Turf Builder plus Halts Crabgrass Preventer and Scotts Lawn Pro Step 1 contain our best crabgrass preventer to provide prevention for around 4 months. The directions state that you should not plant grass seed for 4 months after application, which means you will need to wait until the end of August to seed. We have a different crabgrass preventer for folks who want to seed in spring and prevent crabgrass. Scotts Starter Lawn Food plus Weed Preventer and Scotts Lawn Pro Step 1 for New Seeding provide crabgrass prevention while allowing you to plant grass seed at the same time. (Note: the crabgrass prevention does not last as long as Turf Builder plus Halts and Step 1, however it is your best choice if you want to seed in spring.)
Now here are my two answers:
1). If you only have a few small areas you want to seed, I have seen folks get around the fact that they have a crabgrass germination barrier in those spots by cultivating the soil to a 4 inch depth (to disrupt the crabgrass barrier), then mixing in an inch of compost like Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Soil, and then seeding with Scotts EZ Seed.
2). If you have a large area you want to seed, the first recommendation is not practical, so you really need to wait until early fall to seed.
Tips and Tricks for a Greener Thumb 
I am in Philadelphia PA. I have Zoysia grass and is still dormant. Should I use Scotts Turf Builder plus Halts Crabgrass Preventer now even my grass is still brown or Should I wait till it starts to turn green?
Hi Saumil
Your zoysia should not be fed until you see about 60% green. Since it is now time to prevent crabgrass in your area, see if you can find a bag of Scotts Halts (without the Turf Builder) and apply right away. Then when you see the greening as the weather warms, feed with Turf Builder or Scotts GreenMAX.
I’m located in SE Michigan and 3 weeks ago I applied Scotts Turfbuilder with Halts and now I am seeing lots of dandelions and clover in my lawn. What can I put down now to get rid of these?
Hi Butch
Since the Turf Builder with Halts you applied feeds for 6 to 8 weeks, it is too soon to apply Turf Builder plus 2 weed & feed. You can spray now with Ortho Weed-B-Gon MAX plus Crabgrass Killer to kill the dandelions and clover without hurting your good grass.
I need to do 3 things this spring. Fertilize, put down grubex & patch the lawn where the damage from grubs took its toll. What order shall I do this? Can I fertilize & put down grubex in the same day? How long do I have to wait before patching the lawn?
Hi Alex
Seed first as you want the grass to have a good root system before hot weather. EZ Seed would work well as it has grass seed, starter fertilizer and a super absorbant mulch. You can apply Turf Builder and GrubEx the same day if you want. It would be better however to wait and put down the GrubEx after your new grass has been established, which is not a problem since the ideal time to put down GrubEx is May or June. GrubEx is going to prevent the next round of grubs that will hatch from eggs that will be laid in the soil this summer by adult beetles. Any grubs you see now are not going to do much feeding as they will soon be changing to beetles.
I have some type of odd grass like plant that is invading my lawn. It almost has a succulent quality to it. It also yellows and dies at the tips as it gets long. Pulling it up, there are bulb like structures at the base. How do I repel this invasion.
Hi James
Sounds like Nutsedge (also known as Nutgrass). Here is a link to one of my recent blog posts that shows a picture and recommends a solution:
Hope this helps.
It seems as though the timing of lawn care is key to having a great looking lawn. With that being said, I’m trying to determine when to do everything and I hope you can help me. I purchased Scotts Turf Builder (30-0-3) and fertilized my lawn on April 1. I’ve also purchased Scotts Premium Seed for sun, and the one for sun and shade. My front lawn gets a lot of sun, whereas my backyard is mostly shade. Late last Fall before the first frost, I applied a weed spray to get rid of my Creeping Charlie, which took over a part of my backyard. I’m happy to report that it hasn’t come back this Spring, but I do have a “thinned out” looking lawn as a result. I want to seed my lawn but I don’t know when I should be doing it, or how often I should do it to get a nice thick lawn. I’ve been told that I should fertilize every other month until late Fall, but what about seeding? As well, i’m tempted to apply the weed spray again this Spring to ensure that Creeping Charlie doesn’t come back. When is the best time to do everything? I’m located in Toronto, ON Canada if that makes a difference.
Hi Laura
Thanks for letting me know where you are located. For Toronto, you can really improve and thicken your lawn with 4 feedings a year: Your next feeding would be end of May, followed by Mid to end of August, followed by early October. You can seed now, just hold off on any weed controls until your new grass has been mowed at least 4 times. I suggest you wait until fall to see if you have any weeds, then you can spot treat them at that time. You have already seen how fall is a great time to kill weeds such as Creeping Charlie (Ground Ivy). Good luck with your lawn.
I had a problem with crabgrass and dandilions.What can I do and what product should I use?I live in massachusetts
Hi Bill
You should still have time to get Turf Builder plus Halts down to prevent crabgrass in Mass. You might miss some of the earliest germinating crabgrass, however I think I would still put the product down ASAP. I would then spot spray dandelions and other weeds with Ortho Weed-B-Gon MAX plus Crabgrass Killer.
I live in a minneapolis suburbs, we had spots of crabgrass and quack grass take over last summer and want to avoid it this summer, so a month ago I put down Scotts Turf Builder plus Halts Crabgrass Preventer in the dead spots in our yard where the crabgrass was last yr. I cut our grass for the first time last week and put down scotts lawn pro 4 step program step one for seeding starter fertilizer all over the lawn. Now what would be the best thing to do next to get grass in our dead spots this summer?
Hi Sarah
The Turf Builder plus Halts that you put down a month ago will prevent your new grass seed from growing. This means the next chance to seed is fall. However, as I indicated in this blog posting, if your areas are small and you can do the steps I suggested to break up the crabgrass prevention barrier, you can get grass seed to grow in those areas. If you do this, be sure to mow your new grass 4 times before you treat it with Step 2. If you want to put down Step 2 before your new grass is that old, be sure to skip those areas when you put down Step 2.
I live in Northern Indiana & have mole tracks in our yard already! Is it better to apply Grub X first & then Scotts Turf builder with Halts Crabgrgass preventer followed by an application of Scotts Weed & Feed? And how long should I wait between applications?
Hi Laura
Moles eat grubs and earthworms. Not sure what they are eating in your yard. The best timing for GrubEx is a May application to protect against the next round of grubs that will show up at the end of summer. It is good to wait around 6 to 8 weeks between feedings and 1 week between GrubEx and any other product. Now for the moles: trapping is the best way to kill them. Some folks have had success putting the baited worm that you can buy into the run. The key to either trapping or the bait is to find the active track or run. The way you do this is to step on 6 or 8 tracks to flatten them in one place then come back 24 hours later to see which one is raised back up. This is the tunnel (or track or run) that the mole uses on a frequent basis. This is where you want to set the trap or bait. There are also mole repellents that you can put on the lawn (Ortho has one).
I live in NE Massachusetts and just applied Step 1 w/ halts. I would like to spread some Ironite to my lawn also to help feed and green up lawn. Is it advisable to spread the Ironite right after applying Step1 or wait a couple weeks or not at all? Thanks.
Hi Dave D
Ironite may be more beneficial west of the Mississippi River than in New England, however it will not hurt. I would allow a week between applications.
Hi,
Due to some unplanned emergencies, we’ve not done anything to our lawn yet this year. The backyard is filled with creeping charlie, both the front and back have weeds and dandilions. Plus we have some bare spots. HELP
Hi CC
You can seed your bare spots with Scotts EZ Seed. You will need to avoid any weed controls in those areas that you plan to seed, so I am not going to recommend a weed & feed. Feed your lawn with Turf Builder or GreenMAX lawn food. You can spray your weeds with Ortho Weed B Gon MAX plus Crabgrass Killer being careful to avoid the areas you are seeding.
How long should I wait to fertilize after applying Trimec for dandelions ?
Hi Richard
One month.
Can I seed and fertilize with scots 30 0. 3 at the same time?
Forgot..we live in Niagara Falls Ont.
Hi Mary Jane
It would be best to feed with Scotts Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food for New Grass when you seed. Thanks for giving me your location.
I live in Southern NJ and am planning for the spring so that I don’t make the mistakes i made this year. I want to aerate and seed in early spring (March 1st maybe), but I was overtaken by crabgrass this year so I want to make sure that I put and end to that in the spring. Question = if I thatch aerate and seed the first week of march, can I put down turf builder plus crabgrass preventer the second week of april and in doing so effectively feed the young grass and at the same time prevent grabgass. I am not sure if second week of april is too late for crabgrass prevention. I use a blend of three way rye and tall fescue …. the rye usually sprouts within a week and the fescue within 4 weeks.
thanks
Hi Nate
In So NJ the second week of April is butting up against the soil temps that allow crabgrass to germinate. Rather than using a traditional crabgrass preventer you could select one that can be used when seeding like Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food with Weed Preventer. Do any aeration prior to seeding and putting down this weed preventer.
Awesome … Thank you thank you. Sounds good I will have the seeding and aeration finished by middle march depending on our season break and I will put said fertilizer down when the plugs close but closer to the begining of April rather than second week
can i use corn gluten meal (as a natural crabgrass prev) when overseeding in the spring?
Hi Mark
From what I understand you will inhibit grass seed germination with this product.
can i fertilizer scotts halts crabgrass preventer with lawn food at the same with scotts max green fertilizer? Thanks
Hi Tommy
Since both of these products provide a full feeding, allow 6 weeks between applications. Spread Turf Builder with Halts first and then you can follow up with GreenMAX in 6 weeks or so.
Hi, I see that you have been very helpfull to everybody that asked you question. Hopefully I can get some help too I live in paramus New Jersey. The area of my back years is about 12,000 sqf. The. Lawn has a lot off opt traffic because I have a pool in the back yard. The right side that has the. It’s sun almost all day. Is full with crabgrass I believ. About 1/4 or 1/5 of the lawn. I also have dandelion I think. The yellow long weeds. By the pool n the more shady area. I usually overseed the lawn every year but it doesn’t seem to do anything. This year I bought a combination of an aerator and spreader. To break the hard lawn. I definitely want to overseed my lawn again bc it is noth thick. I think I should use your second advice. And buy Scotts Starter Lawn Food plus Weed Preventer. I wandered is If I can use it with my aerator n spreder. After that. aerate again with ez seeds. Do you think that is a good idea. My lawn is mostly brown now. N some green spots are showing I wanted to seed now before it gets worm. So the seeds can grown in roots. Please let me know any tips n advice.
Thank you for your time.
The one I foundnat lowes is
5,000-sq ft Starter Plus Weed Preventer All Season Weed and Feed Lawn Fertilizer (21-22-4)
Is that the same thing. Can I use ez seed with this
Hi Sarkis
I don’t think that is the right product. make sure it is Scotts Starter Lawn Food For New Grass plus Weed Preventer.
Hi Sarkis
Aerating before you seed will help the seed come in contact with the soil, which is necessary for it to survive. One of the Turf Builder seed blends would be best to use. There is one for sun and one for shade. Scotts Starter Lawn Food plus Weed Preventer should be spread last. Do not use any other weed controls until after your new grass has been mowed 4times.
hello again Ashton, you helped me in the beginning of the season, when I wanted to reseed, and treat my lawn for weeds. You told me to put Scotts Starter Lawn Food For New Grass plus Weed Preventer and I used scots sun and shade seeds mix. I spread it with my aerator and the dropper setting was I believe on 11 as indicated on the back of the started mix bag. I also threw Sta-Green 30-lbs Lime, it was rapid lime with calcium, because I have a lot of pine trees and my pH was very low. When I was spreading I might have went over some spots more than once. My problem now is that there is a location that the grass completely dried up. Not the crab grass but locations where there was good grass. Also the whole lawn is un even. What I mean by that is the there are lines that are 3 to 4 feet wide with very green and tall grass, and there are lines that the grass is light green yellow almost dried up. I keep watering the lawn wih water from a well, is high in alkalinity, minus the bleach that is in the top water. The lawn looks bad and un even, I wanted to know what could have cause this. Also, is there a way to fix that.
Thank you for your time and help.
Hi Sarkis
The pictures on your Facebook link were very helpful. It appears that the lawn food went down heavy in some areas and some areas did not receive much feeding. My guess is the spreader setting was left at the higher number for the grass seed when the lawn food and weed preventer was spread and some areas were missed during this process. Suggest you feed your entire lawn with Turf Builder. Your grass will continue to show some uneven green, however it will not be as much as you are seeing now.
Thank you very much for your helpfull information and time. I really appriciate it.
Thank you again for your help. I spread the turf builder and now I’m wating for the results. 🙂
Hi Sarkis E
Hope this helps. Sorry you had the first experience. Let me know how your lawn is doing in about a month.
I live in North East Connecticut. I waited too long to over seed in the fall which I should have done. Wanted to do it this spring. I bought Scotts Turf Builder plus Halts Crabgrass Preventer. The snow is finally melting and I want to start working on my lawn. I was going to Lime, then aerate, then over seed, then use the Scotts. I read that you shouldn’t use on new grass. Should I now over seed? Should I not use the Scotts? Should I over seed and wait a certain amount of time and then put down the Scotts? Also, when is to early to do any of those? It still gets below freezing at night right now. Might be like that for another couple of weeks. Any help would be great! Thanks.
Hi Bryan
You are likely a few weeks away from seeding time. If you were to seed now the grass seed would lay there until the ground warms up. All your plans sound good except putting down the Turf Builder with Halts after you seed as this would keep your new grass seed from growing. Instead, use a crabgrass preventer that is compatible with grass seed: Scotts Starter Food for New Grass plus Weed Preventer. You will get about 6 weeks of crabgrass prevention (as well as other weeds) which will help your new grass become established before being choked out with aggressive weeds.
Ok cool. Thanks for the quick response. I’m going to return the Turf Builder w Halts. How long after spreading the seed should I put down the Scotts Starter Food for New Grass plus Weed Preventer?
Hi Bryan
You can spread right after you seed.
Hi Bryan,
I live on Long Island and I wanted to power rake as well as put down Scotts with Halts crabgrass fertilizer. Can you tell me the timing I should do each. Can I power rake this weekend and then fertilizer right after?
Hi Bryan
Yes, you can power rake and then spread Turf Builder with Halts after you rake up the loose thatch. Be sure not to set the Power Rake too low so that you tear up your lawn too much. An alternative to power raking to allow air and water to more easily pass a thick thatch layer (greater than a half inch of thatch)is core aeration. You can leave the cores on the soil surface as they will break up and you could spread the Turf Builder with Halts afterwards. Now if you plan on putting down any grass seed after doing either power raking or core aeration, you will need to use a different crabgrass preventer so your grass seed can germinate: Scotts Starter Lawn Food plus Weed Preventer.
Hi. I am in NJ and 5 days ago I raked, soiled and put new seeds on a large area. I don’t see the seeds have germinated yet but Yesterday I saw some crab grass spots and without realizing made the mistake of feeding the area with Scotts Crab grass preventer and fertilizer instead of the Starter type. Is there anything I can do at this point? When can I reseed assuming I have lost this season?
Hi Ninni
Sorry to hear about your problem. You may get some spotty germination of your good grass, however you likely will not see full germination. The crabgrass barrier lasts long past the prime spring seeding season (up to 4 months), so your best option is to seed this area in early September. Sorry I do not have a better answer.
Hi Ashton,
I am in Toledo, OH and applied Lawn Food with Halts to my front yard April 2nd, and my backyard April 8th. I need to overseed in my front yard because of some thin areas and wondering when I could do so if I use a slit seeder. The backyard also needs to have some spots repaired because of snow mold damage. I read a previous post stating I may be able to turn the soil 4 inches deep and get around the halts protection but would prefer to slit seed the entire yard if possible. We did get around 2 inches of heavy rain the night after the backyard application, could that speed up when I could reseed?
Hi Julian
I wish I could tell you that slit seeding under the crabgrass barrier that you now have on your lawn after putting down Turf Builder with Halts would give you new grass. My concern is that as this grass attempts to sprout, it will die rather than thrive. The barrier lasts about 4 months, so if you want to seed more than a few bare spots, you should probably wait till fall. Even with the heavy rain after application, I believe you will get inhibition of the grass seed germination. One positive is that you will see your grass fill in thin areas from the Turf Builder feeding. A second feeding prior to summer about 6 weeks after the first and you may find your thin areas are filled in.
Ashton, much has been said about crabgrass, but few comments deal with quackgrass. Here in Wisconsin we deal with it all the time. I have a new lawn as of last summer and hand picked in the fall almost all of the quack that was going to seed. I put Scott’s Halts plus on this spring, hoping it might curtail some of the quack seeds I missed last fall. I know the quack has powerful underground rhizomes that keep producing no matter how much I try to dissuade it from growing. Does Halts plus handle quack seeds and, if so, must I apply it this fall, too? If I do both a spring and fall application, I have no chance to spread seed. What’s your recommendation? Thank You, Terry Sullivan, Appleton, WI.
Hi Terry Sullivan
I wish I could give you more positive news. Quack grass can grow new plants from the smallest prices of root. The roots can extend long distances to create new plants. Even though the preemergent application prevents some new plants from seed, you do not prevent new plants from roots. The best option other than doing a total kill is to feed your good grass 4 times a year and mow at a height that leaves your grass at 2-1/2 inches after the cut and hope your quack grass blends I rather than stands out.
We live in Nebraska I put down crabgrass preventer in spring and our yard was looking great then these last few weeks the crab grass is taking over. So I bought Trimec crab grass killer and sprayed lawn . Two days later I mowed lawn , my question is do I respray on fresh cut lawn are what else can
I do. Thank you
Hi Geneva
I am not familiar with the weed control you just used. There should be a statement on the package about how long you should wait before doing a follow up treatment. My notion is that you would need to allow a week or so between treatments, however I am not sure in this case as I have not used that product. Sorry I could not be more help.
I live in Southeastern Wisc and battle most summers with tall fescue. It tends to take over in spots with large round patches. Is there anything you would recommend to kill tall fescue.
Hi Kevin Hogan
I do not have any suggestions to kill tall fescue without killing your good grass. Since tall fescue tends to grow in clumps, you may be able to spot treat the clumps with Roundup. However, you will likely kill some of the good grass immediately around the clumps if you are not careful. You can seed those spots a week after spraying. Sorry I do not have a better suggestion.
Hi, Ashton,
I have 3 questions. We live in a suburb of Chicago, IL and need to over seed because our grass has sparse areas on 2/3rds of the lawn. We do not have and do not want crab grass to gain a foothold in the lawn. We are thinking the beginning of April is the best time for the over seeding and wondered if it is, in fact, the correct time? I have read using crab grass preventer will stop the seed from germinating for 4 months; so we will not use it this year. Can the new grass seed germinating stop crab grass from getting a foothold in the lawn? How long after the new grass has taken hold, do we have to wait before we use fertilizer with weed killer? Thank you.
Hi Nancy
Thanks for giving me your location. Plan to get your seed down by mid April. You can use a special crabgrass preventer that is compatible with grass seed. Here is a link to product info:
http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?proId=prod100048&itemId=cat70008&icid=hp1_mm_p_slf
Hold off on any further weed controls until your new grass has been mowed 4 times. Good Luck with your lawn.
What is the difference between Step 1 and Turf Builder with Halts?
Hi Leo
Step 1 and Turf Builder with Halts provide the same crabgrass prevention and very similar feeding. I would go with the 4-Step program if you are planning to feed your lawn 4 times this year and do not want to figure out which product to use each time. The reason is this is a great way to get a good deal on your lawn products by taking advantage of the retailer sale prices and the Scotts rebate offers to encourage you to buy all 4 Steps at one time. The 4 Step products were introduced in 1984 (I was the marketing guy) to make it simple to figure out what to spread on your lawn and when to spread it without wasting money with unneeded applications.
Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it! 👍✌😎
I applied Scotts Turf Builder with Crabgrass Halt 3 weeks ago. A clerk at Ace told me I could over seed 6 weeks after application which I planned on doing since I had a lot of snow mold damage. I’m now learning I need to wait 4 months which is not an option. Can I power rake and Aerate in order to seed as needed?
Hi Sean Braasch
Sorry you are dealing with a tough lawn situation. You may find that your grass will recover to some extent from your snow mold damage after you rake the matted “stuck together” grass blades with a leaf rake. You do not need to rake hard enough to break up the soil. If you see some green shoots trying to emerge from the dead looking top growth, you will begin to see the grass recover thanks to the Turf Builder you put down 3 weeks ago. If you find you really need to put down grass seed, you may get fair germination after dethatching and aerating, however this really depends on how heavy the crabgrass preventer went down and how much you are able to break up the crabgrass barrier prior to seeding. Since this would mean setting the dethatching machine really low to break into the soil which would tear up your existing grass, you may decide to only do the areas that have the most damaged grass.
Last year was my first in a new home near the MA-VT border and I didn’t know what the lawn situation would be. It turned out to be loaded with crabgrass, so this year I put down Scott’s Crabgrass Preventer plus Halts. The smaller barren areas have begun to fill in already and the grass is thickening up nicely, but I have a larger area about 20′ in diameter that I have no hope for. I don’t want to disturb the crabgrass barrier, so my question is would it be feasible to fill in that area by either a) putting down a combination grass seed-water retention product on top of the bare area without cultivating first, or b) spreading grass seed over the bare area and covering it with topsoil, again without cultivating.
Hi John M
I suspect both of the options you are considering will result in poor grass seed germination because the seeds will attempt to sprout and the new root will have a difficult time dealing with the active crabgrass barrier. You may be able to get around this if you really do not want to wait till fall. I have seen folks break the crabgrass germination barrier in those spots by cultivating the soil to a 4 inch depth (to disrupt the crabgrass barrier), then mixing in an inch of compost like Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Soil, and then seeding with Scotts EZ Seed. This may be more than you want to do for an area that large. Also consider that you may see some crabgrass germinate since you have disrupted the prevention barrier.
I reseeded a dead patch of lawn last year (July, 2015)…the seeding worked and the grass grew in nicely. This spring, it also looked great. I applied a weed and feed (Scotts) about 3 weeks ago (not a pre-emergent) and suddenly the entire patch of grass has died. Any idea what went wrong…? How long should I wait before I try again (removing the dead stuff, new soil and re-seeding)…?
Hi theauthorswife:
Sorry to read about your problem. Your grass should have been mature enough to tolerate any weed controls as it is likely you have mowed your new grass 4 times. Let me know where you are located and the kind of grass seed you planted. Maybe we can figure out what happened. Regarding your question: you can seed a month after Turf Builder Weed & Feed and you do not need new soil unless you need to get rid of a low spot.
Thank you so much for your response…! Yes, the grass was mature and had been mowed multiple times last year and this spring–before the fertilizer had been applied. I actually contacted Scotts and talked with one of their reps and she couldn’t figure out what went wrong either–as the the rest of the yard looks great…!
I live in Minnesota. Our temps are currently in the 70s and there’re no drought conditions (plus we have a sprinkler system).
The fertilizer I used was Scotts standard weed and feed, without the pre-emergent for crabgrass. I used a Scotts spreader…and I could tell that the fertilizer itself was “new” because there were no clumps at all–so it spread very evenly. I have no other burn/dead spots in the lawn.
I’ll reseed in about another week or so (that’ll be a month since the fertilizer was applied).
If you have any other thoughts/insights, I’d love to hear ’em.
Thank you…! 🙂
Hi theauthorswife
Thanks for giving me your location. A couple of thoughts: There is some tolerance if the granules go down too heavy, however if over applied in one particular area you can see some grass injury. This sometimes happens when the spreader first starts to move. If you feel the coverage was correct (in other words a 5,000 sq. ft. bag was spread over a 50 by 100 foot area, which is 5,000 sq. ft.) then it is likely that this is not the problem, especially since your temps have not been in the 90’s where you are located. The other option is that there are some grasses that are more sensitive than other grass types. In Minn. you can find them in some lawns: Bentgrass – which is very fine textured patch in older lawns, and Annual Bluegrass or Poa Annua which is common since the seeds are typically found in your soils. This grass germinates in fall, lives during the cooler time of the year, is a lighter green color, produces lots of seeds in late spring/early summer and then dies during hotter weather. Annual Bluegrass can be more sensitive to weed controls. Not sure if this extra info helps solve the mystery.
Thanks so much for your quick response…! 🙂 It doesn’t actually solve the mystery. The spreader was set correctly–and I didn’t go over that spot again, so I agree that I don’t think that was the issue, either. As for the seed that I used, it was the Scotts sun and shade variety–it says that it should work in my area.
Anyway, do you have any specific suggestions as to anything I should do differently when do the reseeding in about a week or two…?
And again, thanks so much for your insights/thoughts….! 🙂
Hi theauthorswife
No suggestions other than making sure you wait a month to seed after putting down weed & feed. You seem to be more knowledgeable than many folks. I am sorry I was not able to solve your mystery. To bad I could not make a trip to see your lawn first hand. I have always enjoyed all of my many trips to your fine state!
Can I put down Scott’s Starter Lawn Food plus Weed Preventer and grass seed at the same time in the fall?I live in central Minnesota.
Hi Emmette Horn
Yes, you can put Scotts Starter Lawn Food plus Weed Preventer with your grass seed this fall. Since crabgrass germination is not a problem this time of year, the primary weeds you will be preventing will be chickweed, dandelion (from seed not from roots), clover and some others that germinate in fall.
I have a garden spot that is 3 foot wide strips 50 foot long with strips of grass in equal amounts in between garden rows of bare soil. Last year we faught crab grass spreading into our garden strips. I want to treat the lawn part with Scotts crabgrass preventer. If some gets on the bare soil will it stop garden seed from germinating? I was going to cover soil strips with weed block cloth to prevent Scotts from getting on the bare soil as much as possible. I plant tomatoes , peppers,beans, and okra. I use started plants for tomatoes and peppers. I have chickens,dogs and cats that roam the yard will Scotts harm them? I live in a small town 20 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri. Do you need to water after treating with Scotts? We are in a very dry spell, almost no moisture this winter. Thank you.
Hi Laura Aitkens
It would be best to spread the Turf Builder with Halts, or Halts without the Turf Builder onto your grass area and not into your garden. Water after spreading and once your grass has dried your pets can go onto the grass. If you decide to not put the weed preventer on your grass because it will be too difficult keeping it out of your vegetable garden, you could mulch your vegetables good to minimize the weeds. Also, Miracle-Gro has a weed preventer that can be used around some vegetables. Here is a link to the product info. Be sure to follow directions to make sure this product can be used around the vegetables you are growing:
http://www.miraclegro.com/smg/goprod/miracle-gro-garden-weed-preventer/prod10140002
Hi! I live in South Georgia and my lawn is a mess after recent tornados. How soon after I apply Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Fertilizer (32-0-10) can I seed?
Hi Max
If you have already fed with Turf Builder you can seed anytime. A better choice to go along with your new grass seed would be to feed with Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food for New Grass at the time you seed instead of Turf Builder.
Can I plant seed in the fall then use scotts halts for crabgrass in the spring
Hi Dave Horner
After your new grass has been mowed 1 time, you can put down Scotts Turf Builder with Halts or Scotts Halts. You will likely mow your new grass several times before winter so you can apply crabgrass preventer next spring.
Thank you for your help ulla advice.
What if I put down the new grass seed in September or early October so it starts the germination process the approximately 8 prior to putting down your better Hault Crabgrass Preventer?
Thank you, Brennan
Hi Brennan Cox
You will be able to put down the Turf Builder Halts once your new grass is old enough to be mowed 1 time. If you get enough growth this fall this should allow you to put down Halts prior to crabgrass germination time next spring.
Scotts notes:
“If you apply the grass seed first you would have to wait until after your 4th mowing to apply Step 1. The other way to go would be apply the Step 1 first then wait 4 months and apply your grass seed.”
Hi James Byrnes
Thanks for pointing out Step 1 timing. If you do want to seed this spring and prevent crabgrass you can use a different product: Step 1 For New Seedings or Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food plus Weed Preventer. You are correct that if you use the regular Step 1 now, you should wait 4 months or early fall to seed.
That is for the SCOTTS Step 1 product
Hi James Byrnes
Here is a link to product info on Scotts Step 1 for New Seedings:
https://www.scotts.com/en-us/products/lawn-food/scotts-step-1-seeding-starter-lawn-food-weed-preventer
After spending three days prepping large areas of my lawn for new seed, I seeded with Scotts Sun and Shade and then covered lightly with topsoil. I then mistakenly applied Scotts Turf Builder with Halts instead of Scotts Starter Fertilizer. Will my seed germinate? Is there anything I can do to remedy this?
Hi Joe Knapp
Sorry Joe… I do not have any good suggestions for you. I suspect some of your grass seed will germinate, however it will likely be spotty. The weed barrier typically lasts up to 4 months so a major seeding project would likely be delayed until fall. If you would rather not keep your fingers crossed and have a key area that you really need new grass to grow you could experiment by tilling the soil to disrupt the weed barrier on the surface to dilute it somewhat and then seed again. Do not cover the new seeds with too much soil as this will hinder germination. The ideal situation is to lightly drag a leaf rack after seeding so the seed comes in good contact with the soil. You could still see some seed on the soil surface after doing this. I would still use Starter Lawn Food after seeding. Good luck and sorry I could not give a more positive answer.
Since I just applied the Halts a few hours ago and it has not been watered in, might I try scraping off the topsoil with the Halts and then reseed?
Thanks for your quick reply especially on a Sunday. I have over a thousand square feet so option one will not work. I just applied the Halts this morning on top of the coating of topsoil that went over the seed. It has not been watered in yet. How about if I try scraping the topsoil and Halts off while leaving as much of the seed as possible. I could then add seed and topsoil again and avoid waiting four months. Might that work?
Hi Joe Knapp
Since you have not watered the granules there is a good chance that will work. I am glad you are only dealing with 1,000 sq. ft. and not a half acre. Good luck!
Hi Joe Knapp, My husband planted grass seed in May in Rhode Island. Maybe a 30 ft by 10 ft area. It is now all crabgrass. Does he have to dig out that crabgrass in the early Fall and start all over and with what products? Thank you. Gloria
Hi Gloria Dahl
Sorry about your crabgrass problem in your spring seeding. When seeding in spring it is best to use a special crabgrass preventer that is compatible with grass seed (regular crabgrass preventers will prevent crabgrass from growing). Your current stand of crabgrass will die with a killing frost this fall, however that will mean you will be late planting grass seed if you wait for that to occur. An alternative is to spray your crabgrass in mid August with regular RoundUp (the kind that allows you to seed grass a week or so after spraying) so that you will be able to plant grass seed around the first of September. Use a Starter lawn food when you plant. It is no need to put down a crabgrass preventer in that area until next spring as crabgrass does not germinate in fall.
Hi Joe, My husband and I want to be able to use the following products this year on our lawn, in which order should we put them?
Crabgrass preventer, EZ Seed Spot Repair, Grubex, Fertilizer, overseed, etc.
Thank you!
Hi April Briones
Early Spring around the time of your first mowing you want to do both crabgrass preventer and EZ Seed. Crabgrass Preventer comes in two forms: one that is compatible with new seedings and one that should not be used if you are seeding. Rather than buying both types of crabgrass preventer you can decide if you are seeding quite a few spots you will need to use the one that is for new seedings over your entire lawn, if you are seeding only a few spots then skip those spots when you use the other crabgrass preventer that is not for newly seeded areas. GrubEX typically goes down in May or Early June. Feed your lawn around 4 times a year at 8 week intervals: Early Spring, Late Spring (Early Summer), Early Fall, Late Fall.
I applied scotts with halts, how soon can I apply weed and feed? I am in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hi Brad Niedfeldt
If you applied Scotts Halts (with no feeding) then you can apply Turf Builder Weed & Feed a week later. If you applied Turf Builder with Halts (which includes a feeding) it is best to allow at least a month between feedings (6 weeks or so is the typical recommended interval between Scotts feedings, however this can be shortened to 4 weeks if needed)
I seeded after I applied step one and grass is not growing. What can I do now to grow grass?
thank you
Hi Michael Khouri
Step1 will prevent new grass from sprouting the same time it prevents crabgrass from sprouting. There is a special Step 1 with a unique crabgrass preventer that will allow new grass seed to sprout while preventing crabgrass. The residual and overall crabgrass prevention/control is now quite as strong as with the regular Step 1. If you are doing major seeding you will likely need to wait until fall. If you only have a few spots, you can break up the soil down to 4 inches or so to help minimize the crabgrass preventer barrier and seed those spots with EZ Seed.
When can I plant flower seeds after using Scott’s Halts?
Hi Sallie Morian
My guess is that flower seed germination would be inhibited just like crabgrass and other weed seeds for up to 4 months. You may be able to plant flower plants in the area you treated, however I have not had experience doing that so I am not sure it will work. You would be better off using one of the products that prevents weeds in flower gardens and following the specific directions concerning the type of plants you can grow in the treated areas. Halts is really designed to use in established grass lawns to prevent annual grassy weed seeds from germinating.
I live in Indiana I reseeded my lawn in the fall. will it to ok to use Halts this spring?
Hi Steve M Kuhn
Thanks for giving me your location. If you mowed your newly seeded grass a few times it is OK to apply Turf Builder with Halts or WeedEX this spring.