Nobody will complain about a refreshing, vibrant lawn as the weather becomes nicer. To ensure you have a lush lawn come summer, proper seeding and fertilization are a must. One common question we receive from people is whether you can fertilize and seed your grass at the same time.

Generally, you shouldn’t fertilize and seed simultaneously because fertilizers can harm grass seeds. Ideally, you’d want a local lawn and turf care company to handle these tasks. But if you’re doing it yourself, below are some fundamentals you should know.

Best Types of Grasses for Kansas City

Situated in the mid-west, Kansas City has a weather that allows warm- and cool-weather grass to survive. Having mixed lawn also ensures you get the most green throughout the year.

Here are 4 types of grasses that will do the best in Kansas City:

• Turf-type tall fescue: A cool-season grass that thrives in full sun and is extremely drought tolerant.
• Kentucky bluegrass: A resilient cool-season grass with a subtle blue hue in its dark green color. Often mixed with other grasses for texture purposes since it’s highly vulnerable to summer diseases.
• Fine leaf fescue: A delicate cool-season grass that prefers a dry and shady environment. 
• Zoysiagrass: A warm-season grass perfect for Kansas City’s summer weather that provides a dense turf with strong heat tolerance

When to Fertilize Your Grass

The best time to fertilize your grass varies based on your grass type.

Warm-season grasses have thick, rough, and strong blades and grow the most during late spring and early summer. it’s best to fertilize right before the high temperatures hit. Apply a second layer of fertilizer after peak summer.

Cool-season grasses, on the other hand, produce thin, smooth, and soft blades. These grasses grow in the early spring and early fall, then enter dormancy for the winter. Therefore, you should fertilize heavily in the fall and lightly in early spring.

Best Fertilizers for Grass Lawns

Generally speaking, nitrogen-rich fertilizers are your safest and most effective option for warm and cool-season grasses. They come in quick- or slow-release options. 

For cool-season grass, apply 1 to 2 pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. Apply treatment before peak temperature to keep your grass green and healthy. For warm-season grasses, use 3 to 4 pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. Water thoroughly to wash the grains off the grass blades and into the soil.

When to Seed Your Grass in Kansas City, Missouri

The weather in Missouri tends to stay cool until early summer (late May), with bursts of high temperatures in between. The last frost date in Missouri is typically around the end of April. Therefore, you should seed cool-weather grasses by mid-April and plant around mid-spring. As long as the soil temperature is above 50°F. 

Common Mistakes When Seeding Your Grass

If you think seeding grass is as simple as throwing the seed out into the soil, you’re wrong. Here are some common mistakes you should avoid when seeding your grass:

• Seeding at the wrong time: Warm- and cool-season grass seeds have different temperature and pH requirements to grow. Seeding at the wrong time could lead to poor growth.
• Uneven seed application: Too many seeds in one area could suppress proper growth, whereas scattered seeding could lead to bare spots in your lawn.
• Not covering the seeds up: If you leave the seeds exposed on the surface of the soil, they can get washed away or become bird food. You should gently till the area after seeding your grass.
• Too much or too little water: Overwatering can drown, wash away, and underwatering can burn your new seeds.

Can You Fertilize and Seed Your Grass at the Same Time?

No, you shouldn’t fertilize and seed your grass at the same time. You should always spread the seeds first, as direct soil contact is helpful for germination. To prevent fertilizers from harming grass seeds, it is recommended to wait six to eight weeks after seeding. A good measurement is to fertilize after you notice small sprouts and use a starter fertilizer for best results