Should I overseed or fertilize first in the fall?
Michael Green
Published Jun 09, 2026
You can overseed your lawn in the late fall or early winter and apply a slow-release fertilizer at the same time, before, or after seeding.
Should I Overseed first or fertilize?
Stop fertilizing for at least a month before overseeding. The fertilizer makes your grass grow faster, which makes it harder for the new seeds to take hold.Can I overseed and fall fertilize at the same time?
Is it OK to Fertilize After Overseeding? It is perfectly safe to fertilize after overseeding your lawn. In fact, applying a specialized lawn starter fertilizer will increase the number of grass seedlings that survive to adulthood. For best results, apply a starter fertilizer within 3 days over overseeding.When should I overseed and fertilize my lawn in the fall?
Don't Forget Fall is the Best Time to Overseed Your LawnIn the north, cool-season grasses are best seeded in late-summer to early-fall, when grass is actively growing and daytime temperatures are consistently in the low- to mid-70sF. Spring is the second best time to overseed.
Should I fertilize my lawn before seeding?
Fertilize Before SowingNew grass seeds are vulnerable, but giving them the proper soil conditions helps them take root and grow. For these reasons, it's necessary to fertilize an area to be seeded before doing anything else.
DON’T make these 7 STUPID Mistakes when OVERSEEDING your LAWN
How late can you overseed in the fall?
When it's October, people often wonder if it is too late to plant new seed. The good news is if you hurry, seed can still be planted in October with the hope that it will survive the upcoming winter. Although September is the best time, often we can still plant grass seed up to October 15 with good results.How soon can you put grass seed down after fertilizer?
Time FrameYou can apply your grass seed as soon as you add fertilizer to your lawn. However, you must not use fertilizer that contains preemergent herbicides, or the grass seeds will not germinate.