NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, been planting perennial ryegrass first week of April for years now but wondering if climate change has shifted the best window. Last few springs have been unseasonably warm already by mid-April. What's worked for you folks in Tenafly or Englewood Cliffs? Debating whether to push it to late April this year or just stick to early April.

Ivan, I'd stick to early April if you can. We're seeing soil temps in Tenafly hitting low 60s by mid-month lately, which is actually borderline for cool season germination. Perennial rye needs soil below 60°F for best establishment. Had a client in Englewood Cliffs try late April overseeding last year and it struggled hard through the May heat spike. You're Better off with early April timing - hasn't shifted that much IMO.

Here's my take - I've moved everything to tall fescue and stopped fighting the Perennial rye battle. Native soils around here don't hold moisture well anyway. Fescue handles our Bergen County summers way better and you can push seeding later into April/early May. Been doing slice-seeding at end of April for the past three years with great results at my place in Tenafly. Less inputs, deeper roots once established.

Thanks for the info - I'm a new homeowner in Cresskill and honestly confused about timing. My lawn is mostly bare spots from construction. Should I even bother with overseeding now or just wait till fall? Got a bag of Scott's Super Seed from Menards but not sure if it's too warm. Would appreciate any local advice!

@NewbieNate - You can definitely still seed now, just water more frequently. I'd avoid the big box store mixes if possible - get something like Pennington Perennial Rye or a local blend from Rockland in Norwood. They know what works here. Key is keeping that seed moist for 2 weeks, not necessarily how early you plant. I've seen mid-April seedings take off when we get consistent watering.

@Nate - What Ivan said plus don't skip the starter fertilizer. Quick-release nitrogen helps get those roots going before soil temps climb too high. Also check your PH - had a bunch of new construction lawns in Tenafly running acidic last year and nothing would establish. Get a soil test done at Rutgers Coop if you can, cheap and accurate.

Just my two cents but skip the chemical fertilizers if you're trying to build healthy soil long-term. I've had way better success with compost top-dressing then seeding into that. Yes it costs more upfront but my KBG stand after 5 years blows away any of my neighbors on conventional programs. Plus you avoid the summer fungus issues we get with too much N. JMHO!