Best lawn irrigation specialists near Malta, MT

This depends on the type of grass seed, as some types do better in different environmental conditions. Cool-season grasses go dormant during the summer months when the soil temperature exceeds 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Once exposed to regular doses of heat, the germination rates decline, with seedling death not far behind. 

As for warm-season seeds, they come from tropical parts of the world and thrive in heat. They actively grow in warm air temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and they prefer soil temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Once temperatures dip and frost rolls in, if you don’t store them properly, warm-season grass seeds will die quickly.

When stored under ideal conditions, grass seed lasts anywhere from 10 to 18 months from the testing date without any real decrease in the germination rate. You can still use the seeds after this timeframe, but the germination rates drop 10% to 20% each year. 

If you’re just embarking on an overseeding project, using seeds that have been in storage for a few years isn’t too big of a deal. However, if you’re planning on redoing your entire landscape, your best bet for a healthy, luscious lawn is to use new seeds.

One of the best ways to save money on lawn care is to sign up for an annual contract for ongoing service rather than paying for one-off or as-needed services. If you guarantee a landscaping company ongoing work, they’re more likely to give you a break on the cost. Plus, ongoing services will keep your property in tip-top shape and help avoid the high cost of playing catch up on an overgrown lawn. You can also save money by sticking to the basics and foregoing add-on services like weeding and pest treatments.

Unfortunately, no. Grass seeds need a lot of moisture until they become sprouts, so this is an especially sensitive time. While they'll dry out if they get dehydrated, over-watering creates other problems. The grass seeds don't recover because they can just wash away or even rot, making for low germination rates. The ones that do germinate after being pushed under the soil may start to sprout only to die from lack of sunlight.