early spring lawn maintenance - Ask Extension
I would like some advice as to when to perform overseeding on an established lawn (tall fescue) this spring. What type of fertilizer should I use afte...
Knowledgebase
early spring lawn maintenance #925986
Asked March 13, 2026, 1:48 PM EDT
I would like some advice as to when to perform overseeding on an established lawn (tall fescue) this spring. What type of fertilizer should I use afterwards? Also, is there another form of fertilizer (nitrogen?) that I should apply at this time of year? If you could be as specific as possible about brands, I would appreciate it. Thank you.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
It's recommended to only overseed in early autumn, as reseeding in spring is usually not as successful (for a variety of reasons, including late spring frosts, heavy rains, competition with spring-germinating weeds, and the inability to apply certain herbicides before or after seeding). If you need to overseed due to erosion concerns, we recommend waiting until about mid-April so the soil has warmed enough to promote good germination rates and establishment.
Lawn fertilization is regulated by the MDA, and by Maryland law, the fertilizer formulation cannot contain phosphorus (P) unless the lawn is being redone (renovation) or a laboratory soil test (less than 3 years old) measured a P deficiency. Now is a fine time to submit soil samples for testing if you need to do so. You can find more detailed information about fertilizer timing and dosages (based on nitrogen, the key nutrient) on our Lawn Fertilizer Schedule web page. We are on the cusp of publishing all-new lawn care web pages, and when that happens, the link(s) will be redirected to the new pages. The important information is not changing, so you don't need to worry about waiting for the update, but the page layout will be more extensive and detailed.
Extension doesn't keep track of what brands and specific products are available at any given time, nor do we make brand/product recommendations. All retailers in Maryland need to comply with the lawn fertilizer law, though, so that should help ensure you're getting a formulation that's suitable to use, as long as the dosage guidance is followed so too much nitrogen isn't applied at one time.
Miri
Lawn fertilization is regulated by the MDA, and by Maryland law, the fertilizer formulation cannot contain phosphorus (P) unless the lawn is being redone (renovation) or a laboratory soil test (less than 3 years old) measured a P deficiency. Now is a fine time to submit soil samples for testing if you need to do so. You can find more detailed information about fertilizer timing and dosages (based on nitrogen, the key nutrient) on our Lawn Fertilizer Schedule web page. We are on the cusp of publishing all-new lawn care web pages, and when that happens, the link(s) will be redirected to the new pages. The important information is not changing, so you don't need to worry about waiting for the update, but the page layout will be more extensive and detailed.
Extension doesn't keep track of what brands and specific products are available at any given time, nor do we make brand/product recommendations. All retailers in Maryland need to comply with the lawn fertilizer law, though, so that should help ensure you're getting a formulation that's suitable to use, as long as the dosage guidance is followed so too much nitrogen isn't applied at one time.
Miri
