As the weather warms up and days get longer, you might be thinking about planting grass seed. Spring seeding is possible but is considered second best to late summer and fall planting (mid-August to mid-September). Here in the Midwest most lawns are planted with cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, or perennial rye. These grasses do best when day temperatures and soil temperatures are warm, and nights are cool.
Although spring sunshine, cool temperatures, and rains contribute positively to grass growth, planting cool-season grass in the spring comes with some complications. Grass seedlings have more weed competition in the spring, but use of herbicides can inhibit grass seed germination; the soil may be too cold for good germination; spring rains may make the soil too wet; and grass seedlings have only a short time to develop their root systems prior to the onset of summer heat.
Evaluate your grass seeding project to determine if it could be postponed until fall or better done with sod. There are times that spring seeding makes sense such as new construction, to prevent soil erosion, or to correct thin turf areas. Purdue turfgrass specialists offer four recommendations to increase the chances of success in spring grass seeding. 1) Sow grass seed as early as possible. Consider dormant planting. 2) Prepare the soil for planting to maximize seed to soil contact. Avoid scattering seed on unprepared ground. 3) Plan to irrigate as needed in the spring and throughout the summer. 4) Control weed competition. Decisions about chemical control are extremely important since using herbicides can inhibit grass seed germination. For more detailed information on seeding turf in the spring see Purdue University at https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/AY/AY-20-W.pdf.