For much of Ohio, August 15 to September 15 is considered ideal or optimal for re-seeding areas killed by drought or other causes, such as bluegrass billbug. Early September until mid-October is ideal for lawn seeding and renovation in southern and central Ohio. In northern Ohio, this task should be completed by mid-September for best results. These recommendations are for optimum results in germination and winter hardiness of turf. Turf can be seeded later in the fall, but the risk of winter injury increases as seeding and germination is delayed.
Several steps are important in assuring the success of fall turf renovation.
Those steps include turfgrass cultivar selection, soil preparation, and irrigation. Recommended turfgrass cultivars can be found in OSU Extension Fact Sheet, HYG-4027, Turfgrass Cultivar Selection . It is important to establish good seed to soil contact by raking, vertical mowing, or dethatching prior to seeding. Slit-seeding was also recommended. Core-cultivation could be also used, but does not usually produce enough soil exposure to be used alone.