Save the fertilizer for late May. It would be a waste (would do no good because nothing is growing in the winter) to put it on frozen ground and it would run off and leach and pollute the streams if you put it down when you dormant seed. Your seed probably won't germinate until mid to late spring: the soil needs to be warm enough to support germination. The seed has sufficient resources to grow without fertilizer for a month. So supposing it germinates in mid to late April, fertilization in late May (which is when you would fertilize an established lawn) will be just fine.

I would put it down as soon as you see germination. The point of the high phosphorus content in starter fertilizer is to aid in root formation when said roots are too small to efficiently extract phosphorus out of the ground. Once they develop it's no longer needed , because there's plenty of phosphorus in the soil. If you wait a month you will negate all the benefits of the phosphorus in starter fertilizer and just basically be adding nitrogen.

At least on the up side, Hurricane Alex (currently in the Atlantic) won't impact any of our dormant seeding and we don't have to worry about it.

+1 Becky on fertilization. Skip it when dormant seeding, and save it for late May. At that point, just use a nice high nitrogen fertilizer.

I was planning to apply the seed just before this <1" of rain/ice hits. I figured it will help get it to the soil and then the freeze-thaw will do its work, sounds good?

would you guys apply the seed before or after the rain? Says we are expecting .43" tomorrow morning

I would put it down before the rain while the existing grass is dry.

Yeah that was my thought too but then I realized that I have about an inch of snow cover and now I'm worried about the run off. I might see what it does and if it melts the snow and I get a break in the clouds I'll be ready to roll the spreader and get it done quick

No rush on the seeding, it can wait until conditions are just right.

True that, the window for dormant seeding is incredibly wide. You're good up to just about March first.

thanks guys, i got it down just before this 3" of snow came and considering we are getting 8-12" this weekend i think the timing was perfect!

I'm planning to do this at my father in laws as well but i didn't get it down yet. ok to apply on top of 1-2" of snow knowing there is another 8-12" coming this weekend, would that still be ok of should i wait for it to clear (if it does)?

Thanks!

Repeating from the other thread, you'll be fine. Given the extended forecast, I think this will melt, so you should be OK if you'd rather wait as well.

Personally, if convenient, I'd do it now and get it over with.