seeding a garden plot with grass seed

[dakota]

I cleared out my garden patch (20' x 50') over the weekend, all the way down to the dirt. I won't be using this area for gardening next year, so I want to plant grass seed there. Basically, my question is, should I seed now? Or wait until Spring? I'm in SW Ohio, zone 6a.

A primary concern of mine is that I don't like the thought of leaving a bare patch of dirt exposed and free for the overtaking by weeds. I'm thinking it's too far into autumn now for weeds to take advantage of my dirt, but then again weeds never fail to surprise me with their will to live. I could possibly cover the patch with black plastic to stop weed growth until Spring, and then sow grass seed, if that's the recommended solution.

It doesn't matter to me what kind of seed I use by the way. The only requirement is that I plant a full-sun variety. I don't need to match the surrounding grass for aesthetic purposes or anything like that.

Thanks in advance for (helpful) suggestions!

[Frogleg]

According to extension agents here (zone 7b or 8), October 15th is the 'drop dead' date for planting lawn grass and expecting successful germination. I don't know about germination of late grass 'cover crops', but you might google on that term if you want to plant now. Otherwise, I would wait 'til early spring.

[Dan]

Don't forget the occasional cat. Our damn feral (who think he owns everything) was doing his business in my freshly planted garlic patch today. Shooed him off by dumping the water bucket in his direction.

Dan