Many people take pride in and joy from their lush, green lawns, investing considerable care into weeding and seeding as the temperatures warm up. But growing a beautiful yard is more than just throwing seeds on the ground and hoping for the best. It’s a process.
Like any plant, you’ll need to research the best kinds of grass to grow in your region and how to care for it properly so that it grows in abundance. You’ll also want to know about the risks, such as weeds or other deterrents, so you can work to avoid them.
We researched reputable sites to see what they had to say about the best time to plant your grass seed.
Different Types of Grass Seed
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There are different types of grass seeds: warm-season and cool-season. According to High Country Gardens, they have different traits that make them suitable for growing in various environments and conditions.
The type of grass you choose will determine the best time to plant and active or dormancy periods. It’s important to consider the climate where you live and which varieties are more likely to thrive to get that lush lawn you dream of.
Warm Season
Warm season grasses include varieties like:
- St. Augustine
- Bermuda
- Carpet
- Centipede
- Zoysia
These types are often not cultivated from seed, but rather plugs, sprigs, or sod. They are best grown in southern US states where summers reach high temperatures.
Cool Season
Cool season grasses include varieties like:
- Ryegrasses
- Fescues
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Bentgrass
They’re called cool-season grasses because they thrive in lower temperatures, and growth tends to slow down significantly in the hot summer heat.
You’ll often see them in the northern states as well as those with higher elevations like Washington, Montana, Minnesota, and Vermont, to name a few.
Seeding Through the Seasons
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While you can technically seed or plant grass any time of the year, the amount of success you’ll have depends on timing it correctly, depending on the variety and the climate you live in.
If you plant at the wrong time, you risk either slow or no growth, and you’ll have to start over again the following season.
Late Summer to Early Autumn
You might think spring, following the last frost of the season, is the best time to plant grass seed, but it’s actually during the last weeks of summer heading into autumn, according to the experts at GreenAce Lawncare.
Getting a good start before the ground freezes makes it easier to cultivate your lawn the following spring.
Mid-Autumn
If your goal is to plant mid-autumn, you need to do it quickly, within at least four to six weeks before the first frost, which hardens the ground, making it difficult for the seed to take root. Grass seed needs this long to develop before it can withstand harsh temperatures.
The experts at GreenAce Lawncare recommend using ryegrass at this point.
Early Spring
It’s not uncommon to see people outside in the early spring months of March and April seeding their lawns. While it’s possible to grow grass at this point, you’ll have much more to contend with in terms of weeds and crabgrass. The worst time to deal with these is in the late spring to early summer months.
Additionally, in the summer months, higher temperatures often stagnate growth, making it difficult to keep it thriving.
Winter
It’s possible to prepare your lawn during the winter months, too, contrary to popular belief. You’ll need to use cool-season grass varieties, though. The process is different and involves dormant seeding, wherein the seeds don’t germinate but remain dormant until the spring when growing conditions improve.
Steps After Planting
Once you’ve planted the seed, sprigs, plugs, or laid sod and tamped it down, it’s now time to put the care into it so it grows into a lush lawn.
Covering the seed will help prevent animals from eating it, resulting in patchy growth. If you have a lot of weeds growing in, you can use a weed-and-feed solution, but it’s best to let the grass do its thing before adding any other chemicals or fertilizers.
How Often to Water Your Grass Seed
New grass, like new plants, needs consistent watering to thrive and to grow uniformly. The best time to do so is in the early morning hours before the sun is high in the sky. Watering at this time will help prevent the heat from whisking the moisture away.
In the first few weeks, you’ll need to water more, according to LawnStarter, but this frequency will taper off to just a few days per week, depending on the weather. If it rains frequently, you’ll need to water less; conversely, if it doesn’t rain, you’ll need to water more.
Grass Varieties and Water Schedules
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You also need to consider the type of grass when determining your watering schedule. Cool-season grass varieties require more watering during the summer months, while warm-season grass varieties need less watering at the same temperatures.
Warm-season grass also goes dormant in the cooler months of the year and requires less watering at this stage, too.