Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue, including Kentucky 31 tall fescue , grow most vigorously during the cool temperatures of late summer and early fall.
These grasses flourish across cooler northern climates and into the challenging "transition zone" where cool and warm regions overlap. Warm-season grasses , such as Bermudagrass, Bahiagrass , Zoysia grass and Centipede grass peak in growth during the warmer temperatures of late spring and early summer.
These grasses thrive in southern and western regions and up into the transition zone's southern reaches. Whether you grow cool- or warm-season grasses, timing your seeding to take advantage of your grass type's natural periods of peak growth helps seed germinate and establish quickly. Your seed gets off to the best possible start and gets on track for both short- and long-term success.
Several distinct advantages make fall the best time to plant cool-season grass seed. In early autumn, the soil is still warm from months of summer sun.
This combination of warm soil, moderate daytime temperatures and cool evenings encourages fast germination and establishment of newly sown cool-season grass seed. Cool-season grass seed germinates best when soil temperatures reach 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. An inexpensive soil thermometer, available at garden stores and online retailers, can help eliminate the guesswork. The farther north you live, the earlier cool fall temperatures and ideal planting times come.
For example, Minnesotans in the Upper Midwest seed cool-season lawns from mid-August to mid-September. As a general rule, plant cool-season grass seed at least 45 days before the estimated date of your first fall frost, before soil and air temperatures drop to less favorable levels. Your grasses will enjoy a full fall season, plus a second cool growing season come spring.
Your local county extension agent can help with advice on average frost dates and optimal timing for seeding lawns in your area. Newly planted seed needs consistent soil moisture, and fall planting offers benefits on that front, too.
Fall typically brings more precipitation, which lessens the chance that cool-season seeds may dry out, and reduces the need for extra watering on your part. Using premium drought-tolerant, water-conserving grass seed products, such as Pennington Smart Seed and Pennington One Step Complete , lowers the risk of problems even more. The second best time to seed cool-season lawn grasses is in the spring, once soil and air temperatures warm back up to their optimal range. However, late-melting snows and early spring rains can keep soil cold and overly wet, giving early weeds an advantage.
Grasses also have less time to settle in before higher temperatures inhibit germination and cool-season grass growth begins to slow. Planting in late spring and early summer gives warm-season grasses the advantage of warm soil and early seasonal rains, which help keep soil moisture available during germination and establishment.
Read the package to see the best coverage rates for your seeds. You can poorly time a lot of things when it comes to grass seeding. Planting too close to a frost period or letting the soil get too dry during the germination period can result in poor grass growth.
Appropriate watering is critical to germination as well as the long-term health of your grass. If you over-water, you may wash away the seeds. If you under-water, the seeds may never sprout.
Here are four important tips for proper watering:. Before you put down seed, make sure you do your research. You must also pay attention to the many details that can help your seeds germinate — like your soil, outdoor temperatures, and regular watering.
If in doubt, ask a professional at a local nursery, or neighbors who may have planted grass seed in past years. Two local minds are always better than one. You can use a spreader for evenly broadcasting seed, or you can spread seed by hand across small areas. Follow the recommendations on the seed package label , which will also tell you about the amount of seed needed per square foot of soil.
Spring is a good time for most warm-weather grasses. The best thing to do is to first see which seeds are appropriate for growing in your region of the country, then read the recommendations for the best times to plant those seeds.
A seed germinates, or sprouts, after it has absorbed enough water. After that, it requires more water and light to nurture growth. These plants let you be you, without worrying about a few looky-loos.
Finer red fescues, bent grass and smooth meadow grass can take slightly longer to germinate. Allow up to 14 days for these to germinate.
Now of course these estimates can vary greatly depending on the weather. Wildflower mixtures establish at different speeds. See here for our wildflower guide. Failed sowing? Click here. See also: When should you sow grass seed. These finest quality grass seed mixtures are designed to look perfect but still be versatile. For example, premium shade, which is a fine quality lawn mixture also grows well in the shade.
If you want the very best lawn seed mixture then choose premium green from Lawn UK. We have several mixtures that you can buy by the kilogram, as well as our bulk discounted universal lawn. Customers frequently tell us that they have different uses for our seed, and allsorts lawn is a great mix for that.
Our range contains a variety of different seed mixtures, everything from seed mixtures for airfields, right through to a seed mixture for patching up a village green.
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