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When to Plant Winter Grass in North Texas

North Texas sees wide temperature swings between summer and winter, making grass establishment difficult to schedule with only half the year as a viable growing period. However, winter grasses, also known as cool-season varieties, actively grow during the fall and winter months when many plants are dormant. Planting winter grass in North Texas requires mild temperatures for vigorous seedling growth before extreme winter weather sets in.

  1. Ideal Time Period

    • As air temperatures cool below 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the early fall, you should begin your winter grass establishment. Cool-season varieties thrive in cool weather. As an added benefit, most weed seeds do not germinate this late in the year, making grass establishment easier. Soil temperatures are also within the optimum 50- to 65-degree Fahrenheit range for successful cool-season grass germination. Do not wait until late fall in North Texas for seeding, however, because temperatures are dropping too rapidly for successful seedling establishment. Along with patchy coverage, your cool-season seedlings do not have strong roots to survive the harsh winter. Although you may have some grass establishment, it may die back significantly during the winter because of failed root absorption.

    New Turf Establishment

    • If you have bare soil to cover with turf, choose a tough cool-season grass such as tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). This grass type grows in both shaded and sunny areas while developing an extensive root system. Because of its strong roots after establishment, it survives extreme conditions, like drought or constant foot traffic, in North Texas. Spread fescue seed evenly across your yard in the early fall and maintain a moist soil structure until seedlings emerge. Once established, this cool-season grass controls soil erosion while offering a fall and winter green hue in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. North Texas lies in zones 6 through 8.

    Overseeding Warm-season Turf

    • If you have a warm-season grass, it turns brown and dormant once fall arrives. You can overseed these varieties with winter grass, like perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, ryegrass has a shallow root system, but produces rapid seedlings with ample foliage to continue your green turf into the winter. Overseed your lawn with ryegrass in the early fall to allow ample germination time while the soil cools from summer heat. Irrigate your turf normally as new seedlings emerge between the warm-season grass. Because your established turf is entering dormancy, new winter grass seedlings do not compete heavily for natural resources, from nutrients to moisture.

    Considering Spring

    • Winter grasses enter their own dormancy period if temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you cannot seed in the early fall, wait until early spring. As spring temperatures rise, the soil reaches its best germination range for seedling establishment. However, do not seed in the late spring. Seeds do not have a chance to establish roots before extreme summer heat arrives. You may have failed germination and patchy grass as a result of late seeding.

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Growing Grass
  1. When to Plant Liriope in Texas
  2. When to Plant Grass in Tennessee?
  3. When to Plant Grass Sod?
  4. When to Plant Pampas Grass
  5. When to Plant Winter Grass
  6. When to Plant Buffalo Grass
  7. When to Plant St. Augustine Grass in Texas
  8. When to Plant Bermuda Grass in North Carolina
  9. When to Plant Bermuda Grass in Central Texas
  10. When to Plant Grass in Michigan
  11. How to Plant Grass Sod in North Texas
  12. When to Plant Mondo Grass

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