Will Grass Seed Grow in 50 Degree Temperatures?

Cool-Season Grass

• Cool-season grass types such as fescues, rye grasses and bluegrasses germinate best in 50-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. Typically, gardeners experience optimal soil temperatures for growing cool-season types in the early spring. To check your soil temperature, use a soil thermometer. Press a pilot hole 6 inches deep. Place the soil thermometer inside the hole to get a reading. Take your soil's temperature in the morning and afternoon. Average both temperatures to achieve an accurate reading.

Best Season to Plant

• Those living in areas that receive temperate summer temperatures can plant in the early spring. However, those living in climates that receive temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit can expect their cool-season grass to go dormant in the summer. This grass type grows best when temperatures are between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, according to North Carolina State University's website. If your area experiences brutally hot summers, plant in the late fall so that the grass has enough time to establish before the summer.

Warm-Season Grass

• Warm-season grass seeds types such as Bermuda, St. Augustine, bahia, centipede and zoysia, germinate in the late spring. It is extremely important for gardeners to seed their lawns before the intense heat of the summer. Check the soil's temperature for a week to ensure that it has remained consistently around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Plan a time in the morning to plant your grass seed, but do not plant on a day that will receive stormy weather or you grass seed can wash off the lawn.

Grassy Weeds

• Grassy weeds such as crabgrass start germinating when soil temperatures hit 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring, according to the University of Rhode Island's website. Gardeners who want to apply a pre-emergent herbicide on their lawn to prevent weed seed germination must apply the chemicals when temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Pre-emergent herbicide must be sprayed evenly over the lawn and watered in for it to be effective. Reapply the pre-emergent herbicide in the late fall when soil temperatures dip.