The Season to Plant Grass Seed

Fall

• Early fall typically is the best time to grow grass seed in the northern half of the United States, where cool-season grasses are most appropriate. During early fall, the soil is still warm, but temperatures during the day are moderate, so watering your grass will be more effective and weeds will not be as big of an issue. In addition, the sun will be less likely to scorch your grass seed. Early fall includes the final week of August through mid-September. As winter approaches, the grass seed would have had enough time to grow and become strong enough to withstand colder temperatures. Cool-season grasses you can plant in the fall include fine fescue, annual ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass, for example.

Spring

• You also can plant grass seed in the spring. Anytime in March, if snow has already melted, or in April is a good time to plant seed because it will give your seed enough time to germinate, become established in the ground and strengthen before summer's heat arrives. Spring planting is more appropriate for warm-season grasses, which are planted in the Midwest and in the southern half of the United States. Warm-season grasses include Bermuda grass, carpet grass and Zoysia grass.

Summer

• Summer generally is not an appropriate season to plant grass seed in the United States. This is because summers are warm, so keeping new grass seed moist enough to germinate without having to consistently water it is very difficult. In addition, seeds that produce weeds germinate well in the heat, and these seeds compete with your grass seed. However, if you still want to try to plant warm-season grass seed during the summer, place a thin layer of mulch such as peat moss on the soil, which will help your grass seed soil to maintain moisture more efficiently.

Dormant Season

• If you failed to plant during the fall, spring or summer, you still have a window of opportunity to plant grass seed in late fall, right before winter comes. This is especially a suitable option if your region is experiencing an Indian summer. Although the grass seed you plant late in the year will stay dormant during the winter, it will eventually begin to germinate when spring comes. However, note that a harsh winter might blow or wash away your grass seed.