How to Plant Grass in November

Planting grass in November can be dicey because the weather is about to turn cold. This method is called dormant seeding. The grass seed is planted in the late fall, right before snow is expected, so that it remains dormant until the following spring. As the temperatures warm up, the grass seed is in place and ready to sprout. The goal is to have good seed to soil contact during planting and to get the seed sown before the first snowfall.

Rototiller
Sand
Compost
Starter fertilizer
Grass seed
Mechanical or hand spreader
Rake
Sprinkler
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Till the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. Loosen it up to add air pockets beneath the surface. This allows for good root growth and spread.
- 2
  Spread an inch each of sand and compost over the yard. Till the substances into the ground until mixed well.
- 3
  Layer a starter seed fertilizer that contains a high amount of phosphorus. Use a broadcast spreader to evenly disperse the granules over the area.
- 4
  Fill a mechanical or hand spreader with grass seed. Follow the directions on the bag for dosage rates. Walk the spreader in rows over the property. Go in one direction, then work in a perpendicular direction. This ensures that you evenly sow the seed.
- 5
  Rake the seed gently to cover it with 1/4 to 1/8 inch of soil. This will keep it in place.
- 6
  Deeply water the seed once to get it established. After that, leave it be because you want it to sit, dormant, until the spring time.

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