When Is the Best Time to Plant Fescue Grass?

Considerations

• Fescues are cool-season grasses, which means that they germinate and grow best during the cooler parts of the year, primarily spring and fall. For best results, fescue should be planted at the beginning of one of these two seasons, especially if you are starting your lawn from seed. Timing is less important for sod, but spring and fall are still the best times to plant.

Fall Planting

• Of the two planting seasons for fescue, early fall is widely considered superior. The warm days and cool nights are ideal for germination, and your grass seed will not have to compete with perennial weeds, which typically germinate in spring. Across most of the country, late August to mid-September is the best time to spread seed; if you live in the south, wait until late September or October.

Spring Planting

• You can also plant fescue in spring, but this is a bit riskier than planting in fall. Besides having to compete for water and resources with perennial weeds, spring-planted fescue is at risk for heat injury and disease when summer comes. If you choose to plant in spring, spread seeds early in the season, as soon as the ground has thawed and is dry enough to work with.

Uses

• In addition to being planted as a turf grass for lawns, fescue is also widely planted as a forage crop for livestock. It is a low-maintenance grass that is also fairly durable, which makes it a common choice for cemeteries, parks and roadsides. Fescue may not be the best choice for areas that receive frequent heavy traffic.