If your plan is to start your new lawn from seed, it’s critical to be aware of the very best temperatures for seed germination. Before you purchase seeds and then prepare your lawn for planting, investigate the best seed varieties for your particular climate zone and period of the year, and keep in mind that some varieties may do better when planted with plugs or sod.
Warm-Season Grasses
Warm-season grasses maintain your lawn green through the hot and dry summer season. Plant seeds in mid-spring or early summer. Remember that some warm-season grasses, including some cultivars of bermudagrass and St. Augustine grass, do not do well when planted from seed. The soil temperature range for most warm-season grasses is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and occasionally greater. Optimal air temperatures to get warm-season grasses are 80 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cool-Season Grasses
Start cool-season grasses in the late summer and early autumn, when temperatures are warm and also the chance of rain is greater than usual. Seed that is sown in the spring is nearly certain to fail, according to the University of Missouri Extension. Air temperatures to get cool-season grasses should be between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with soil temperatures between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Other Factors
Temperature is one of the most essential factors in grass-seed germination, however in addition, there are other crucial elements to recall. Water grass seed lightly to prevent drowning the seeds or washing them away in the planting site. If the seeds get a great deal of water from rain, take that into account when you determine how much and when to irrigate. Preparing the dirt website by weeding, tilling, fertilizing and grading if necessary, will also go a long way toward avoiding problems.
Factors
Temperature requirements can make planting grass from seed seem daunting, but having adequate planning and preparation, it is possible to set up a healthy lawn. Additionally, prices are normally significantly lower when the seed is planted at the ideal time and temperature. Other choices, such as sod and plugs, may be more feasible if you missed the window for planting grass from seed. Sod may also require much more water than seed, since grass seeds require minimal moisture before they appear.