A lot of people believe that they are destined to have an ugly lawn with bald patches just because they missed one grass growing season or some magical period of time in which to plant grass. Sure, lots of people claim there is an exact window of time when you can plant grass and choosing to put down grass seed at any other time is completely foolish. The truth is much easier to understand. The best time to plant grass seed depends on a number of different factors.
Those people treat grass and lawns as a giant science experiment. They spend a lot of time measuring soil pH, gauging the path of the sun and worrying about their lawns so much that they can’t think straight. I’m a little more practical and I like to think of growing grass not as a science, but rather as an art form. In line with this philosophy, I’m going to answer the question of “When is the best time to plant grass seed?” with three different answers, all correct and all helpful.
When is the Best Time to Plant Grass?
Answer #1: Plant Grass When You Have Time To Do It!
Let’s face it, there are probably more important things in life to consider than planting grass seed. If you don’t have anything better to do then you’re probably one of those people who enjoys treating your lawn as a science experiment! The rest of us we want to have a nice lawn, but we don’t necessarily want to spend a lot of time working at it. So don’t.
Here’s a little secret: grass is a weed. It’s a weed that will grow just about anywhere (like between the cracks of your sidewalk and in your flower garden) and at just about any time. Ideally, you should set aside an hour or so on the weekend, use my quick and easy method for planting grass, and you’ll be pretty much done so long as the ground isn’t covered with two feet of snow or it isn’t 120 degrees outside in the shade. So, if you have the time and the grass seed, get planting!
Answer #2: Plant Grass In the Spring or Fall (or Summer)
This is the “standard” answer among gardening experts and old men on porches, but there is a bit of truth to it. The “ideal” times to plant most grass seed is in the spring when the air is getting warmer, there’s usually a fair bit of rain and moisture around and the grass still has a month or two to put down a good root system before the heat of summer comes fully arrives. The fall is also one of the better times to plant grass because the soil is a little bit warmer after a long summer, there are usually less weeds for the new lawn to fight with and there will likely be less foot traffic on the growing grass.
There are, of course, other factors. There are “warm season” grasses and “cool season” grasses which do better in one type of weather or another. The climate and plant growing zone you live in could definitely affect exactly when you can start planting grass. But, generally, most grass will grow in most conditions if you plant it the right way and take care of it when it first starts growing.
Here’s another grass growing secret: grass only needs decent temperatures (usually between 50 – 80 degrees, but you can stray a little on the temperature), a little sunlight and lots of water to grow. So, yes, you can plant grass even in the high heat of the summer, but you’ll have to use a little extra care and you may have a harder time getting your grass growing at first. If you keep your new grass seed moist and cool, even in the sun, it will grow and grow well.
What about the winter? Yes, some people insist on planting grass “right before the first snow” but while this may get the seeds in the ground and give them plenty of water, my experience with this method has never been good. It’s usually pretty cold for a while after the first snow so the grass doesn’t really get a chance to establish roots. And, if the snow melts quickly you may find you have a lot of birds and other critters using your fresh grass seed as a snack.
Answer #3: Plant Grass When It Is About To Rain!
Okay, this is a purely practical answer. You can definitely plant grass seed while it’s raining. Since we know grass will grow just about anywhere and at anytime with enough water and moderate temperatures, then if you plant your grass when it will likely be raining for a few days you’ll not only save some work, but you’ll also save a few bucks on your water bill!
Don’t plan on a short summer thunderstorm to keep your newly planted grass moist. Remember: new grass seed needs lots and lots and lots (did I say lots?) of water, at least initially. I’ve planted grass in the high heat of August when we had two weeks of dry, 100 degree, days. My grass grew great because of two reasons: I mixed my grass seed with soil (so it was protected from the direct heat of the harsh sun) and I gave it lots and lots of water. I have an extra well and I would water my lawn for nearly three hours in the morning. But at the end of those two weeks we then had a few days of rain and I was able to cut off all my watering and soon I had a thick bed of grass where I once only had dirt.
You can over water new grass, but that’s actually hard to do unless you have a lot of water coming down on your grass at once. You don’t want to flood your lawn and you don’t want to see grass seed floating off your lawn in little streams of water. I’ve found that a light and steady sprinkle to moderate rain that lasts most of the day will do wonders to your new grass as well as your more established lawns.
Now’s let’s put it all together and come up with a full answer to when is the the best time to plant grass seed: When you have an hour or two on the weekend during the spring or fall (or even the summer) and you’re expecting a few days of refreshing rain!
Really, there are many good times to plant grass seed. That’s always worked for me and it will surely work for you if you just remember that your grass seed needs to be mixed with good soil and get plenty of water. Don’t forget that you shouldn’t mow your newly planted grass for at least a couple of weeks after it starts growing, if not longer. If you’re unsure about how or when to mow your grass, check out my grass mowing tips and tricks as well.
I hope enjoy your new lush, green lawn!