Time seems to freeze when you’re waiting for a lawn to grow. Most people expect fairly quick results, but the truth is different types of grass germinate at much different rates. Some can be expected to sprout within a week. Others can take almost a month.
Click here to learn about planting grass seed.
How do we know when to wait it out and when to begin reseeding?
Type of Grass Expected Germination Time
Bentgrass 10-14 Days
Bermuda Grass 10-30 Days
Buffalo Grass 14-30 Days
Centipede Grass 14-21 Days
Fescue 7-14 Days
Kentucky Bluegrass 14-30 Days
Rough Bluegrass 7-10 Days
Ryegrass 5-10 Days
Keep in mind that not all your seeds will sprout at the same time. If you’ve waited the expected time and your seeded area is still showing no signs of life, improper moisture level or soil temperature is probably the culprit.
Grass seed spread on a tilled area.
The two most important factors in grass germination are water and soil temperatures.
If there is too little moisture your seeds will dry out. A dry seed is a dead seed. Don’t try to add water now, its too late. Too much moisture and your seeds will rot. Over saturated soil prevents sprouts from getting the oxygen they need for survival.
How often should you water? Enough to keep the top 2 inches of soil moist. Giving the area a good watering a day or two prior to spreading seed can help avoid dry spots. The soil should be moist, but not spongy. If you notice water puddling on the surface, you are over-watering. A small amount of water given often is the safest bet.
Now, about soil temperatures…
To understand the proper soil temperature, first you need to know that there are cool season grasses and warm season grasses. These names have nothing to do with the season of growth (they both grow spring through fall). Instead, the name implies the area where the grass thrives. Warm season grass thrives best in the warmer areas of the U.S. (the Southern and Southwestern states). Cool season grass grows best in the Northern, Midwest and Pacific Northwest regions of the U.S. There is a transition zone where both grasses can be used (often at the same time to ensure that grass is growing throughout the summer).
Cool season grasses include Bentgrass, Bluegrass, Fescue, and Ryegrass. Cool season grasses begin growing in the spring and are happiest when temperatures are between 60-75 degrees (F). They are usually quick to germinate and quick to begin growing.
Warm season grasses (like Bermuda, Centipede, Zoysia, Buffalo, and Bahiagrass) tend to be a little slower to germinate. Warm season grasses are happiest when the thermometer is reading 80-95 degrees (F). Once the air temperatures begin to drop below 65 degrees, the grass goes dormant and turns brown. Some homeowners overseed their warm season grass with cool season grass. This keeps their grass green throughout most of the year.
Bare spots in a lawn.
Click here to learn an easy way to fix spots in your grass.
Overseed? What exactly does that mean?
Overseeding means that you are spreading seed over existing grass. This can be done to create a more lush lawn and fill in thin spots (before the weeds fill them in!) or as stated above- to grow both cool and warm season grass together. You can easily do this by mowing your grass short, spreading some seed and watering.
Click here to learn how to repair a winter damaged lawn.
* On a side note, I often get asked which grass to grow in hot areas. For hot-dry areas: Bermuda grass is the most drought tolerant. For hot-humid areas: Zoysia, St Augustine, Centipede and Bahiagrass do well.
Sprouting Grass
Now, most germination failure (especially with warm season grass) is because the grass seed was planted too early. Grass seeds have an outer shell (the hull) that prevents germination until conditions are right. Proper soil temperature is a big factor in the success you’ll have. For cool season grass, the ideal soil temperature is a minimum of 45-55 degrees (F). For warm season grass, the ideal soil temperature is a minimum of 55-65 degrees (F). Most of us don’t have a soil thermometer…and soil temperature is usually cooler than the air temperature…so I’m going to stick my neck out and say:
The perfect air temperature for spreading cool season grass seed is 60-70 degrees (F). The perfect air temperature for spreading warm season grass seed is right around 80-85 degrees (F).
A helpful tip: When choosing your grass seed look for the germination rate on the label. This is the percentage of seeds that germinated in lab tests. The higher the better. A rating of 90-95% is ideal. Each year that you store your bag of seed will result in a 10-25% decrease in your germination rate. If you have a bag of seed that has been sitting for a few years, scoop out a handful and gently blow across the top. If they fly away, they are just dead chaff.
Click here to find out which is best: hand seeding, hydro seeding or sod.
Pre-germinate your seeds to get a lush lawn, faster.
Begin by placing your seeds in a burlap bag. Now place that bag in a tub filled with room temperature water. (Hold your bag down until it soaks up the water and stays submerged.)
Store your tub somewhere where the temperature is 65-75 degrees (F). Put a lid on your tub, cover it, or keep it in a dark room.
Each day, remove the sack and let it drain a little while you refill the tub with fresh room temperature water.
Around the 7th day, begin checking for shoots emerging from the seeds.
When you see shoots, take the burlap bag out of the tub and let it drain enough that it stops dripping. Dump out the water from your tub and cover the bottom of the tub with a layer of sand or compost.
Sprinkle the seed on top of the sand (or compost) and let it dry for 30- 60 minutes.
Mix the seeds in with the sand/or compost. (This makes it easier to spread.) Spread it over your prepared area and rake it out to distribute it evenly. Water a little, as often as needed, and you will have a lawn in a few days.
Full blades of grass.
There you have it: Grass Seed Germination Time.
I know that there are few things that men are more particular about than their lawn. Guys, (and ladies) please feel post your comments, agreements, disagreements and anything else you have to offer in the comment section below.
Hi Mike,
I’ve read through majority of the comments and haven’t seen an answer to my question. We moved into a new construction home in late March. They put sod in the front and seeded the back in mid to late April. The sod is fine … for the most part. It has some lines where the pieces did not connect. However, the back yard is very sparse. Some spots took well and others are bare ground. They put down a straw netting that is still there. My questions is, here we are 45ish days later, if it hasn’t germinated yet is it likely not going to? If not, any suggestions to getting the backyard going? We live in southern Ohio and have summer temps that range 78-98 through September. Thank you in advance
Brad,
I suspect not enough water in the front and back. The sod shrinks when it gets dry. The back might have germinated then failed because of hot and dry. With new grass you literally have a few hours at best when it needs water then the grass dies. At this point I’d be inclined not to fight it but wait until mid September and re-seed then. Kill the weeds before you re-seed. I seeded an area of my own lawn in early spring that contractors dug up. Some of it is fine but it’s full of bare spots. I’m just leaving it until September and I have a sprinkler system. But even that is not enough to keep young grass plants alive on a hot summer day.
Thank you Mike. I appreciate the advice
Hi Mike,
A question on Argentine Bahia. We’re in central Florida with a sandy yard. A few years ago we sodded with AB and it’s time to over seed. Need to thicken it up and fail in bare spots from a crab grass attack. I’ve been doing lots of reading and was going to stratify and soak the seed before planting to give it a head start. What are your thoughts on soaking coated seed? I didn’t realize it was coated when I bought it.
Many thanks!
A different Mike
Mike,
I think soaking grass seed is a waste of time and if let soak too long it can and will heat up. I believe it’s far better to sow the seed then wet thoroughly.
As not one of your correspondents has not mentioned my problem, which is that six months after
completely over seeding my lawn which has patches of very compacted thatch some of the new grass has turned yellow and overall it looks slightly yellow, do you have any advice ?
Geoff,
Sounds like it needs fertilizer.
How do I keep the sparrows from eating my bird se….. I mean grass seed? Seriously, even burying my birdseed, the sparrows find all of it.
Lew,
Cover the seed lightly and straw. See this; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2019/03/preparing-a-lawn-for-the-planting-of-grass-seed/
Help! I have read most of the post here, and enjoyed and learned about grass. I am building a new house and I have started sowing grass and fertilizer , lime. It rained two day later. This really helped the Bermuda. The soil is a brownish clay. It’s been two weeks since the seeded. Starting to see little germinate. Full sun will dry soil fast. Sorry , but I have to go water!!!!
In the article you mention that you can apply too much water to a newly seeded lawn, yet when you pre-germinate, your soaking seeds entirely in water… what is the difference when the seed is on the lawn that makes pooling water bad relative to being completely submerged in a bag?
Jeff,
I would never pre germinate grass. I watched a guy do that once and the seed heated up and ruined the entire bag. There really is no need. Just put the seed down dry then wet the area afterwards. That’s really all you have to do. Growing grass is not difficult.
We overseeded rye on a baseball field on 10/14 using a no till drill. We had it showing on most of the field then received a frost on Nov. 1. Will it be ok and make it?
JC,
As long as it’s perennial rye it will be fine. Annual rye? Doesn’t have a chance.
Hello Mike,
I live in SW Wisconsin. Yesterday (10/10/2019) we had some sod laid and today they are hydroseeding. Starting tonight we have up to 3 days that the lows are supposed to be 28-32 degrees. My question is should we water or not water during this time (if so when morning and late evening or during day when its above freezing)? Should we try to keep the seed dormant or try to get it to sprout? Thank you for your advice.
Jamie,
You want the seed to sprout. This is a good time of the year for hydro-seed because germination is initiated before the seed hits the ground. Since it’s cooler out, soil will hold moisture longer, you really will only have to water when it’s warm and sunny. Do not water in the evening. Morning or early afternoon so the grass is dry before the sun goes down.
Hi Mike, not sure if you’re still answering questions but I can’t find anything anywhere on the internet about this. We planted grass seed last week and I can still see it on top of the soil. This didn’t happen last year when we overseeded. Does this mean the grass seed is dead since it hasn’t germinated yet? It’s had consistent rain and a little sun over the last week. I don’t know if we should start over. Any advice would be so appreciate! Thanks for being a great resource.
Lauren,
The seed should be fine, just keep it watered once it starts coming up.
I have some sports where I’m overseeding where the hose won’t reach to water. We have been getting a decent amount of rain in NY the last couple weeks. Will the rain be enough for those spots I can’t get with the hose?
Joey,
That’s the million dollar question. If you keep getting some rain until the grass is established you should be fine. If not, re-seed those areas in mid to late September. I have a new lawn and I just re-seeded some areas. If they don’t take I’m waiting until fall.
I aerated and overseeded my yard in mid September this year in Indiana. Had the parking strip slice seeded on a corner lot which was quite a bit of work. The rest of September was very hot and dry then it turned way below average cold in October and very cold in November. I did get some grass to germinate but wondering if the roots can establish enough in the cold temps to make it through wknter
Scott,
Your grass should do just fine. I installed a new lawn in mid October, then it turned wet and cold. I’m not concerned.
Hi Mike. My name is Tom I need an answer to a question my yard was pretty bad this year so in August I put down some weed and feed late August. a week later I decided to kill everything I had and start over. So I used Roundup the first week in September. I was I was thinking on planting next week all over again. It has been 4 weeks since I put down weed and feed and 3 weeks since I sprayed Roundup. have I waited long enough to plant? it’s starting to get late in the year.. also if I do plant should I put some starter fertilizer down too? I didn’t know whether I should or not since I put weed and feed down the last week in August. Or should I just plant the grass with nothing else?
Thomas,
I think you’ve waited long enough. I’d plant the seed now without additional fertilizer. If you have thick bladed grasses coming up now, I’d spray them again before you plant, then plant the next day. Just barely wet the foliage with the spray.
Some weed and feed say you must wait up to 6 months to seed after use..I learned this the hard way..Scott’s bonus S weed and feed,for example…read the entire back of bag..
Round up causes cancer
Only if your lawsuit was in California.
We reseeded all the bare spots in our yard the middle of May.. Most of the seed germinated and is about a 1/4 inch high . We watered twice a day and are still watering daily. The last week or two it doesn’t look like it has grown much and the blades of grass seem very thin. How long before it will thicken up and start to grow in? We live in Washington state and we have had a cooler June than normal. Should we keep watering everyday!
Jayne,
Over the summer you will need to keep it watered as needed. Establishing grass in the summer is challenging. You might have to re-seed in the fall.
We reseeded all the bare spots in our yard the middle of May.. Most of the seed germinated and is about a 1/4 inch high . We watered twice a day and are still watering daily. The last week or two it doesn’t look like it has grown much and the blades of grass seem very thin. How long before it will thicken up and start to grow in? We live in Washington state and we have had a cooler June than normal. Should we keep watering everyday!
Mike,
We recently built our home on a 1 acre lot in Illinois. Soil is super sandy under our layer of black dirt. We are only able to water once a day as my wife and I both work full time and it takes us 3-4 hours to water the whole lawn.. it’s been 2 weeks (was cold for the first week 40-55 degrees, and had been in 70s the last week). We are starting to see grass sprout in several areas but only in small amounts… we are concerned with the little growth but also know that it has only been about 2
Weeks.. any ideas or thoughts on what we can do? Do you think this is enough water? The top layer of soil seems to dry out quickly…
Jeremy,
There’s not a lot you can do other than put some hoses on timers so you can start watering earlier. My concern is those little tiny grass plants drying out and dying after they have germinated. Do the best you can and re-seed in the fall when it’s much cooler.
Mike,
We recently built our home on a 1 acre lot in Illinois. Soil is super sandy under our layer of black dirt. We are only able to water once a day as my wife and I both work full time and it takes us 3-4 hours to water the whole lawn.. it’s been 2 weeks (was cold for the first week 40-55 degrees, and had been in 70s the last week). We are starting to see grass sprout in several areas but only in small amounts… we are concerned with the little growth but also know that it has only been about 2
Weeks.. any ideas or thoughts on what we can do? Do you think this is enough water? The top layer of soil seems to dry out quickly…
Mike,
Forgive me for posting this here, but I’m not sure where to go to comment.
Quick question.
I recently planted seed that is growing well, but I’m having a hard time maintaining a balanced watering schedule now. The newly germinated seeds are about 1/4 inch tall, when is it safe to stop or slack off on watering twice daily? They are Kentucky Blue grass.
Jeff,
You really need to keep watering until those grass plants fatten up and can support themselves. And even then, if no rain, I’d water as needed. If you end up with bare spots try to live with them until late September and reseed then.
Hey Mike,
Your website is an amazing resource, thank you! I have a small yard (about 430 square feet) that I seeded 18 days ago. I started from complete scratch–weed removal, tilling of all soil, etc so it was bare dirt (followed your instructions :). I planted a mix of 75% perennial rye and 25% KGB, bought locally so it was optimized for my area. I am pleasantly surprised that at this 2.5 week mark there is a lot of beautiful green growth with some patches already reaching around 4 inches of height! However, part of the yard with more shade has grown a bit slower and is quite thin. And even the lushest parts have some intermixed spots that are still bare dirt. My question is, is this normal? Will it fill in? Right after I seeded, we had some rain, not torrential but enough that I’m worried some of the seed could have clumped to cause the patching (it was all covered with peat moss and some of that was moved by the rain)…anyway I am not sure if I should reseed the bare spots and thin areas or if I’m just being impatient. I would really appreciate your advice, thank you!
P.S. Daily temps in my area are still in the upper 70s and I’m currently watering twice daily.
Holt,
You are being a bit impatient, but your concerns about washing are valid. The shade will slow down those areas. I’d consider scratching the soil and putting a little seed on the complete bare areas.
what happens if i covered the seeds with 1/2 inch of top soil
Haz,
One half inch of soil is a lot and it would seriously affect how well the grass seed germinates. Far better to simply lay the seed on the surface of the soil and press in or simply water in.
Mike,
We recently had about 1.5 acres cleared and then planted seed last Saturday (9 days ago now). We used a disc harrow and put down lime and fertilizer first. It rained the next day but has been dry ever since and the ground is already hard packed clay again. We have only enough hoses and sprinklers to cover about half of the lawn, which is staying moist, but nothing has sprouted anywhere yet. Does the dry part of the yard stand a chance? And really I’m worried none if it is going to grow. A friend suggested going over the lawn with an aerator and more seed but I’m worried to drive over it with the seed already down. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Kara
Kara,
I don’t think I’d panic just yet. If it rained right after you planted the seed germination has been initiated. But if the temps have not be warm, the seed is going to be slower to germinate. And of course the seed you used matters. Kentucky blue grass takes 28 days to germinate which is why you should always use a blend of grass seed that contains some fine textured perennial rye that will germinate in about 6 days in ideal temps and conditions. Give it a couple more weeks.
We had our fescue grass reseeded last week, but didn’t water it for a week (our company pulled up our sprinklers and we were out of town). It was 84 and sunny in NC every day. I have started watering it properly now. Did the seed die during the past week after it was put down in the dry heat?
Sally,
The seeds that germinated while you were gone might have, but probably not. I think you’ll be fine.
I am planting grass (blue Kentucky and rye) this week. The air temp will be around 60 during the day and just above freezing at night. This weather is supposed to maintain for 2 weeks and then it will cool off into below freezing st night. Is this enough time and good enough temps to plant? How long is required for grass to germinate before it will be strong enough to last the winter? Appreciate any incite. Thanks. Jason from Alberta
Jason,
I think you’ll be fine. It will be slow to come up and slow to look like much, but come spring it should take off nicely for you. Cold really doesn’t harm grass plants or seeds.
Jason, any germination happening?
Hello,
I’m going to use a slip seeder to plant a fescue tri blend this weekend in WV. The weather show 85f all next week then rain the week after. Should I kill my self watering all next week or plant it this weekend and wait for the rain the week after? Start watering as needed after that. Some of the soil will be fresh and some will be over seeding.
Drew,
If you seed it now, start watering immediately, the grass won’t come up for about 6 days at the earliest. By then it’s likely too cool off and rain. But the advantage is the heat you now have to get the seed germinating quickly. I’d seed now and water immediately. Water really isn’t a critical thing until the grass starts to sprout, but you want to water on day one to get that process moving.
Mike, thanks in advance for any direction you canprovide.
I’m afraid I’ve messed up and I’m not sure which way to go. I had my whole yard seeded on Monday 9/11/17. I asked the “professionals” how often I should water…and they said 2-3 times per week is enough.
I live in SW Missouri and the temps have been peaking in mid-80s. I watered Monday night, Wednesday night, and Saturday night. I have been doing a lot of reading and it appears that I might have goofed up my “professionals” were wrong. Seems as though I should have been watering far more.
So my question, do you think I have killed the seed they laid…and maybe I should cut my losses and reseed now? I don’t want to wait too late.
Side note, they mostly planted fescue.
Thanks,
John
John,
That was only 6 days ago, I think you are fine. When it’s warm you have to water more often and make sure that the lawn doesn’t get hot and dry mid day. This time of year germination will be slower so most of the seed hasn’t germinated yet. Most importantly, water as needed, allow the soil to dry and warm up between waterings but not so dry that the new grass plants shrivel and die.
I appreciate how you say that the longer you store grass seed the lower the germination rate will be. It would make sense to find something that has a high rate, especially if you intend to store it. My sister recently bought some horses and is trying to find seed for the field, so she’ll have to check the germination rate before she buys it.
Hello –
I have a quick question. I had a landscaping company put down new seed to fill in some large bare spots in my front yard. This was done 3 days ago. I live in the midwest (Milwaukee) and they used a mix of 50% bluegrass, 20% creeping red fescue, and 30% perennial rye. The guy instructed me to water using the hose attachment on the “shower” setting for about a 35 second count and then be done. He said to do this two times a day. They used PennMulch to help keep the seed moist. I should mention that the areas that were seeded get pretty beat down by sun most of the day, and temperatures have been peaking in the low 80s lately. (today is cooler though, in the low 70s right now) He indicated that if I notice that the area is drying out during the day, then I should get out there and water as needed as well, in addition to the twice a day. I’ve been very vigilant the past few days, watering several times a day if needed. This is the second time they’ve seeded and the first time it did not grow much at all, I’m certain that first failure was because I didn’t water nearly enough. Now, however, I’m wondering if I overcompensated? The reason I think this is I was picking some quackgrass out of that new area, and the roots were showing some pretty soggy clay-like soil. It was pretty darn soggy. I backed off of it by not watering last night, and then just giving it a nice quick drink this morning. My question is, have I already blown this second go round by watering too much in the beginning? Any way to salvage at this point? Thanks!
Daniel,
I don’t think you’ve done any damage yet. Growing new grass in the summer is a bear but so far so good. The critical point is when the grass just starts to emerge. Those new grass plants are as tiny as a human hair and if they don’t get water when they need it they’ll die and at that point the seed is spent. If it were me I’d straw over top of what is there now. The straw also provides shade for new grass as well as moisture retention. 50% blue grass is really, really heavy in blue grass. Especially if that’s measured by weight because there are 1.5 million blue grass seeds in a pound compared to about 250,000 rye grass seeds. So in the end you have a lot more than 50% blue grass. Way more! And that’s not a good thing. Blue grass takes 28 days to germinate, rye grass about 6 days.
Do the best you can now and if it doesn’t go well just re-seed, right over top of what is there, no tilling, just seed in mid September. Weeds? Treat those in the spring.
Mike,
My husband will be planting centipede seed this weekend in middle Georgia. Weather has been rainy and hot in the high 90s, soil is red Georgia clay. My husband will prepare and till the bare yard, spread seed mixed with sand and we will top with a thin layer of straw.
We have two concerns; is this too late in the season to plant Centipede seed? My husband is worried the first freeze will kill the young grass, once it roots. Second question, we bought a 5lb bag of seed from a local, Savannah, GA lawn and garden shop yesterday. The test date on the bag is January, 2015 more than two years old. The bag is air tight. Do you believe this seed is good?
Laurie,
I’d say the seed is still good and I don’t think that first freeze would be an issue if Centipede is hardy in your area. Even if some of it is damaged, that’s better than leaving that area barren for many months. But even here in cold Ohio, I like planting grass seed in September. But if you’re only putting down five pounds I’d say go for it. I’m sure landscapers in your area seed year round.
Hello Mike! I would appreciate your help. I live in Columbia, SC and I am struggling to grow grass on my property. I have tried several types of grass and even sod, but I have red clay and it kills everything! I have tried tilling, adding top soil and nothing seems to work. I even purchased the grass seed which will grow on concrete as seen on tv and it literally grew on the rocks in my yard faster than the red clay! I have recently tried rye grass and it seems to be doing well, but my husband has warned me that this grass will not survive the heat. Any thoughts on what type of grass can survive both the heat and red clay? I would really like a strong grass that my children can enjoy. Thanks! Zenoebia
Zenoebia,
Ironically, grasses do pretty well in clay. But when planting grass this time of year you need a ton of straw and lots of water. Me? I’d wait and seed at the end of September and use a blend of grass seed that is rated for your climate. Do not use just one kind of grass. Go to a full service garden center and buy your seed from them based on their recommendations.
Hi Mike!
I read all your emails and really appreciate your insights. Treating you as a gardening friend, which I have come to think of you as, I would like to tell you that you opened yourself up to more criticism.
On 8/22/2016 ‘Confused Lawn Novice’ said they were confused about telling the people they could soak the grass seed for a few days, etc.
You answered on 8/24,2016 and said you didn’t blame him for being confused and that you really don’t approve of or use that method.
Well, the last section of this post “Pre-germinate your seeds to get a lush lawn, faster.” is saying the same thing. I am sure you didn’t see it cause I know your in a hurry with these things. Have to much to do.
Wanted to alert you about it. Take care. I really enjoy your clips and write ups.
JoeT
Joe T.,
The only thing I know how to be in honest. And here’s how that confusion happened. It takes hours and hours to do one good blog post. I do as many as I can. But for a while we hired people to write blog posts about things that I don’t well enough to write about. I didn’t over see those submissions, that was done in the office and I don’t go to the office. In the end people wrote articles that I don’t agree with. Now it’s done and I can’t turn back the clock. Truly wish I could.
I realize what you say, Mike. It isn’t easy with so many other things to do.
Just thought that maybe Dustin could delete that last section so that you could use this write-up in the future.
Other than that last section, I think the advise is head on.
Have a good season, Mike.
Joe T.
Thanks Joe, I appreciate you pointing that out.
Hi Mike,
I bought property with several types of grass and spots as well. Besides scrapping and starting over, is there a grass I can plant that will “choke out” the other grasses and make the lawn uniform???
Thanks
Aaron,
Probably not, best thing to do is simply spray the undesireable grass with roundup, you can plant the new seed 72 hours later. You don’t even have to dig it up just re-seed and since it’s almost June, put down lots of straw.
Thanks, Mike…
I’ll use vinegar
I had bentgrass in my back yard but it got destroyed during a recent addition that we built. I am looking to reseed with bentgrass. I am putting down a layer of top soil, should I cover the seed with soil or anything else after spreading? Thanks!
Rick,
No, don’t cover the seed with soil, but drag a push broom over the area after you seed, drag the broom backwards to gently cover the seed with just a tiny amount of soil. Covering the seed with straw helps a great deal and you do not have to rake up the straw later, just leave it to decompose.
Thanks. I seeded this past Saturday morning.
I live in PA and we had 70 degrees then 2 foot of snow a week later. I put out some grass seed. Would you say that seed stayed dormant or do you think its dead?
Lisa,
The grass seed should be fine. The only thing that harms grass seed is if it lays dormant on soil that never dries, the seed can rot. Cold won’t hurt it. I’m sure yours is fine. Old timers used to like to seed in the late fall and the seed would come up in the spring.
Hello Mike.
Is it too early here in Georgia to plant some Bermuda grass seeds? There looks to be a couple of days where the night temperature may drop as low as 48 degrees. The day temperatures are hitting 70 degrees or more every day. I just want to see a few patches and strips.
Thanks
Eric,
I don’t think so, I intend to do a little seed here in Ohio this week. Most grass seed is unaffected by cold and freezing.
Dear Mike,
If you would kindly let me know when this article was published it would really help me out for school!
I’d say published in the past two to three years.
I’m confused. Why can you pre-germinate in pure water but if you put it in soil you can’t let it get too wet? Can I plant turf type tall fescue using burlap in the summertime. It gets very hot here (105) but I thought with topsoil and burlap I could keep at the right temperature. Thank you
Laurie, along with heat comes humidity, especially with wet conditions. Humidity brings fungal diseases that kill of lawn grasses. You could grow grass with burlap and topsoil in the dead of summer, but it still would be challenging and require a great deal of attention. Fall is just around the corner and growing grass is so much easier then.
i have a question regarding watering, I’ve overseed 2 weeks ago using the Scotts grass seed and i start seeing the newly grass coming up should i stop watering?
just to explain my situation, i had bald spots so i had to order 4 yard of gardening soil and spread it all over then i used the scotts gras seed and also the ferlizer starter from scotts.
my concern when we should stop watering and return to weekly schedule watering? also when we should mow?
Thanks
Robert,
The short answer is water as needed. Young grass has very shallow roots so needs water everyday until well established. I planted a lot of grass seed in my yard this spring, we’ve been watering daily for over a month and will continue to do so until the grass really starts to look like the rest of the lawn. You can mow when the grass needs it, but don’t be in too much of a hurry. I’d let it get a bit longer than normal before you mow.
Hi Mike,
I live in Toronto, Canada and I just finished top dressing my lawn. Weather forecast for the next couple calls for temperatures around 45 to 60 but at night that can fall to 35.
Should I start seeding or hold off until temperatures rise further. The type of seed I have is a blend of tall fescue, self repairing tall fescue, chewing fescue and self repairing perennial rye grass. I was told by my local garden center that these are local seeds suitable to my area and also best for shades which I have a lot off since I am in an area with lots of trees.
Ray,
Go ahead and seed now, the cold will not harm the seeds. Seed planted in December comes up in April as long as it doesn’t get too wet and rot.
Thanks Mike. One more thing. Is daily watering necessary until germination? What I’ve noticed is that the surface soil might look dry after a day of watering but if you poke below the surface it is still dark and moist. I’ve raked the seeds into the soil but of course some are covered slightly while some are just on top. Thanks again.
I meant a day after watering not a “day of watering” 🙂
Ray,
The watering isn’t as critical while waiting for the seeds to germinate. But after the new grass starts to grow, that’s when watering is really critical.
“The watering isn’t as critical while waiting for the seeds to germinate. But after the new grass starts to grow, that’s when watering is really critical.”
This was the information I was looking for.
Thanks
Hi
I currently trying to embed different types of seeds into paper that I am making myself.
Is there any type of grass seed that will make it through a homemade paper making process where it is wet for about 30min-1hr before it is dried again?
The idea is that the paper needs to be plantable again after it is dry. So the seeds need to be able to withstand being wet for about 30min without germinating.
Hope anyone knows more about germination here and can help me with this.
Best regards
Soeren
Soren,
Kentucky blue grass seed have the longest germination period that I know of, about 30 days. But the million dollar question is that because the outer coating is harder than other grass seeds or does it just take that long to sprout once germination is initiated. Most grass seeds absorb water easily and germination is trigger almost immediately upon them getting wet. Being wet for 30 minutes is a long time for a seed like grass seed to be wet but germination not initiated. A seed like dogwood or Japanese maple takes weeks to absorb water and have germination initiated. ???????
Hello,
I’m in Cary, North Carolina and I’m getting ready to over seed my lawn. Do I need to fertilize when putting down grass seed? Is it a particular type of fertilizer? Do I do it after I aerate and before seeding?
Thanks for your help!
Jessica
Jessica,
You can treat the lawn with a weed and feed fertilizer to get rid of broad leaf weeds. Don’t fertilize until you get some rain. After that you can over seed.
Hi there! I am about to sow Zenith Zoysia to a new planing bed. Soil is good, light is good, watering several times a day won’t be an issue, however…. It is very late in the year (August 10, 2015) to be planting here in North GA (just north of Atlanta) but we have no choice but to plant now. Will soaking the Zoysia seed speed the germination as you’ve described about fescue? I keep reading different things. Some say do it for 24 hours and others say JUST DONT DO IT! I’m confused and concerned about the $$ I’ve spent on the seed and the hours of labor it’s taken me to get the area prepared for planting. I’d like it to be as established as possible before it goes dormit for the winter. Any Advise you can give is much appreciated!! Thanks!
Lisa,
I never recommend soaking grass seed before planting. Just sow the seed, mulch it, then soak seed, soil and mulch after planting and you should do fine. Just stay on top of of the watering until it cools down.
Ok..Thanks, Mike!
Mike, I’m confused about your answer here that you never recommended soaking grass seed before planting. Isn’t that what you’re suggesting in the article above in the section called, “Pre-germinate your seeds to get a lush lawn, faster”?
Dear Confused,
You have every right to be confused and here’s why. First of all, I’ve been creating content online, for free, for over 17 years. The list of what I’ve created is extensive, see this; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/directory/. A couple of years ago we decided to allow some of our readers to create some content for us because in many areas they have a unique perspective. Much of that content was awesome! Some of it, which I really haven’t paid a great deal of attention to, contradicts some of my opinions. This is one of those cases. In 100% honesty I had not read that article, probably didn’t even see it.
So I’ll stick to what I said, I just don’t believe in pre soaking grass seed. Worked for a guy who did it one time and ruined an entire 50lb bag of grass seed. It’s just as easy to spread the seed then water it well. If you can’t water the area you are seeding then you really and sending those seeds to a death sentence by pre soaking them and then not watering daily in hot weather. It’s far better to put the seed down and let nature take it’s coarse.
So I apologize for this contradiction and in many ways I regret having let some control go when we hired those articles out to be written. But on the other hand, I’m only one person who runs two businesses, tries to have a life, spends a great deal of time answering questions here and in our members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join.
In short, I hate it when this happens. But before you judge, review that list of content that I’ve created, not to mention the four hard cover books I’ve written and numerous ebooks. And Duston and I built this place from scratch over the past five years, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2011/07/mikes-new-nursery-from-the-beginning/
I do what I can. I do the best that I can.
Mike:The herd of deer my wife was feeding last winter have stomped a few area’s bald do I need to till these up before replanting grass? also the deer have ate all the green off my holly bushes as well as some other shrubs will they come back or do I need to pull hem out?
Tom,
You don’t have to rototill but you should scratch the soil so a bit is loose, re-seed, then mulch with straw or that green stuff they sell for grass seed.
Thanks for the great tips on grass seed, germination and fixing bad spots in the lawn. Up here in northern Wisconsin we had a very long, cold winter and there was a lot of lawn damage.
I just put weed and feed on the lawn. I live in Western,N.Y. where it is 57-60 degrees. I also have a lot of moss. How long do I need to wait to put moss out on the lawn? I don’t want to kill the lawn. Thanks, Carolyn
Carolyn,
I’ve never heard of moss out, but I’d have to guess that it works very differently than weed and feed and I wouldn’t think that one would interfere with the other. But that’s me just guessing.
Moss grows in acidic soil you just have to add lime
What do you think of the new “grassology” product being touted by Bib Villa?
It supposedly needs less watering, by virtue of putting down deeper roots, and
doesn’t require regular mowing because it’s a dwarf-height grass. If those two
qualities are to be believed, “grassology” sounds like the greatest grass yet! I’m
ready to try it – but would value your advice before doing so.
Thanks,
Bill
Pittsburgh, PA
Bill,
I don’t watch a lot of TV and haven’t seen the ads. A quick Google search turned some reviews for the product that are less than raving.
What they are really selling is a blend of grass seeds and everybody and their brother sells a blend of grass seed. But apparently this product doesn’t tell you exactly what seed is in the mix and depending upon where you live, you may need an entirely different kind of grass seed than I need.
If I needed grass seed I would go to a full service garden center, not a box store, and look at the seeds that they have for sale. You’ll find all kinds of blends and hopefully expert advice on the seed that will best suite your needs.
Hey Mike,
Why plant grass that you just have to mow. How about giving us some information on planting grass that we can plant and pot up and sell for $4.97.
Jim,
Great suggestion! It’s on my list to do a post about growing and dividing ornamental grasses very soon. We need to take some photos and shoot a video.
I think all your warm Spring weather got lost and came to California! We have had temps of high 80s and low 90s. The weeds are doing great!!!
I think all your warm Spring weather got lost and came to California! We have had temps of high 60s and low 90s. The weeds are doing great!!!
A friend gave me some seeds called “Twisted Grass”…. …. I planted them in my greenhouse in a flat. I have had very poor and slow germination…..using potting soil…..I still have some seed left… should I try it in a sandy mix?
Patrica,
For seeds a good seed starting mix is better. These mixes have a lot of perlite that makes the soil light and fluffy.
Very well done!
First job held as a kid MANY years ago was at a nursery garden in Detroit.
Made 10 cents per day when started and got a raise to 25 cents that is far more in ratio to any others earned through my working life time, since.
THANK YOU for your helpful and timely information and for adding this to the wealth of knowledge that the average home owner will value as they watch that much better lawn materialize before their grateful eyes!
Thanks Jerry, I appreciate your kind words.