When Should I Lay Grass Seed In Georgia?
Planting grass seed as opposed to laying sod is a much more economical way to satisfy your landscaping dreams or improve/thicken up sparse areas in your existing lawn.
The most important thing to remember when planting grass seed is that timing is everything! Soil temperature and condition can make or break the outcome of your grass seeding project. The timing depends on the specific grass seed you plan to lay as well as what zone or region you reside in. In Georgia, Zone 8, you will most likely be planting warm season grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede, Bahia or St. Augustine.
Each of these specific grass seeds should be planted at different times during the year, listed below:
Bahiagrass - warm-season, USDA zones 7 to 11, plant in spring/summer
Bentgrass - cool-season, USDA zones lower 4 to 6, plant in spring or fall (fall is best)
Bermudagrass - warm-season, USDA zones 7 to 10, plant March through August
Bluegrass - cool-season, USDA zones 2 to 6, plant February to May and September to November
Buffalograss - warm-season, USDA zones 5 to 8, plant in spring
Carpetgrass - warm-season, USDA zones coastal 8 to 9, plant in spring/summer
Centipedegrass - warm-season, USDA zones 7 to 10, plant in spring/summer
Fescue (tall) - cool-season, USDA zones 4 to 7, plant spring or fall (fall is best)
Fescue (creeping red) - cool-season, USDA zones 3 to 7, plant spring or fall (fall is best)
Ryegrass (annual) - cool-season, all USDA (seasonal), plant in fall
Ryegrass (perennial) - cool-season, USDA zones 3 to 6, plant in spring or fall (fall is best)
St. Augustinegrass - warm-season, USDA zones 8 to 10, plant in spring April to August (Available as sod, plugs or sprigs; not available as seed.)
Zoysiagrass - warm-season, USDA zones lower 5 to 10, plant in spring April to August.Most zoysiagrass varieties are available as sod; some are available as seed.)\
Should I plant grass seed in spring or fall?
Warm weather grasses will perform best when planted in spring and early summer. On the contrary, cool weather grasses should be planted in the fall.
However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when planting in each of these seasons.
Planting grass seed in spring will allow the seed to establish in the warm weather before any chances of freeze might arise in winter. Conditions in spring however, might bring too much heat and water, generating a breeding plaza for disease.
The main disadvantage of planting grass seed in the fall is that you won’t be able to enjoy it until the next spring/summer rolls around. However, you do have the advantage of beating the heat/drought that summer brings along with the lack of nearby weed competition.
If you are planning on seeding your lawn and have questions about how or when to seed, feel free to reach out to us using the link below! We have plant health care technicians on staff ready to assist you with your new grass seeding venture!
CALL A PLANT HEALTHCARE TECHNICIAN
Source:
https://blog.davey.com/2021/03/best-time-to-plant-new-grass-seed-pros-and-cons-for-each-season/
