The Best Time to Plant Grass Seed in Louisville, Kentucky

Establishing a lawn in a state famous for bluegrass should be simple. Cool-season grasses grow well in Louisville, Kentucky, but timing your planting is vital to establishing a healthy, thick lawn.

Fall Planting

The best time to plant grass seed is between the middle of August to the end of September, according to the University of Kentucky. Fall seeding avoids summer temperatures that stress cool-season grasses like fescue and bluegrass. Annual weed growth, which prefers the warm temperatures of spring and summer, also slows considerably in fall. Without pressure from weeds, the lawn establishes rapidly.

Spring Planting

The second-best time to plant grass in your Louisville landscape is from the middle of February to the middle of March. This timing allows the new seedlings to produce a root system capable of surviving summer temperatures, but does not guard against weed infestations.

Warnings

Seeding your lawn after the middle of April prevents the lawn from maturing before it must deal with Kentucky heat in July. In addition, warm-season weeds enjoy the extra irrigation and often take over the lawn bed. Avoid seeding from late spring through summer, or consider planting sod instead.