Considerations

• Before considering when to plant grass, decide what types of grasses are best-suited to the conditions where you live. Grasses are divided into two basic categories: cool season and warm season. The former group generally thrives in milder northern climates, while the latter is well adapted to the southern parts of the U.S.
  
  

Cool-Season Grasses

• Cool-season grasses include common varieties such Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass and tall fescue. These grasses have two annual growing cycles, which means they should planted in early spring or early fall. Some sources recommend fall planting, but grass planted in April through May or late August through late September usually will survive. Cool-season grasses establish themselves best in cool, moist conditions. When temperatures heat up in summer or cool considerably in fall, it is too late to plant.
  
  

Warm-Season Grasses

• Warm-season grasses, which include Bermudagrass, St. Augustine and zoysiagrass, have only one annual growing cycle: summer. Warm-season grasses should be planted in late spring or early summer. The months of May and June offer ideal conditions in most areas. When the summer becomes hot and dry, it is too late to plant.