Triangle planting calendar
When to plant grass in the Triangle
Grass goes in the ground on a schedule, and planting off-season is how good money turns into a thin lawn. Pick a date and this tells you what is worth planting now, what opens up soon, and what to hold off on. Dates and rates are for the Triangle, in the North Carolina piedmont.
1 in season as of August 27
- Centipede Grass
70°F soil or warmer
Out of seasonMarch 1 to July 31
- Bahia Grass
65°F to 75°F soil
Out of seasonMarch 1 to June 30
- Bermuda Grass
65°F soil and rising
Out of seasonApril 1 to July 31
- Zoysia Grass
70°F soil or warmer
Out of seasonApril 1 to July 31
- St. Augustine Grass
70°F soil or warmer
Out of seasonApril 1 to July 31
- Bluegrass, Tall Fescue and Fine Fescue mix
55°F to 65°F soil
In season nowAugust 15 to September 15
- Tall Fescue
60°F to 65°F soil
Opens in 5 daysSeptember 1 to October 1
- Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue mix
60°F to 65°F soil
Opens in 5 daysSeptember 1 to September 15
Cool season Warm season The date you picked
Seed math
How much seed do you actually need?
Every rate on this page is per 1,000 square feet. Measure the lawn once and let the calculator do the multiplication, so you buy the right bag instead of guessing at the store.
Worked example
- Lawn area
- 5,000 sq ft
- Tall fescue rate
- 6 lb per 1,000
Triangle planting dates and rates
Optimum planting windows, soil temperatures and seeding rates for the piedmont.
Bermuda Grass
- Best window
- April 1 to July 31
- Soil
- 65°F soil and rising
- Look for
- After the last frost, once nights stay warm
- Seed
- 1 to 2 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft
Hybrid bermuda goes down as sprigs rather than seed (about 3 to 10 bushels broadcast).
Zoysia Grass
- Best window
- April 1 to July 31
- Soil
- 70°F soil or warmer
- Look for
- Warm days and warm nights, past the frost
- Seed
- 1 to 2 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft
Often planted from sprigs or plugs, since seeded zoysia is slow to fill in.
Centipede Grass
- Best window
- March 1 to July 31
- Soil
- 70°F soil or warmer
- Look for
- Settled spring warmth, no more cold snaps
- Seed
- 0.25 to 0.50 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft
St. Augustine Grass
- Best window
- April 1 to July 31
- Soil
- 70°F soil or warmer
- Look for
- Warm and frost-free, from sod or plugs
- Seed
- about 1 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft
Usually established from sod or plugs rather than seed.
Bahia Grass
- Best window
- March 1 to June 30
- Soil
- 65°F to 75°F soil
- Look for
- Warming spring soil
- Seed
- 5 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft
Tall Fescue
- Best window
- September 1 to October 1
- Soil
- 60°F to 65°F soil
- Look for
- As summer heat breaks and nights cool
- Seed
- 6 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft
Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue mix
- Best window
- September 1 to September 15
- Soil
- 60°F to 65°F soil
- Look for
- Early fall, cooling nights
- Seed
- 1 lb bluegrass plus 5 lb tall fescue per 1,000 sq ft
Bluegrass, Tall Fescue and Fine Fescue mix
- Best window
- August 15 to September 15
- Soil
- 55°F to 65°F soil
- Look for
- Late summer, as the heat eases
- Seed
- 1 lb bluegrass plus 5 lb tall fescue plus 1 lb fine fescue per 1,000 sq ft
| Grass | Best window | When conditions are right | Seed per 1,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bermuda GrassHybrid bermuda goes down as sprigs rather than seed (about 3 to 10 bushels broadcast). | April 1 to July 31 | 65°F soil and risingAfter the last frost, once nights stay warm | 1 to 2 lb of seed |
| Zoysia GrassOften planted from sprigs or plugs, since seeded zoysia is slow to fill in. | April 1 to July 31 | 70°F soil or warmerWarm days and warm nights, past the frost | 1 to 2 lb of seed |
| Centipede Grass | March 1 to July 31 | 70°F soil or warmerSettled spring warmth, no more cold snaps | 0.25 to 0.50 lb of seed |
| St. Augustine GrassUsually established from sod or plugs rather than seed. | April 1 to July 31 | 70°F soil or warmerWarm and frost-free, from sod or plugs | about 1 lb of seed |
| Bahia Grass | March 1 to June 30 | 65°F to 75°F soilWarming spring soil | 5 lb of seed |
| Tall Fescue | September 1 to October 1 | 60°F to 65°F soilAs summer heat breaks and nights cool | 6 lb of seed |
| Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue mix | September 1 to September 15 | 60°F to 65°F soilEarly fall, cooling nights | 1 lb bluegrass plus 5 lb tall fescue |
| Bluegrass, Tall Fescue and Fine Fescue mix | August 15 to September 15 | 55°F to 65°F soilLate summer, as the heat eases | 1 lb bluegrass plus 5 lb tall fescue plus 1 lb fine fescue |
Windows and rates are from NC State Extension's Carolina Lawns planting table for the piedmont. Your own soil, sun, and season vary, so a soil test and your local extension office are the last word on your lawn.
Common questions
- When is the best time to plant grass seed in the Triangle?
- It depends on the grass. Tall fescue and the cool-season mixes go down in the fall, roughly September into early October, which is the single best seeding window for most Triangle lawns. The warm-season grasses like bermuda, zoysia, centipede and St. Augustine go in during late spring into summer instead. The calendar above tells you what fits today's date.
- When should I plant tall fescue in Raleigh?
- September 1 to October 1 is the optimum window for the piedmont, at about 6 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. Fall seeding lets it root in before winter and take off the next spring. Spring seeding is a weaker option because the grass barely establishes before summer heat hits it.
- Can I plant grass seed in summer in North Carolina?
- For warm-season grasses, yes, late spring into summer is their window. For cool-season grasses like tall fescue, summer is the worst time, since the heat stresses new seedlings. If it is midsummer and you want a fescue lawn, the honest answer is usually to wait until fall.