When To Plant Prairiegrasses


Warm-season native grass seeds germinate at a minimum soil temperature of 60 degrees -- usually beginning around April 15 to May 15 depending on location -- which allows weed treatment for seeding into a clean seedbed.

 

In years of adequate rainfall, or if irrigation is available, stands may be established as late as Aug. 1 in the Midwest. Warm-season grasses should have at least 60 days of growth before a frost to protect them from winter injury.



Dormant seeding is possible by sowing seed in the very late fall, after the soil is too cold for the seed to germinate. In the Midwest, this usually occurs sometime after November 1st OR after 2-3 hard freezes.

 

Dormant seeding in late fall offers natural stratification in the soil over winter and also reduces spring workload. This method has additional risks that can cause failure, however, because of weed competition during early spring. Weedy perennials can be eradicated in the fall, but any seeds in the ground will germinate in the spring.

 

This seeding period can be very successful but requires planning ahead to help reduce the potential for weeds to be a significant problem.

 

Late spring/early summer planting allows extra time for weed problems to be eliminated prior to planting, leading to a more successful seeding. In most cases, a late spring planting is recommended for warm-season natives.