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Can you still plant grass seed in June? Here’s what the experts say
In the summertime, you should have time to relax, sit back, and enjoy all the hard work you’ve put into achieving a healthy lawn during the spring. And while it will still need mowing, weeding and watering (since a gardener’s work is never done) it may not be as perfect as you would like.
Despite giving your lawn plenty of love and following all the essential tips and trick for getting the perfect lawn, it can still need some care and attention, especially if you’ve been spending more time walking on the lawn, or children have been outside playing.
And since there’s no fun in banishing everyone from setting foot on the lawn, it might be starting to look patchy.
Therefore, you’re probably wondering if you can still plant grass seed in June? Although June is late in the year to plant grass, I took the question up with lawn experts to get their advice.
Can you still plant grass seed in June?
Whether your lawn is looking patchy from more use in the summer or you are hoping to plant a new patch following a garden redesign, the good news is that you can still plant grass seed in June.
However, there is a catch. You’ll have to be more careful of which grass seed you sow and take into account your climate conditions.
Harry Lloyd, gardening expert and head of marketing at HIPPO, says, “Planting grass seed in June is like sunbathing during a British heatwave — you need to be clever about it.”
“If planting grass in June is something you can’t avoid, perennial ryegrass is a good choice as it handles heat quite well. While other types of grass might give up, I’ve seen this one survive through tough conditions,” Lloyd adds.
Saltuck Doganci, founder of Brick My Walls, agrees, “By June in the Northern half of the U.S., the ground has already warmed past the comfort zone of cool-season mixtures, so I’d only overseed thin patches with quick-sprouting annual rye. It germinates in five days, throws a green haze that shades the soil, then acts as a living mulch until I reseed permanently in early fall.”
But how does this differ if you live in the Southern half of the U.S.? “In Southern states,” says Doganci, “June is actually prime time for warm-season grasses. Bermudagrass and zoysia crave 80°F soil, and that’s exactly what early summer delivers.”
How to get the most out of sowing lawn seed in June
If you take on the challenge to sow lawn seed in June you’ll need to handle it with care, no matter which zone you live within. “Think of June seeding as more like raising seedlings in a greenhouse,” says Doganci.
He suggests giving the newly sown area a shallow daily watering, followed by a light starter fertilizer once the blades reach shoe-top height.
Give the newly sown area a shallow daily watering, followed by a light starter fertilizer once the blades reach shoe-top height.
Just like Doganci, lawn care company Scotts recommends being meticulous about watering and states that, “Once your grass seed is planted, the top inch of soil should be kept consistently moist but not soggy for the first two to three weeks.”
A daily water is a must, but it may need additional moisture if the weather is particularly hot and dry. Once it has sprouted, keep the top two inches of soil moist, but allow it to dry out slightly between waterings. Scotts says this allows the grass roots to grow deeper.
Once the seedlings continue to grow, continue watering every two to three days, but water more frequently if the soil dries out.
Then, when your lawn is ready to mow you can reduce watering to once or twice a week. And it’s at this stage that Doganci advises, “Keep the mower blades razor-sharp so the tender crowns aren’t torn on their first haircut.”
When is the ideal time to plant grass seed?
The best time to plant grass seed depends on your location and whether you live in the North or South.
The best time to plant grass in the North
Scotts states that if you live in the North, you’ll need to plant cool-season grass varieties. These include Kentucky blue grass, perennial ryegrass (as mentioned above), or fescues.
The best time to plant is in the spring or fall, when air temperatures range from 50°F to 80°F, and the soil temperature is between 50°F and 65°F. There should also be plenty of rain.
Cool-season grasses don’t tolerate heat well and will go dormant when the temperature exceeds 65°F, so this is worth remembering if you plan to plant cool-season grass in June.
Best best time to plant grass in the South
It’s slightly different if you live in the South, as you’ll be planting warm-season grasses that can withstand the heat, as they are originally from tropical regions. Here, Scotts suggests that centipedegrass, zoysiagrass, bahiagrass, or bermudagrass are good choices.
Unlike cool-season grasses, they can grow even when temperatures are between 70°F and 90°F and are happy to germinate in warmer soil between 65°F and 70°F.
