Establish new lawn in winter (Now)

[Garrett2006]

Looking for advice on starting a new lawn by seed this time of year at a new construction home. Already graded and spread good quality top soil. What seed or seed mixes can I plant now & will grow this time of year? needing something that will come up green now even if it dies off, it still have a seed laid that will take root and be there forever once it痴 started. Thanks!

 

[duffer]

Would be glad to give you some suggestions, but need to know where you're located (approx) first...

 

[Garrett2006]

I知 in Eastern North Carolina around the Aberdeen/Sanford area

 

[Garrett2006]

Needing to seed all around the house. House is center of little over an acre lot. Lot is sloped towards a pond. Before adding top soil the base was clayish soil in front and more sandy towards rear of lot.

 

[duffer]

You're kind of "in-between" seasons right now. Everything is dependent on soil temps, as to what will germinate, when. Of your permanant grass is a cool season grass, like Kentucky blue, then you can get that to germinate before something like bermuda grass. But still is too early to seed.

If your slope is significant, I'd suggest sodding that now. It will be dormant, but it should still hold the soil, if you're worried about erosion. In a month or so, you could plant some kind of fast germinating pasture grass like Millet, and then also put down your permanent grass as well. The Millet should germinate in a week, depending on moisture, and the permanent grass will come up underneath. Millet will die out in 4-6 months. And your permanent grass will then be established.

 

[duffer]

One more thought. If you don't want to sod the slope, put down a low-soil temp pasture grass, then roll out some straw mats on top to prevent eroision. They come 8' x 100' rolls. They work really well to prevent significant erosion.

 

[Garrett2006]

So I could mix millet in with the k31 & y誕ll fescue grass seed. Spread everything out roll and the mullet should come on up, be green and once warmer soils start the k31 and tall fescue will germinate as the millet dies off?

 

[duffer]

So I could mix millet in with the k31 & y誕ll fescue grass seed. Spread everything out roll and the mullet should come on up, be green and once warmer soils start the k31 and tall fescue will germinate as the millet dies off?

Correct, except the Millet (or whatever pasture grass you use) should stay around for most of the growing season. You'll have a mix of the two when it gets to summer.

Check with a local farm supply, or yard store (not the big boxes) for the type of pasture grass seed you should use in your area.

Good Luck.

 

[s219]

Cool season grasses like to germinate and grow with night time surface soil temperatures around 55-60F. If you are too far outside that range, you'll just waste seed. I don't know what your local climate is like, but generally you'd need daytime temps in the 70s, for an extended period, to get a night soil temp around 55F.

 

[Granthol]

I really question if your soil temps are high enough for any seed to germinate right now. Your soil temperature in that area is about 50 degrees according to online sources.
https://climate.ncsu.edu/dynamic_scripts/cronos/query.php
It will likely be March at best before you can get seed to germinate. Sod may be your only choice if you need grass right now.