Whether you’re starting a new lawn or filling in bare spots on an existing lawn, seeding is the most cost-effective and labor-saving solution. There’s quite a variety of grass species that grow well in Texas which can be started from seed. You location determines which species will work best. Northern parts of Texas can grow cool-season grasses, but the more drought and heat-tolerant warm-season grasses are the preferred choice in most locations.
Types of Seed
Bermudagrass is a warm-season species grown throughout Texas. Many hybrid varieties are available as seed, including Princess 77 and Yukon. These hybrids grow quickly and you can have a lawn established from Bermudagrass seed within a year if conditions are right.
For an even more drought-tolerant lawn, several Buffalo grass varieties are available as seed. This grass thrives in locations that receive 25 inches of rain or less in a year. Seed is also available for zoysiagrass. This species forms a low-growing easy-maintenance turf, but it’s also slow-growing. Zoysia can be established from seed, but expect it to take a couple years before the lawn looks full.
In northern Texas and parts of central Texas, you can grow cool-season tall fescue and Texas bluegrass. The Texas bluegrass is a heat-tolerant hybrid between native Texas bluegrasses and Kentucky bluegrass, but the seed can be hard to find. Tall fescue seed is readily available and is easy to grow.
When To Plant
For warm season grasses, summer is the perfect time to plant. They need soil temperatures over 70 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate reliably. If the daytime highs are over 80 degrees and nighttime temperatures average between 65 and 70 degrees or higher, your soil is probably the right temperature for seeding.
Cool-season grasses are best planted in the early fall when the soil temperature is between 50 and 65 degrees. That soil temperature typically corresponds to daytime temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees. Don’t plant after the soil temperature dips below 50 degrees, since seeding too late in the year won’t give the roots time to establish before winter sets in. If you miss the fall seeding, you can plant when soil is at the right temperature in the spring.
Seeding Tips
Prepare the seed bed by using a tiller to work the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. If you want to amend the soil, spread a 1-inch layer of compost over the surface and till it into the soil. Rake the lawn surface to smooth out hollows and ridges, then go over it again with a weighted lawn roller.
Water the lawn a day or two before planting seed. You can scatter the seed by hand or use a spreader for more even coverage. Most commercially available grass seed will have a recommended spreader setting printed on the package. After seeding, rake the seed into the soil and then go over the surface with a lawn roller. Don’t rake the seed deeper than 1/4-inch into the soil.
Mulch your newly planted seed with a thin layer of weed-free straw. Water twice a day to keep the top 1 to 2 inches of soil moist, but not soggy, until the grass is about 1 inch tall. Gradually cut back the watering frequency after the grass is 1 inch tall. By the time it’s ready to mow at about 3 inches tall, you can start watering on a more normal schedule for your area.
