Fall Is Not The Best Time For Bermuda Grass Seeding

If you are considering over sowing your lawn with Bermuda Grass to gain a better finish next summer, wait until spring. Bermuda Grass seeds require a warming climate rather than a cooling climate to both germinate then flourish. If you do want to over seed now, then you will need to prepare well.

Bermuda Grass seed needs a ground temperature of around 65 degrees to germinate. The optimum air temperature is between 75-90 degrees and while you may be experiencing these conditions, Bermuda Grass really needs these conditions for around 60 days – that takes us into winter when the temperatures are often falling dramatically, except perhaps in the south.

For sowing in fall, you need to use an un-hulled grass seed. This will survive the winter reasonably well and come to life as soon as conditions are right. Sowing now means you will get an early start on germination in spring – just don’t expect to see any action before hand. If you do need some cover through winter, then include a liberal amount of Winter Rye. This will thrive now until the end of winter and then die back in spring, just when your Bermuda Grass is germinating.

Bermuda Grass needs a good 1/4 inch of soil cover to germinate so over sowing on top of your lawn is pointless. Cut your lawn reasonably short (shorter than normal – and collect and discard the clippings) then use a lawn planting tool to perforate through to the soil below. Sow your seed liberally, especially if you are include a Winter Rye, then water lightly.

The Winter Rye should sprout fairly quickly while the un-hulled Bermuda Grass will lie dormant until the soil starts to warm in early spring. Then watch it come to life and turn your grass into a great lawn. If you have the patience, wait until late winter or early spring to sow for better results.