When to plant grass seed in zone 7b
In zone 7b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 5, sow outdoors February 22 to March 8. For a fall crop, plant September 20 to October 4.
The zone 7b schedule for grass seed
- Sow outdoors
- February 22 to March 8
- Plant for a fall crop
- September 20 to October 4
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,025 ZIP codes in zone 7b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for grass seed.
Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.
Frost risk in zone 7b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7b, the typical last frost ranges from about March 30 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 17 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 24 to November 18. For a typical place in the zone:
- March 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 5Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- April 21Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for grass seed
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant grass seed where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Grass Seed in zone 7b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Feb 16 to Mar 2 | Oct 9 to 23 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Feb 16 to Mar 2 | Oct 6 to 20 |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Mar 31 | Feb 17 to Mar 3 | Sep 22 to Oct 6 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Apr 4 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Sep 21 to Oct 5 |
| Albuquerque, NM | Apr 6 | Feb 23 to Mar 9 | Sep 22 to Oct 6 |
| Tulsa, OK | Mar 31 | Feb 17 to Mar 3 | Sep 23 to Oct 7 |
| Newark, NJ | Apr 2 | Feb 19 to Mar 5 | Sep 29 to Oct 13 |
| Jersey City, NJ | Apr 2 | Feb 19 to Mar 5 | Sep 29 to Oct 13 |
| Reno, NV | Apr 20 | Mar 9 to 23 | Sep 11 to 25 |
| Lubbock, TX | Apr 4 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Sep 21 to Oct 5 |
| Richmond, VA | Apr 3 | Feb 20 to Mar 6 | Sep 23 to Oct 7 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 8 | Feb 25 to Mar 11 | Sep 19 to Oct 3 |
How to grow grass seedAll zonesGrass Seed in zone 7aGrass Seed in zone 8aAbout zone 7b
Sources
- Lawn Establishment (HGIC 1203) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- Starting a New Lawn · University of Maryland Extension
- AGR-50 Lawn Establishment in Kentucky · University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- Lawn Establishment · Penn State Extension
- AY-20 Seeding a Turf Area in the Spring · Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service
- Choose the right grass seed for a thriving lawn · University of Illinois Extension
- Northern Utah Turfgrass Management Calendar · Utah State University Extension
- Time for Fall Lawn Seeding · University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension (Lancaster County)
- Spring/Summer Lawn Care (Crop and Soil Environmental News, March 2005) · Virginia Cooperative Extension / Virginia Tech
- Planting Summer Grass · NC State Extension, Pender County
- Grass seed germination rates · UC Statewide IPM Program, University of California ANR
- Turfgrass Species (Pest Management Guidelines) · UC Statewide IPM Program, University of California ANR
- ENH14 Overseeding Florida Lawns for Winter Color (2007 revision, archival) · University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- AZ1683 Overseeding Winter Grasses into Bermudagrass Turf · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Bermudagrass · K-State Research and Extension, Ford County
- Chapter 10: Turfgrass Management in Tennessee (Master Gardener Handbook) · University of Tennessee Extension
- Chapter 11: Lawns (Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Handbook) · Virginia Cooperative Extension / Virginia Tech