The Best Time to Plant Grass Seed in South Carolina

In addition to properly preparing your soil and choosing top-quality seed, timing is a key element in successfully growing grass in South Carolina. If you plant grass seed in the wrong season, it will not germinate properly or even survive.

Tall fescue is a cool-season grass popular in the mountains and upper Piedmont areas of South Carolina, according to Clemson University Extension. You should plant tall fescue seed in the fall, and it may require annual reseeding.

Warm-season grasses, which grow well throughout the state, should be planted in the spring. Bermuda, St. Augustine, Centipede and Zoysia are all good choices.

Many South Carolina homeowners overseed their dormant, warm-season lawns with perennial or annual ryegrass. Sowing in the fall, about 30 days before the first frost, ensures a green cover during the winter when warm-season grass turns brown, according to Clemson University Extension.