When is the proper time to plant a turf lawn?
Because of our climate in Cochise County we can grow two general classes of turf. They are warm season and cool season grasses. Warm season grasses are those that flourish during spring and summer and then go dormant (brown) in the fall and winter. Warm season grasses include bermuda, buffalo grass, grama grass, sideoats, St. Augustine and zoysiagrass. These grasses should be sown, plugged, stolonizing or sprigging, (planting shoots with leaves) or sodded in the spring when temperatures are warming up. Cool season grasses grow best during cool weather but are green during the heat of summer if they are watered. They will remain green if winters are mild. Cool season grassed include Kentucky bluegrass, the fescues and ryegrasses. Cool season grasses are best sown or sodded in the late summer (late August or September) or early fall. The second best time to plant or sod these grasses is in early spring.
