The Grass Doctor

Grasses that germinate during the winter in SF Bay area?

Hello, we just bought a house and have a bare back yard. It is literally just dirt. We really want an area of grass in the back as soon as possible. Are there any grasses that we could plant that would actually germinate around this time of year (not that would be green if planted during the summer or spring). I read something about rye grass and wheat grass, but wheat grass seems like it is more of a food than a lawn.

Public Comments

1. I would recommend a turf type tall fescue. They are relatively low maintenance compared to bluegrass and ryegrass (lower water and fertilizer requirements and less suceptible to disease). Not sure what the weather is like in SF this time of year but it may be a little too cold to seed right now. For cool season grasses like tall fescue, optimal soil temps are around 55-65 degrees with air temps around 60 -75. If it's not dramatically colder than this, you could probably still seed but you won't be as successful as you would be if conditions were optimal. Sod is a good option also. UC Davis has an outstanding turfgrass extension program that would probably be able to provide you with a ton of info on species and variety selection, optimum seeding windows, and maintenance practices for your part of the country.