When to seed fine fescue in Tennessee?
By LawnYear editorial team · Published · Updated Windows are read from the extension publications listed under Sources; the dates are approximate.
The answer
Seed fine fescue in Tennessee from Aug 20 to Sep 15, per University of Tennessee Extension (2010). Seed in late summer, August 20 to September 15. Chewings, hard and red fescues are planted at 3 to 5 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft. Fine fescues are not particularly tolerant of high temperatures.
Full calendar: Tennessee lawn care calendar · Fine fescue in other states · Lawn schedule by ZIP
Approximate dates for your state. Check with your local cooperative extension office before you act.
All Tennessee windows for fine fescue
The Tennessee calendar on this site lists seeding Aug 20 to Sep 15 and fertilizing Mar 15 to Apr 15 and Sep 1 to Nov 15 for fine fescue.
Where the dates come from
University of Tennessee Extension: PB1576, Selecting, Establishing and Maintaining the Fescues (2010); seeding window and rates, fertilization calendar and mowing heights. The year is the date of the university's repository record. Read on 2026-10-30.
What to check for Tennessee
The seeding dates for fine fescue above (Aug 20 to Sep 15) apply to Tennessee as a whole, so the north and south of the state are not told apart.
Other grasses in Tennessee
For tall fescue, the Tennessee calendar gives Aug 20 to Sep 15 for seeding.
Seeding fine fescue in other states
- Virginia: Aug 15 to Oct 15 and Mar 1 to May 31, per Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech), 2025.
- Pennsylvania: Aug 15 to Oct 15, per Penn State Extension.
- Ohio: Sep 1 to Sep 15 and Mar 1 to Apr 30, per Ohio State University Extension, Lake County (2007).
- Indiana: Aug 15 to Sep 15, per Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service (1998).
- Maryland: Aug 15 to Oct 15, per University of Maryland Extension (2026).
- Wisconsin: Aug 20 to Sep 10 and Apr 20 to May 10, per University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension (2025).
- New Jersey: Aug 15 to Oct 10, per Rutgers Cooperative Extension (NJAES), 2004.