When to seed tall fescue in Maryland?
By LawnYear editorial team · Published · Updated Windows are read from the extension publications listed under Sources; the dates are approximate.
The answer
Seed tall fescue in Maryland from Aug 15 to Oct 15, per University of Maryland Extension (2026). Seed from late summer to mid-October (start date is this site's reading of 'late summer'). New tall fescue lawns are seeded at 6 to 8 lb per 1,000 sq ft. Spring sowing is possible if a project cannot wait; the page suggests waiting until about mid-April in central Maryland.
Full calendar: Maryland lawn care calendar · Tall fescue in other states · Lawn schedule by ZIP
Approximate dates for your state. Check with your local cooperative extension office before you act.
All Maryland windows for tall fescue
The Maryland calendar on this site lists seeding Aug 15 to Oct 15, fertilizing Aug 15 to Oct 31, Nov 1 to Nov 15 and Apr 1 to May 15 and weed control Mar 1 to Apr 30 for tall fescue.
Where the dates come from
University of Maryland Extension: Lawn Maintenance Calendar (2026); seasonal timing for tall fescue, fine fescue and zoysia, page updated March 16, 2026. Gives seasons and months, no nitrogen rates. Read on 2026-10-30. University of Maryland Extension: Starting a New Lawn (2026); seeding rates per 1,000 sq ft by turf type, page updated March 16, 2026. Read on 2026-10-30.
What to check for Maryland
The seeding dates for tall fescue above (Aug 15 to Oct 15) apply to Maryland as a whole, so the north and south of the state are not told apart. At least one date in this answer is this site's reading of a chart mark or season word, not a date printed in the source.
Other grasses in Maryland
For fine fescue, the Maryland calendar gives Aug 15 to Oct 15 for seeding. For zoysiagrass, the Maryland calendar gives May 20 to Jun 10 for seeding.
Seeding tall fescue in other states
- Virginia: Aug 15 to Oct 15 and Mar 1 to May 31, per Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech), 2025.
- North Carolina: Aug 15 to Oct 1, per NC State Extension (2021).
- Georgia: Oct 1 to Oct 31, per University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (2023).
- 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).
- Missouri: Sep 1 to Sep 30, per University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015.
- Kentucky: Aug 15 to Sep 30 and Feb 15 to Mar 15, per University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (2016).
- Indiana: Aug 15 to Sep 15, per Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service (1998).
- Tennessee: Aug 20 to Sep 15, per University of Tennessee Extension (2010).
- 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.