Upkeep PlanTimed by soil temperature

Is it time to overseed your lawn in Iowa?

Northern Plains region · cool-season grass

Soil temperature today

Measured

60.1°F

Measured at 5 cm by NOAA USCRN station IA_Des_Moines_17_E, reading of 2026-10-16. How we get this number.

Cool-season grass germinates when soil is between 50 and 65 degrees FahrenheitHorizontal temperature scale from 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool-season seeding window: 50–65°F. Crabgrass pre-emergent window: 52–58°F (measured data only on this site). Warm-season seeding: above 65°F. Current reading: 60.1°F.40°45°50°55°60°65°70°75°80°
Where today's reading sits against the overseeding / seeding window.

Yes — window is open

soil is in the germination range and it is fall — the best window of the year.

Grass seed germinates on soil temperature, not on a date.

Overseeding / seeding guide

Grass seed germinates on soil temperature, not on a date.

Read the full guide →
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