LawnWeather

Tennessee Lawn Care Calendar

In Tennessee, crabgrass preventer typically goes down between Feb 28 and Mar 26: first in Memphis, last in Franklin. Below are typical fertilizer, seeding and frost dates for Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Murfreesboro and Franklin, from 2016–2025 weather data. Enter your ZIP code for this year's timing.

When to apply pre-emergent in Tennessee

Typically between Feb 28 and Mar 26, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Memphis (around Feb 28) and last in Franklin (around Mar 5). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

CityCrabgrass preventer window
MemphisFeb 28 – Mar 18
ChattanoogaMar 1 – Mar 16
NashvilleMar 5 – Mar 26
KnoxvilleMar 5 – Mar 24
ClarksvilleMar 5 – Mar 26
MurfreesboroMar 5 – Apr 3
FranklinMar 5 – Mar 26

Cool-season lawn calendar

Lawns in Nashville, Knoxville, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Franklin are mostly cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass).

CitySpring fertilizerOverseeding & seedingFall fertilizer
NashvilleMar 19 – Apr 23Aug 21 – Oct 10Sep 28 – Nov 25
KnoxvilleMar 17 – Apr 21Aug 23 – Oct 12Sep 24 – Nov 25
ClarksvilleMar 19 – Apr 23Aug 20 – Oct 9Sep 25 – Nov 23
MurfreesboroMar 27 – May 1Aug 18 – Oct 7Sep 25 – Nov 26
FranklinMar 19 – Apr 23Aug 19 – Oct 8Sep 25 – Nov 25

Warm-season lawn calendar

Lawns in Memphis, Chattanooga are mostly warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).

CityFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
MemphisApr 29 – Oct 1Apr 29 – Aug 29Oct 10 – Oct 31
ChattanoogaApr 25 – Sep 26Apr 25 – Aug 24Oct 5 – Oct 26

Frost dates in Tennessee

CityLast spring frostFirst fall frost
NashvilleApr 3Nov 4
MemphisMar 11Nov 12
KnoxvilleMar 28Nov 6
ChattanoogaMar 21Nov 7
ClarksvilleApr 3Nov 3
MurfreesboroApr 6Nov 1
FranklinApr 1Nov 2

Median dates, 2016–2025. A dash means frost does not occur in most years.

Frequently asked questions

When should I put down pre-emergent in Tennessee?

Typically between Feb 28 and Mar 26, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Memphis (around Feb 28) and last in Franklin (around Mar 5). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

When is the best time to seed grass in Tennessee?

Early fall is best for cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass): typically from Aug 18 to Oct 12 across Tennessee, while soil cools from 65°F toward 50°F.

What type of grass grows in Tennessee?

Tennessee spans both zones: warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede) does best in the warmer parts of the state, cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass) in the cooler parts.

Lawn care guides

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