Soilclock

Kentucky 62°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

The middle reading of 4 Kentucky cities, 2 inches down, on Nov 3. Pick a city for its forecast and lawn calendar.

Kentucky cities today

Estimated daily average soil temperature at 2 inches, the difference from normal for the date, and the change over the last week. Kentucky spans the transition zone, where both cool- and warm-season lawns grow and cool-season grass country.

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Louisville 62°63° +10°+4° Mar 13 – Apr 6 Nov 3
Lexington 62°62° +10°+4° Mar 16 – Apr 6 Oct 30
Bowling Green 63°63° +9°+4° Mar 13 – Mar 27 Nov 3
Owensboro 61°62° +8°+2° Mar 15 – Apr 10 Nov 2

When to apply pre-emergent in Kentucky

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Kentucky that has typically happened first in Louisville, around Mar 13, and last in Lexington, around Mar 16. The window closes when soil holds 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting.

Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.

Last good week to seed in Kentucky

Tall fescue and bluegrass seed sprouts best while 4-inch soil is between 55 and 70°F. The typical last day above 55°F:

What grows in Kentucky lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly cool-season grasses such as bluegrass and fescue.

Large crabgrass with its spreading finger-like seed heads
Large crabgrass in seed. Each plant can drop thousands of seeds that wait for warm spring soil.
Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.
A low mat of bermudagrass with fine blades and seed heads
Bermudagrass, the warm-season grass behind most lawns from the Carolinas to Texas.

Other states