Soil temperature in Edmonton, Alberta

Soil temperature

24.0°C75°F

at 6cm — germination depth

Cooling over the next 11 days.

Seeding conditions are open — soil is 24.0°C at 6cm and holding above 12.5°C.

Most cool-season lawns in the northern US and Canada are bluegrass, tall fescue, or a mix of the two. We assume that, and use12.5°C as the seeding threshold.

I know what grass I have

The differences are small. Ryegrass is the quickest off the mark; bluegrass is the slowest and wants the warmest soil. Everything else sits between.

Soil temperature at 6cm for reliable germination. Sources onthe method page.
SpeciesSoil tempDays
Perennial ryegrass8°C5–10
Red / chewings fescue8–10°C10–14
Tall fescuelikely yours10–12°C10–14
Browntop bentColonial bentgrass10–12°C14–21
Smooth-stalked meadow grassKentucky bluegrasslikely yours12–13°C14–28

Soil temperature at 6cm in Edmonton, Alberta is currently 24.0°C, and falling about 18.0°C over the next 11 days. That depth matters because it is where grass seed sits and where roots start working, and it lags air temperature by days — which is why a warm afternoon here tells you very little on its own.

Lawns in this area are typically Kentucky bluegrass with tall fescue, the usual mix for cool-season lawns at this latitude. That blend needs the soil to hold above 12.5°C before seed germinates reliably. Seeding conditions are open — soil is 24.0°C at 6cm and holding above 12.5°C.

9 of the next 10 days are good mowing days. The best weekend slot right now is Sunday 10am–9pm, on the basis that no rain since Saturday, ground firm.

The next recommended window in Edmonton opens at 6pm on Tuesday 1 September, and holds while conditions stay put. Underfoot, the ground reads as firm after 5mm rain over the last week.

See the full mowing forecast for Edmonton

The next 10 days

Column height is how mowable the day is; the lighter band is the best stretch within it. The line is soil temperature at 6cm. It crosses the seeding threshold inside this forecast.

12.5°C — seeding

Soil at 6cm 23.3°C cooling to 0.0°C

Tuesday 1 September: Good. 6pm–9pm — no rain since Sunday, ground firm

Tuesday 1 September · 6pm–9pmConfident

6pm–9pm — no rain since Sunday, ground firm

Good:Grass wetness
Grass dryno rain since Sunday
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm5mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.84
Good:Temperature
Temperature20°C
Good:Wind
Wind light11 km/h
Sociable hours
A bit early or late, but fine

Limiting factor:none

Wednesday 2 September: Good. 8am–9pm — no rain since Sunday, ground firm

Wednesday 2 September · 8am–9pmConfident

8am–9pm — no rain since Sunday, ground firm

Good:Grass wetness
Grass dryno rain since Sunday
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm5mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.97
Good:Temperature
Temperature14°C
Good:Wind
Wind light5 km/h
Sociable hours
A bit early or late, but finestarts when it stops being antisocial

Limiting factor:none

Thursday 3 September: Good. No — 0.4mm of rain falling.

Thursday 3 SeptemberConfident

No — 0.4mm of rain falling.

Poor:Grass wetness
Grass wetraining now
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm5mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.91
Good:Temperature
Temperature15°C
Good:Wind
Wind light9 km/h

Limiting factor:grass wetness

Friday 4 September: Good. 1pm–9pm — rain earlier today, ground firm

Friday 4 September · 1pm–9pmConfident

1pm–9pm — rain earlier today, ground firm

Marginal:Grass wetness
Grass dryrain earlier today
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm18mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.65
Good:Temperature
Temperature10°C
Good:Wind
Wind light5 km/h
Sociable hours
Fine by the neighboursstarts once the dew has burnt off

Limiting factor:none

Saturday 5 September: Good. 4pm–9pm — grass dry — rain earlier today

Saturday 5 September · 4pm–9pmReasonably confident

4pm–9pm — grass dry — rain earlier today

Poor:Grass wetness
Grass dryrain earlier today
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm15mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.51
Good:Temperature
Temperature12°C
Good:Wind
Wind light10 km/h
Sociable hours
Fine by the neighboursstarts once the dew has burnt off

Limiting factor:grass wetness

Sunday 6 September: Good. 10am–9pm — no rain since Saturday, ground firm

Sunday 6 September · 10am–9pmReasonably confident

10am–9pm — no rain since Saturday, ground firm

Good:Grass wetness
Grass dryno rain since Saturday
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm18mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.58
Good:Temperature
Temperature11°C
Good:Wind
Wind light11 km/h
Sociable hours
Fine by the neighboursstarts when it stops being antisocial

Limiting factor:none

Monday 7 September: Not worth it. No — 0.1mm of rain falling.

Monday 7 SeptemberReasonably confident

No — 0.1mm of rain falling.

Good:Grass wetness
Grass drydried off since a shower 0 hours ago
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm17mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.80
Good:Temperature
Temperature13°C
Good:Wind
Wind light6 km/h

Limiting factor:none

Tuesday 8 September: Good. 8am–1pm — rain earlier today, ground firm

Tuesday 8 September · 8am–1pmReasonably confident

8am–1pm — rain earlier today, ground firm

Good:Grass wetness
Grass dryrain earlier today
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm18mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.81
Good:Temperature
Temperature14°C
Good:Wind
Wind light8 km/h
Sociable hours
A bit early or late, but finestarts once the dew has burnt off

Limiting factor:none

Wednesday 9 September: Good. 8am–9pm — grass dry — rain earlier today

Wednesday 9 September · 8am–9pmLow confidence this far out

8am–9pm — grass dry — rain earlier today

Good:Grass wetness
Grass dryrain earlier today
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm21mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.75
Good:Temperature
Temperature12°C
Good:Wind
Wind light6 km/h
Sociable hours
A bit early or late, but finestarts once the dew has burnt off

Limiting factor:grass wetness

Thursday 10 September: Good. 8am–9pm — no rain since Tuesday, ground firm

Thursday 10 September · 8am–9pmLow confidence this far out

8am–9pm — no rain since Tuesday, ground firm

Good:Grass wetness
Grass dryno rain since Tuesday
Good:Ground firmness
Ground firm22mm rain over the last week
Good:Growth
Growing wellgrowth potential 0.92
Good:Temperature
Temperature14°C
Good:Wind
Wind light9 km/h
Sociable hours
A bit early or late, but finestarts when it stops being antisocial

Limiting factor:none

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