An Old Pro Trick To Speed Up Germination:

This time of year, planting is STILL and option. The key is to speed up germination and provide a nice blanket of mulch to keep those little seedlings warm and they'll do just as well as being planted in the spring or fall. Bellow in one recommended way to pre-germinate seed.

"Three days before you are going to sow the seed, place it in a old pillow case and submerge it in a clean garbage can filled with like warm water with 1/2 cup of epsom salts added. Let it set for twenty-four hours. Remove the seed pour off the old water, refill the container with luke warm water and return the seed to soak another 24 hours (no epsom salts this time). Have the area to be sown ready. Spread the seed out (patio, porch; etc). Keep moving it around until it is dry enough to pour into a spread. Pergermination will speed up sprouting by about 300 to 400 percent, as well as decrease the mortality rate of the seed." Jerry Baker's Lawn Book.

If you got the time now, don't put off till spring what you can do today!