Finding the best grass seed for your lawn

After five years of seeding and reseeding various lawns, I’ve had the best grass seeds results with plain, fresh, perennial grass seed mixes from big producers without any filler ingredients.

In northern areas, the best grass seed mix is mainly Kentucky bluegrass, with perhaps a bit of tall fescue and less than 20% perennial ryegrass. Bermuda grass is one of the best grasses for southern areas. Blends of fine fescue or tall fescue are great for low-maintenance lawns. Here are some examples:

• Scott’s “Awesome” Mix
• Wildflower Farm Eco-Lawn Grass (High-Quality Fine Fescues)
• Scott’s Bermudagrass

Read on to learn more about what to look for in the best seeds.

Choose planting grass seed: What’s important

Keep these factors in mind when choosing grass for your lawn:

1. Is it fresh? The best seeds have been manufactured for the current growing season, rather than years past. 
2. Will it grow here? There are different varieties of turf grasses for different climates and regions. Grass types for Florida are different than mixes for Canadian lawns.
3. Will it survive winter? Perennial grass is bred to grow year after year. Annual grass seed only lasts until the grass is killed off by cold winter conditions. Save yourself the cost and effort and choose perennial types of grass seed.
4. How much of the bag is actually seed? Added ingredients like coatings, mulch, and fertilizer mean fewer seeds in the bag. These fillers make for great marketing, but you’re better off just buying grass seed when you buy grass. 
5. Will you be able to buy more of this grass every year? Even on an established lawn, there will always be patches to fill in, areas to even out, or other little lawn projects. Choosing a seed mix manufactured by a mainstream brand provides some sort of reliability that your lawn won’t look too spotty after a few years.

Check out perennial ryegrass for a lush, green lawn this year! Not only does it offer superior wearability, its drought resistance and quick germination rate make it the ideal grass for homeowners looking for an easy-to-maintain lawn. Best of all, perennial ryegrass is known to last up to three growing seasons!

Why buy brand-name grass seed?

Large grass seed manufacturers are constantly improving their grass seed, breeding for quick germination, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. Plus you can find the same seeds again next year to get the same look – something that most homeowners want in their lawns! Most grass seed problems can be avoided simply by choosing fresh grass seeds suited to your area.