Gardening is a top hobby among Americans of all ages. While we all know someone who would spend their entire day in a nursery, picking out the perfect flowers and vegetables for their home garden, not as many pay the same attention while buying grass seed.
It’s pretty surprising how many people don’t know the first thing about picking the right grass seed. This may be because lawns are often underrated despite being one of the most crucial features of your property. Plenty of people believe all grass is the same, tall and green. However, there is much more to it than that.
Before you seed your lawn, you need to pick the best grass seed that suits your climate, soil conditions, and more. Don’t just blindly follow the retailer’s suggestion, do the research yourself.
The “Traffic” on Your Green Carpet:
It is vital to understand the kind of lawn you want to create, but it’s also essential to keep in mind the realities. Do you plan on having pool parties with your kids? Do you just want to sit in a chair on your lawn and sip a cup of coffee? Are you a social butterfly who hosts extravagant summer get-togethers, attended by friends and family? Do you have pets (especially dogs)?
This kind of information helps determine how much footfall your lawn will face. Delicate grasses cannot sustain themselves if they are subject to too much wear and tear, especially without intensive repair therapies. Alternatively, self-mending grasses, like the Kentucky bluegrass, will not become completely “shaved” even if your children play in the lawn often.
Maintenance Requirements
Some grass types are incredibly high maintenance. They need you to provide plenty of sunshine (or, in some cases, protect them from long hours of sun exposure), water them often, mow, fertilize, replace patches, and the list goes on. That said, a lot of species, like fescues, do not require such heavy maintenance.
These species tend to be naturally resistant to bugs/fungi and thus are not prone to as many diseases. They also have medium to low water requirements and can thrive in a wide range of conditions. As a result, it often comes down to just how much time and money you can spend on your personal green spaces.
Whether you want to take care of your lawn yourself or hire a professional, be sure to research different lawn care cost factors to get an idea of just how much time and money your lawn may require. Some important factors include the type and length of your grass, the time of year, and whether you want additional services, like pest control or landscape edging.
Climate
Climate is one of the most important factors affecting grass growth and the right grass seed for your lawn. Let’s take a look at the various grass types found across the US.
Cool-Season Grasses:
These grasses grow well in areas that get cold during winters and moderately hot during summers. Remember that for grass to germinate, it’s best to plant it when the soil temperature is above 50°F.
- Kentucky Bluegrass is found in cooler areas that receive plenty of rainfall during the year and it has more than 200 specific classifications. Widely used as lawn grass and also in sporting fields, it requires up to two years after the first seeding before it is well established. It also requires fertilizers, especially during spring and autumn seasons, to stay at its healthiest. Due to the lengthy establishment rate, its common to find this grass seed mixed in with other species.
- Tall Fescue can usually be identified by its coarse blades and clumping growth pattern. Jonathan Green Black Beauty Tall Fescues however have a much more uniform growth habit and a good dark green color. Unlike most other cool-season grasses, tall fescue has a relatively high heat tolerance due to its deep roots. This characteristic can make it an ideal year-round grass, depending on your area. Tall fescue also germinates quickly, and it’s easy to contain because of its limited capacity to spread.
- Ryegrass, similar to tall fescue, also germinates quickly and spreads slowly due to its limited rhizome capabilities. Maintaining it is more demanding though. It has higher watering and fertilizing needs, and it also requires frequent irrigation during hot periods and droughts to maintain its color.
Warm Season Grasses
These grass species are ideal for places that face extreme summers and milder winters, such as the lower half of the United States. Be aware however that the humidity of your region will also affect the growth of these grasses.
- Bahia Grass is a tropical grass that is ideal if your area has a high pest and infestation rate. This grass is a grass-war survivor. It can thrive in poor soil conditions with little to no maintenance. However, when it’s time to mow the lawn, you may want a professional to do it, considering its rough and coarse texture.
- If you’re on a tight budget, be sure to check out Bermuda Grass as it’s relatively cost-effective. This unusual grass species is known by other names such as couch grass or devil grass, and it’s native to the Eastern Hemisphere. It does require plenty of sunlight, but you don’t have to do much of anything as it requires little to no maintenance.
- Zoysia Grass is a dense, warm-season grass that is extremely popular in the lower half of the US. It is commonly used on golf courses and parks because it tolerates high heat and foot traffic well. Zoysia does best in full sun with about an inch of water per week.
Some Final Thoughts
Even if you live somewhere that isn’t excessively hot or cold, there are a lot of options available for grass seeds that’ll thrive. You can get hybrid grass seeds, or a grass seed mixtures with more than one species to promote strong grass growth.
As always, it’s important to keep in mind the sun exposure your grass will get, because some species grow well in partial shades, while some refuse to remain healthy unless they receive uninterrupted sunlight for specific hours during the day. Before planting you should also consider the amount of water that your lawn will require. However, with a bit of love and upkeep, you can have a beautiful lawn!
Hi, so which grass(es) should I consider / purchase for central Maine (Auburn, Maine) area? Front lawn is full sun, and backyard is sun / more shade.
I need to consider some (a lot) of fertilizers as the ground is hard, and seemingly no nutrients. The front lawn is in ok shape, more thing than bad, so I want to make it thicker.
the front is water on a timer, the back will get more time and care this fall and next year. Hell who I’m I kidding, the backyard lawn should be dug up and replaced, but not going there.
Hi Karl,
You can use Black Beauty Ultra and/or Black Beauty Sun and Shade.
Because you’re in Maine your soil is probably leaning towards acidic but you should test your soil pH. Then use Mag-I-Cal Plus to adjust pH and relieve compaction and introduce humates. This will create a healthy foundation for your lawn.
Make sure to water deeply and infrequently instead of short soakings every day.
The Jonathan Green Team
What is the best grass type for resistance to fungus.
I can’t win with fungus. I’m committed to only using organic fertilizer on my lawn.
I started this summer and will continue through fall and next year.
Hi Ed,
All of our Black Beauty grass seed is naturally disease and insect resistant. Lawn fungus occurs because water stays on the plant for too long. This often happens with watering at night. You should always water in the early morning so that the lawn can dry properly. If you have a fungus problem you need to apply a fungicide as a preventative measure in the spring before the weather warms up.
If most of your lawn is overrun with fungus right now I would rake as much of it out and reseed those areas. Read the article Everything You Need to Know About Fungus
Do you sell to the public?
Yes, we do sell our products on our website.
The Jonathan Green Team
Excellent information, as usual!!!
Thank you!
I plan on using Jonathon Green Winter Survival fertilizer on Labor Day.
Can I use Black Beauty grass seed at the same time?
Yes you can use those two products at the same time!
The Jonathan Green Team
Can you use Seed up too? using all three on same day?
Seed, Green-Up for Seeding and Sodding and any of our soil foods cam all be applied on the same day.
Inland San Diego 70-100 year around. Present lawn is mainly bermuda with some Kikuyu (I hate it). No separation between my lawn and neighbors, same grasses. What is best seed to add to make a great lawn?
Our cool season grass may be used to overseed warm season grass in your area in late fall to give color when warm season grass goes dormant. Cool season grass may not survive the heat in your area in the summer. For a warm season grass recomendation, contact your state university cooperative extension service.
Hi,
Can you recommend a grass seed for Massachusetts?
Thanks
Hi Jim,
Black Beauty Ultra is our most popular grass seed mixture but it depends on the amount of sunlight your lawn gets.
The Jonathan Green Team
I overseeded my one acre with JG Black Beauty Ultra and used Green-Up in the spring. I earated before have put down Magic-I-Cal Plus, Love My Soil, Summer Survival and Milorganite. PH is at 7. Overseeding did nothing. This was after firing my lawn service.
Hi Bill,
I am so sorry to hear that! Please email us at ask@jonathangreen.com so we can help you further!
The Jonathan Green Team
Because I still cut with a reel push mower(like American Standard ), I need a grass that does not produce the spikes as I think a rye grass does. It just bends them over so they have to be cut off by a hand weed whip. I will just reseed some areas come September.
My choice of seed may be determined by what I can find in a small quantity; last year I found a Pennington mix of seed and fertilizer which worked well for me…although I didn’t plan on that drought in September
Hi Linda,
Black Beauty® Lawn Repair for Sun & Shade is an all-in-one solution containing Black Beauty® grass seed, soil food, lawn food & seed establishment mulch. It is available in a 4.5lb bag which covers up to 100 sq. ft.
The Jonathan Green Team
Looking for suggestions on what grass to seed in my yard. My yard is mostly shade with late in the day Sun. Yard has a ton of post oak tress.
Having a hard time keeping grass. Tried st Agustin but it only last a season. Also ground is very hard/compacted can’t seem to keep it from getting packed.
Hi Jonathan,
You should try either our Dense Shade or Shady Nooks grass seed. Dense Shade grows best in dry soils and blends well into sunnier areas. Shady Nooks grows best in damp soils. It will grow in deep shade and looks best in shade only areas.
You should also test your soil pH and then use Mag-I-Cal Plus to adjust pH and relieve compaction. Do not over-water or over-fertilize the shady parts of your lawn. Seed in shaded areas after the fall leaves drop and are removed.
The Jonathan Green Team
In Manchester ct this year we received very little rain and a lot of sun. I want to use an over-seeder and plant new grass seed. What would you recommend with a lawn mostly in direct sun.
Hi Peter,
Black Beauty Original is our most heat and drought tolerant grass seed. It is a 100% Tall Fescue blend, and will be great for overseeding.
The Jonathan Green Team
I also live in ct and front llawn is in sun and back in mostly shade. I want to overseed the full lawn. Do I use Black Beauty Original on entire lawn? Should I aerate prior to seeding? What rate do I overseed using a Scotts rotary spreader?
Black Beauty Original will do well in CT in full sun though medium shade. You may want to use Dense Shade for your shadier areas. Check out our Seeding Guide and Spreader Settings Guide for further information.
Is there a sod company in my zip code 48098 that uses your grass seed?
Hi Jerry,
New Lawn Sod Farm is in Belleville, MI and grow both Black Beauty and Kentucky Bluegrass Sod.
The Jonathan Green Team
Rockford il61107–what seed do I use to thicken my lawn
Black Beauty Ultra can thicken any lawn!
The Jonathan Green Team
What is the best grass for me to overseed my front lawn in the state of CT? Mostly sunny area.
Hi Ed,
We recommend using Black Beauty Ultra if your lawn is mostly sunny. If your lawn is partly sun and partly shade you can use Black Beauty Sun and Shade.
The Jonathan Green Team
I live in NY 10303 my lawn is to large to water everyday.. I get sun all day into evening.. summers are hot , winter is cold .. what is the best grass seed to use. Thank u
Black Beauty Ultra would be the best choice for your area.
You told the person from CT to use Dense and Shady Nook, but do not seed until the leaves have fallen and then removed. I leave in east end of L.I. By then you are into late Oct or early Nov. That seems too cold…???
This is called dormant seeding. You do this while the soil is still warm enough to work with but the seed will not come up until spring. You do not fertilize or water when you do this type of seeding. Under trees, this tends to work well because the most sun exposure is present in the spring before the leaves fill out. By doing the prep work and seeding in the fall, you lessen the chances of stirring up weed seeds as you would if you do a spring seeding. Covering the seed with a little soil to ensure good seed to soil contact through the winter and into the spring is key.
best grass for Mass mostly sun
Black Beauty Ultra
will fescue grass grow in north Georgia.If yes when is the best time to plant.
Black Beauty Original does well in northern GA. September is the best tome to plant. Please see our Seeding Guide for helpful tips.
What would you recommend for full sun in Indiana? It was perfect in the Spring, and then with the heat in the summer, and a real bad fungus problem and a serious mole issue, my lawn is decimated. That’s the front yard. Much better luck in the shadier back, but I would like a thickener there. I plan to start soon with an aeration. What seed and fertilizer? Thx
Black Beauty Ultra and Green-Up for Seeding and Sodding fertilizer. Visit our Seeding Guide for complete directions.
I just purchased your white clover seeds and am looking to add clover to my lawn. I also bought Magical – plus. Can i mix both together and broadcast at the same time?
Yes but you will have to mix the 2 well in a separate container before adding it to the spreader.
Hi, ive tried bb ultra, still working to get a good grass cover and I get a lot of weeds and clovers in the summer. Although I use weed killer spray and Crab grass Prevention in the spring…
Is black beauty maybe a better seed to try?
Weeds can be a symptom of low pH and clover can be an indication of low nitrogen. We suggest a soil analysis test from your state university cooperative extension service. The Black Beauty Ultra is a great seed mix for full sun through partial shade.
Can I use Black Beauty in Chesapeake, Virginia?
Yes. Tall fescue is the most heat and drought tolerant cool season grass.
Should I use a weed killer on my lawn before I seed and if so how long after I apply the killer can I seed
Many weed killers have waiting times between application and seeding. Usually a good power raking will get the majority of the weeds out. Seed soon and tackle weeds in the spring.
What is the different between Black beauty ultra vs. fall magic seed?? Is this a new seed? Can I use the fall magic in CT?
Black beauty Ultra is a mixture of tall fescue, perennial ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass. It does well in full sun through partial shade. Fall Magic is a mixture of tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass and fune fescues. It does well in sun and shade.
Hi- I really like how attentive you all are to your questions! A friend of mine who lives down the street is convinced your black beauty ultra is the best seed out there so I want to give it a try since his grass looks great! I have a different landscape though with both sun and shade but I would say the majority of the day there is shade with partial sun from tree canopy but also some large areas with full afternoon sun. I also have dogs who increase foot traffic quite a bit.back yard more shady with slope. I aerated and over seeded last year as our North Carolina soil’s have dense clay and plan to do it again and seed with one of your products and topdress with soil/compost mix. Should I use different kinds of seed for different areas of the yard depending on sun or shade? Which seed do you recommend? Thank you!
For full sun through partial shade we suggest Black Beauty Ultra. For areas with less than 6 hours of sun, we suggest Dense Shade.