Best Grass Seed for Virginia
Choosing the best grass seed and properly preparing your soil are two important components of growing a great lawn in Virginia. Jonathan Green can help.
Jonathan Green has been growing beautiful lawns for six generations (since 1881). Today, we are a major supplier of genetically superior cool season grass seed, fertilizers, soil enhancers, organics, and weed, insect, and disease control products to the professional lawn care markets. Our products will transform your lawn and help it thrive.
When to Plant Grass Seed in Virginia
Most lawns in Virginia are comprised of cool season grasses that grow well in cooler weather. When temperatures rise above 87 degrees Fahrenheit, however, as they do every summer, young, tender grass that was planted in the spring lacks the root development and food reserves to deal with the heat. Growth slows, roots often die back, and the grass thins out, setting the stage for weeds and crabgrass to move in.
The best solution? Plant grass in Virginia in the early fall (between about September 1st and mid-October). Warmer soil temperatures and consistent rainfall at this time of year will encourage faster seed germination and deeper roots, helping the grass plants to get established before winter sets in. When spring arrives, they will develop even deeper roots, grow thicker, and develop food reserves to prepare them for surviving the summer stress.
The Best Products for Your Project
Before you begin preparing for your new lawn, make sure that you have the following Jonathan Green products on hand:
- Black Beauty® Original Grass Seed – This original Jonathan Green grass seed blend is grown by sod growers in Virginia and across the USA. It grows roots up to 4′ deep and produces a naturally darker-green turf with improved disease resistance and drought tolerance thanks to a waxy leaf coating that helps preserve moisture and wards off stress from heat, cold, wind and disease. This blend grows well in clay or sandy soils and in full sun or partial shade.
- MAG-I-CAL® Soil Food – Test your soil to ensure the pH is between 6.2 and 7. If it’s not, MAG-I-CAL will help balance the pH and, at the same time, help the lawn grow greener and healthier. If the pH of your soil is too low, use Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Acidic & Hard Soil to raise soil pH and if it is too high, use Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Alkaline & Hard Soil to lower the pH of your soil.
- Love Your Soil® – If your soil is very hard or compacted, Love Your Soil® will loosen it. It also feeds the soil microbes, making the lawn soil more alive and porous, and enhances root and root mass development. Love Your Soil® can be spread on the same day as the grass seed and the Mag-I-Cal.
- Veri-Green Starter Fertilizer for Seeding & Sodding – This high phosphorus formula is specially formulated for seeding and sodding. It helps to build a vigorous root system and gets new grass plantings off to a fast start for a thicker, greener lawn. It can also be spread on the same day as you seed and use our soil enhancing products.
Mentioned Products
When you plant the best grass seed in the early fall in Virginia, you can look forward to a thicker, denser and greener lawn that is easy to maintain and will be the envy of all your friends. Shop online at Jonathan Green or visit your nearest independent lawn and garden retail store.