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To find the best grass seed, we reviewed:
- 1. Brand
- 2. Customer Reviews
- 3. Usage
- 4. Coverage
Disclaimer: REthority is supported by ads and participation in affiliate programs. We may earn a commission when you click our links. The information included in this post is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal or financial advice.
What’s the Best Grass Seed?
If your lawn is starting to look like an eyesore, then it’s time you buy a good grass seed. If you’re planning to refresh your lawn, or if you just need to patch a small area, you need the right seed to meet your needs.
But before you rush out and buy grass seed, there are several things you must consider to ensure you get the results you’re looking for. Some of these factors include:
• Whether you need cool or warm weather grass seed
• How much sun your lawn gets
• If you are reseeding or starting from scratch
This guide covers the best grass seed on the market today, followed by a comprehensive buying guide that includes information on the different types of grass and factors to consider before purchasing.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed – Sun and Shade Mix
Second-Best: Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass Grass Seed
Third-Best: Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade Mix
Fourth-Best: Jonathan Green 41000 Heavy Traffic Grass Seed
Fifth-Best: Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed – Heat Tolerant Blue Mix
Best Overall
Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed – Sun and Shade Mix
The best grass seed for homeowners seeking versatility.
Brand: Scotts
Usage: Full sun
Coverage: 1,200 sq. ft
Our top pick of the best grass seed is Sun and Shade Mix from Scotts Turf. This grass seed is one that helps your grass to grow quicker, thicker, and greener. One of its most impressive features of this top-quality grass seed is its WaterSmart Plus coating, designed to help absorb more water and protect plants from diseases as we provide plants with the required vitamins and minerals.
This particular product is considered to be one of the best versatile mixes that Scott company has made. It is known to spread quickly, which helps repair spots. Another advantage is that remains green, even under the scorching sun or in dense shade.
Second-Best
Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass Grass Seed
One of the best grass seeds for bar spots and full fun in hot climates.
Brand: Scotts
Usage: Full sun
Coverage: 1,200 sq. ft
If you’re having issues with your lawn scorching quickly from the sun, then the Scott Turf Builder Bermuda Grass grass seed is your best option. This Bermuda grass seed is typically recommended for hot climates, and one advantage that comes with using this quality grass seed is that it spreads very quickly. This helps fill the bare sports in your lawn and crowds out weeds.
The Scott grass seed is guaranteed to grow your grass much thicker and greener and features the same WaterSmart PLUS coating, helping the grass absorb more water and protect the plants from diseases. However, expect your grass to grow a little slower compared to the Sun and Shade Mix.
Third-Best
Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade Mix
A nice blend of seeds that thrives best in the shaded parts of the lawn.
Brand: Pennington
Usage: Shade
Coverage: 1,750 sq. ft
The Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade Mix is an excellent product with many benefits attached to using it. This product contains different types of seeds, enabling it to survive various weather conditions and thrive in any shade. This shade mix has a high level of disease resistance, which ensures your lawn stays healthy and green while also choking out unwanted weeds.
Fourth-Best
Jonathan Green 41000 Heavy Traffic Grass Seed
When available, this is one of the best grass seeds for heavy traffic.
Brand: Jonathan Green
Usage: Shade + sun
Coverage: 2,800 sq. ft
The Jonathan Green Heavy Traffic Grass Seed is one of the best grass seeds available today. It features excellent abrasion resistance as well, and unlike other low-quality products on the market, the Jonathan Green heavy traffic grass seed fills up your lawn very quickly, and germinates quickly. It makes for a thin and robust grass that’s resistant to harsh weather and chemicals.
Fifth-Best
Scotts Turf Builder – Heat Tolerant Blue Mix
A great option that absorbs twice as much water as an uncoated seed.
Brand: Scotts
Usage: Full sun
Coverage: 5,000 sq. ft
Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed – Heat Tolerant Blue Mix is specially designed to absorb twice the amount of water of any uncoated seed. This increased water retention results in a greener, thicker grass.
One impressive feature that comes with most Scott grass products is its WaterSmart coating, which helps absorb water, protects the grass from diseases, and provides plants with vitamins and minerals.
How to Choose the Best Grass Seed
Revitalizing your lawn with grass seed is the most affordable options available to you. Unlike hydroseeding or laying sod, planting grass seed requires very little technical knowledge or special machinery.
Your lawn growth’s success depends on several factors, such as the climate you’re in, the type of soil you have, the amount of grass you need, and so on. So it’s worthwhile to do some research before you waste money on a seed that won’t grow in your area or climate.
We’ll go over how to grow your grass lawn depending on your climate conditions, including information on the different types of grass available, as well as several other factors to consider before purchasing.
Types of Grasses and Their Features
Knowing the types of grass seeds available and the environments they thrive in allows you to choose the right type of seed for your lawn. Usually, Northern regions grow cool-season grasses, and Southern areas grow warm-season grasses. Regions in between can grow both with proper care.
Bahiagrass
Bahiagrass is a warm-season turfgrass that’s tough and well suited to heat and humidity. It has a rough texture and, for this reason, can handle heavy foot traffic.
Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass is another warm season with excellent weed resistance. It is also water-resistant and drought-tolerant, and overseeding it with rye provides a green lawn during winter.
Kentucky Bluegrass
Kentucky bluegrass is the best choice for the cooler northern areas. Sunlight and a regular water supply are needed for a beautiful and consistent bluegrass lawn.
Centipede Grass
Centipede grass is a very low-maintenance turfgrass that’s tough and low-growing. This grass grows best in the warm-season and thrives in slightly acidic conditions. It has a rougher texture than most turfgrasses with excellent weed resistance.
Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is a cool-season grass that germinates quickly and holds up to moderate to high foot traffic. Ryegrass is a common addition to this cool-season grass for overseeding.
Warm-Season Grass
All grasses fall into two general categories: warm and cool season. Warm-season grasses do very well in the warmer regions of the country. Examples include Bermuda, buffalo, St. Augustine, and Centipede.
As you can imagine, warm-season grasses achieve peak growth in the middle of summer, or in warm climates. These grasses typically require full sun to thrive.
Cool-Season Grass
Cool-season grasses are the ones that grow in the northern regions of the country. They are often tall and thin. Common cool-season grasses include red fescues, perennial ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass. This type of turf grows the most during the cool seasons of spring and fall.
One key factor in choosing the right grass seed simply depends on where you live. You don’t want to plant warm-season turf in Vermont or fine fescue in South Texas.
How to Test Your Soil
Before you spend any money on grass seed, you first have to test your soil. Grasses have different pH environments where they thrive best. Most turf grass seed grows well in well-aerated soil with a slightly acidic pH between 6 and 7.
To test your soil, you will need to obtain a soil test kit from your local extension office. To take the soil test, gather some soil samples from several places around your lawn, and put them in the soil test bag.
It should take about a week or two to get your results back, depending on your region. Also, expect to pay about $10-$20 for the test. It’s also important you plan for the test ahead of time before you plan to seed.
Best Time to Grow Seed
The best time to grow your grass depends on where you live. If you live in the North, you’ll want to wait for the warmer temperatures. This is around April or early May, and seed until mid-June.
However, the best time is around September when there are more rain and cooler temperatures, which helps the roots to grow and spread much faster. Planting too early in the summer will cause your seeds to dry out quickly.
Wear and Tear
It’s important to consider how much wear your lawn will experience as you select a grass seed. If you have a family or pets that enjoy running around the lawn yard, you should opt for a grass tough grass choice. Kentucky bluegrass is a perfect choice and works best in these conditions – it’s also self-mending.
The turf also works well to fill in bare spots that have been damaged. However, Kentucky bluegrass is more demanding in terms of care and requires more watering, mowing, and fertilizing to look its best.
How Much Grass Seed Do I Need?
Each grass seed varies, but the sowing rates coverage for new lawn is shown on the packaging. It’s essential to always order 10% to 20% more than needed to accommodate errors in spreading and measuring. More may be required if you live in an area with a large bird population (as me how I know).
What’s the Best Grass Seed?
Well, there you have it: REthority’s guide to picking the best grass seed. We hope you’ve learned something and are truly grateful you stopped by. While you’re here, be sure to check out some of our other complete guides to ensure your home remains in tip-top shape.
Andrew Helling
Andrew Helling is the founder and editor of REthority.com. He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha where he obtained a Finance and Banking degree. As a formerly licensed real estate agent and property manager of 500 single-family homes, Andrew knows real estate.
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