What to look for when buying grass seed (2024)

Q. I will be putting in a new lawn this spring. How do I know what is the best grass seed to purchase? — Kevin from Walden

A. Purchasing quality turfgrass seed for re-establishing lawns or establishing new lawns is critical to the future success of the lawn.

Several key words often seen on bags of lawn seed are common indicators of what turfgrass species the bag contains.

Seed bags that contain the phrase "quick green" or "fast grass" often contain annual ryegrass. Annual ryegrass is just that — an annual. Annual ryegrass germinates rapidly and will grow throughout the summer but in almost all instances will die in the winter and leave the area bare the following year. In some cases, annual ryegrass may survive for a second year, but normally this is not the case. The normal use of annual ryegrass is as a cover or nurse crop for the desired turfgrass species.

Another keyword often observed on seed bags is "tough" or for "high traffic areas." These phrases often indicate the bag contains tall fescue. Tall fescue is a very drought-tolerant, deep-rooted grass whose use is slowly increasing.

Establishing an entire lawn of tall fescue should give good results, but homeowners should use caution when reseeding small areas in a Kentucky bluegrass lawn. It's wise to try a small area first because one of the biggest differences between tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass is the leaf blade width or texture. Most of the new improved tall fescues have narrow leaf blades that are not much different from those of Kentucky bluegrass, but others may not blend with the existing bluegrass at all.

The most common descriptions of turfgrass seed relate to sun and shade conditions. The shade mix is usually composed of Kentucky bluegrass and some combination of fine fescues (hard, chewings or sheep fescue). All of the fine fescues have very fine leaf blades and perform well in shaded environments. The sunny mix is usually composed of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and creeping red fescue.

To choose quality turfgrass seed, you need to understand the information presented on the seed label. The label contains valuable information including the cultivars, purity, germination percentage, crop seed, weed seed, inert material, noxious weeds and date tested.

  • Cultivars: The simplest tip is to look for specific cultivar names, not only "Kentucky bluegrass" or "tall fescue." Named cultivars are superior in many traits to the common types.
  • Purity: The percent by weight of the particular cultivar seed. For our example, Mackinac Kentucky bluegrass has a purity of 75 percent.
  • Germination: The percent of pure seed that germinates under ideal conditions. Simple guidelines are never to purchase seed with less than 70 percent germination — and higher is better.
  • Crop: "Crop" is the seed of any other commercially grown grass crop. Crop could include grasses such as orchardgrass, timothy, clover or bentgrass. High quality turfgrass seed should contain no other crop seed or, at the most, 1 percent.
  • Weed: The percent by weight of weed seed. This is any seed that is not pure or crop seed. Look for a value less than 1 percent.
  • Inert: The percent by weight of material other than seed. This might include chaff, corn cobs, sand or soil. Look for a value less than 4 percent.
  • Noxious Weeds: These are weeds that are particularly difficult to control and are declared noxious by some states. It is illegal to sell seed that contains noxious weeds. If noxious weed are present, they must be listed by name.
  • Date tested: This is the date the seed was tested. Look for seed that was tested within the previous 12 months.
  • Lot number: This identifies the larger seed lot from which this particular seed came from. If there are issues related to the purity or growth of this mix, the lot number can be very important in tracing back to where problems might have originated.
  • Debbie Lester is the community horticulture educator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County.

    What to look for when buying grass seed (2024)

    FAQs

    What to look for when buying grass seed? ›

    To choose quality turfgrass seed, you need to understand the information presented on the seed label. The label contains valuable information including the cultivars, purity, germination percentage, crop seed, weed seed, inert material, noxious weeds and date tested.

    What should I look for in grass seed? ›

    To choose quality turfgrass seed, you need to understand the information presented on the seed label. The label contains valuable information including the cultivars, purity, germination percentage, crop seed, weed seed, inert material, noxious weeds and date tested.

    Is there a difference between cheap and expensive grass seed? ›

    Every grass seed label will also list the types and varieties of grass seed in the mix as well as their germination percentage. Bargain seed often has a lower germination rate than high quality seed, meaning you will often have to apply more seed to get the same amount of grass to grow.

    What is the best kind of grass seed to buy? ›

    In general, Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, and Bermudagrass are excellent choices for most lawns. Kentucky Bluegrass has that traditional lawn aesthetic, while Tall Fescue offers excellent durability, and Bermudagrass provides quick coverage and drought resistance.

    What grass seed do landscapers use? ›

    Bermudagrass. Buffalograss. Perennial Ryegrass (for winter overseeding) White Dutch Clover.

    How do I pick grass seed? ›

    Hold the base of the inflorescence (the flowering portion of your grass that extends from the stem) with one hand. Using your other hand, slide your thumb and index finger upward to the top of the plant, gently squeezing as you go. Seeds will accumulate at the top of your fingers.

    What is the best material to put over grass seed? ›

    Covering freshly sown grass seed with polythene sheeting to protect it from birds is a great idea. For starters, you don't need to water until you remove the polythene sheet. You can seed in slightly lower temperatures because the polythene sheet will have a greenhouse effect, speeding germination.

    How much does good grass seed cost? ›

    Type of grass seed
    Grass seedAverage price (per pound)
    Buffalograss$1 – $7
    Carpetgrass$10 – $15
    Centipedegrass$6 – $12
    Fine fescue$5 – $7
    7 more rows
    Feb 22, 2024

    What is better than grass seed? ›

    Sod provides you with instant results

    Many newly seeded lawns need up to 10 to 12 weeks before they're ready for even light foot traffic. Weather also influences growing speeds. With sod, you don't have to wait and spend years to nurture a newly seeded lawn to grow, while battling weeds and washouts.

    When should you plant grass seed? ›

    Grass seed can be planted year-round, but fall is optimal for cool season grass and spring for warm season varieties. Winter planting is discouraged for both due to the risk of seed loss and frost damage. Warm season grass can be seeded in summer, though it requires significant irrigation.

    What grass seed should I use to reseed my lawn? ›

    If you are tired of looking at bare spots in your turf, ryegrass seed is one of your fastest solutions. Whether you have cool season grass that needs overseeding or warm season grass that needs a fall touch-up, the Jonathan Green product can lead to a very healthy lawn.

    Should I use bluegrass or fescue? ›

    While Kentucky bluegrass stands up to the North's coldest winters, extreme heat and sunshine can scorch or kill its leaves. Tall fescue is more tolerant of hot weather, making it best suited for transitional climate zones and cool-season regions with milder winters.

    Can you just sprinkle grass seed on lawn? ›

    When you just sprinkle grass seed on an existing lawn, it ends up just sitting atop of the soil and a lot of it may never germinate. Then homeowners end up asking the question, why can't I get my grass to grow? In reality, the best practice is to have lawn aeration performed followed by overseeding the lawn.

    Should I put topsoil over grass seed? ›

    Do not put top soil over grass seed, but you can add a thin layer of organic matter to help the seed to germinate. 'Never put topsoil over newly planted grass seed,' says Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love.

    How do I know which grass seed to use? ›

    Choosing the Right Types of Grass Seed. You'll want to select types of grass seed that suit your climate and your yard's sun exposure. Also consider how much moisture your lawn will get, either from rainfall or irrigation. If you live in a dry area, look for a type of grass that resists drought.

    How should lawn look after seeding? ›

    If you've kept the ground suitably moist, you should begin to see green grass seedlings sprouting across your lawn within the first couple of weeks. At this point, you're probably wondering when you should start mowing. After all, you want your grass to fully grow in, but you don't want your lawn to look like a jungle.

    How long does it take grass seed to show signs of growth? ›

    Whether you're repairing bare spots, overseeding an existing lawn or starting from scratch, you can generally expect grass seedlings to emerge within seven to 21 days when grown under proper conditions. It may take another three to four weeks of growth before grass is long enough to mow.

    Should grass seed sink or float? ›

    One method to check for seed viability is the water test. Take the seeds and place them in a container of water. Let the seeds sit for 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout.

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