How to choose the right grass seed

Selecting the right grass for your seeding project should not be a difficult task. If you know what you want out of your lawn and what are reasonable expectations, the process is that much simpler. The following steps will lead you through the exercise of choosing the right grass seed for your grass seeding project.

Factors in your decision

How much sun does your lawn receive? Is it full sun, shade or some of both?

Will your lawn be exposed to any of the following stressful conditions:

• do you have children that play in the yard?
• do you have dogs? how many? how often are they in your yard?
• are insects typically a problem with lawns in your area?
• maintenance – are you willing to stick to a fertilizing schedule and water if necessary?

Also consider:

• is a deep green color more important to you than tolerance to foot traffic and pets?
• will you plant the grass in the entire yard, or a partial area like a garden retreat or shaded area?

Write down your answers to these questions on a piece of paper. They will guide you through the next steps.

Determine your climate zone

Using the following map, determine the climate zone in which you live. Next, learn about the characteristics of each grass type listed in your zone, and think about how each one meets the answers to your questions in Step 1. Select two or three grasses that you think would be right for your lawn. For example, if you need a low-maintenance grass type for a high traffic lawn in the north, you might consider Tall Fescue.

Read the label

Before buying any grass seed, you should be familiar with how to read a grass seed label. The label will tell you all you need to know about the quality of seed in the bag. Don’t settle for bargain seed. The money you save is not worth the trouble of dealing with seed that won’t germinate, weed seeds mixed in with the grass seed, and other problems associated with bargain seeds.

Choose the right seed

Scotts offers the highest quality grass seed available, and there is sure to be a mixture or blend that is perfect for your planting needs. Write down a couple of product names that appeal to you and take those to the store. Note the sizes available and how much coverage (usually in square feet) the bag of seed provides.