Best Types of Grass Seed for Healthy Lawns

Seeding a lawn can be a very expensive endeavor. Don't waste thousands of dollars by guessing at the different types of grass seed. With a little bit of research you can find the best seed for you to make your yard look green and healthy for years to come. If you choose the wrong types of grass seed, you could be staring at a brown yard for just as long. Make sure you are familiar with these types of grass seed before you make your next purchase.

Warm weather types of grass seed.

Bermuda Grass is the most popular seed purchased in warm weather climates. Bermuda Grass is drought resistant and looks good throughout the year. Centipede Grass grows well in warm humid environments and is a low maintenance grass.

Bermuda and Centipede Grass are the most popular types grass seed in warm weather, others include Zoysia and St. Augustine. All of these types of grass grow well below the Mason Dixon line and grow particularly well the further south you travel.

Cool weather types of grass seed.

The types of grass seed that grow well in cool weather include Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue and Fine Fescue. Each of these types of grasses look similar in leaf and growth and are usually bought in combination with one another due to their different tolerances to heat. Fescue-type grasses tend to handle heat a little better than blue grass so the overlapping features of the grass provide a green yard nearly year-round.

Dry weather types of grass seed.

Bahia and Buffalo types of grass seed tend to handle drought conditions extremely well. Fescues and Seashore Paspalum also do quite well in dry and warm weather environments.

High traffic types of grass seed.

I have found that tall Fescue grasses tend to do better in high traffic areas due to their leaf structure. Others include Bluegrass and perennial Ryegrass. Be careful and remember that no grass is completely traffic resistant. High traffic grasses tend to require more attention and care.

Low maintenance types of grass seed.

For those not wanting to put a lot of time into their yard there are different considerations in this category. Low growing grasses such as Buffalo grasses require little mowing, yet require more fertilizers in the fall and winter. My personal preference is Centipede due to its low growth, fast spreading and low fertilizer needs.

Shady area types of grass seed.

Fescue grasses tend to do particularly well in shady areas of the yard. Other types of shady grasses are Bahia and St. Augustine. St. Augustine grass is perhaps the fastest growing and can become thick and hard to mow if the area is also wet.

There are many things to consider when seeding a yard. Drought tolerance, traffic, weather and maintenance all should play a part in selecting the perfect types of grass seed for your yard. Good luck.