Select Your Grass Seed According To Your Growing Region

Although surrounding your home with a lush, beautiful lawn may be something you dream of each spring as the warm weather arrives, you may find it takes a great deal of effort to maintain if you don’t have the right type of seed, watering techniques, or nutrient schedule. There are distinct differences in the requirements of cool grasses and warm grasses, and some types of grasses love heat while others burn or die back in higher temperature areas. The list below can assist you in choosing the right type of regional grass seeds to help you grow the best lawn for the longest time your season allows.

Northeast Area

The Northeast has high humidity, cold winters, and cool summers which can challenge many types of plants, including lawn grasses. For the best-looking lawns with the greenest blades, choose a seed that thrives in cool temperatures.

The most popular choice of grass seed that can survive the harsh cold and fierce northern winters is the Kentucky bluegrass. The fine-textured blades are rooted in a system of shallow tendrils that spread aggressively but can survive the long cold winters of the northeast area. Ryegrass is also popular among northern growers because of its cold tolerance and ability to thrive in the heat.

Southeast Area

The Southeast is known for its high humidity and hot summers because much of the area borders the Atlantic seaboard. Look for warm-season grass seeds that can tolerate the high heat, salty air, and summer droughts.

Bermuda grass seed is an aggressive spreading seed that provides a dark, thick green lawn. A perfect companion to the Bermuda seed is the ryegrass which can be used to overseed for lovely green grass during the winter when the Bermuda grasses go into hibernation and turn brown. When the weather turns warm again, the ryegrass dies back, and Bermuda suddenly springs back to life.

Midwest Area

The Midwest is the heartland of America with varying levels of humidity and a cool growing season. With the intense fluctuations throughout the region, Ohio grass needs more irrigation than other grasses in other regions do.

Bluegrass, fescues, and ryegrasses are the stars of the region because of their ability to tolerate the Midwestern bright sun while enduring the cool areas as well. Using disease and insect resistant seeds are important in the Midwest and finding a variety of seed that returns lush and green after a fierce winter can be difficult. However, if you are willing to water your grass often, the ryegrass can give you a lovely lawn year after year.

Deep South Area

The Deep South includes the Gulf Coast region of the United States where the humidity is high, and the heat is too. Ranging between areas of extreme drought, heavy summer storms, and blazing hot sun, the grass seed for this area needs to be tolerant and durable.

Homeowners in the Deep South look for low-maintenance grass seeds that can resist the pests and diseases often rampant in the area. Since the Gulf Coast features heavy salt air, the grass must be durable and tolerant. Bahia grass and centipede have proven themselves with an ability to be drought resistant while still staying a lovely green year around. Both varieties do require additional water for long life.

Pacific Northwest Area

Cool and arid, the Pacific Northwest region allows cool grasses to thrive, but the often-wet climate can encourage diseases and pests to flourish in area lawns. Much of the inland areas require additional irrigation to keep the grasses luxuriant and green.

In the northern coastal areas, tall fescues and bluegrasses are chosen for their ability to resist the salty air, cool temperatures, and high humidity. Further inland, ryegrasses are selected because of their resistance to lawn pests, mold, and diseases.

Southwest Area

Hot blasts of air within the Southwest’s arid area present a challenge for almost every type of grass. With high temperatures, alkaline soil, harsh sunlight, and varying elevations, the only thing consistent about this region is the warmth.

With enough water, Bermuda grass can thrive in the area, though it will require overseeding for winter-green lawns. Fescue is sometimes considered a good match in the Southwest, but it requires twice as much water and isn’t good in heat saturated areas.

Use the list of areas above to find the right grass seed for your region. You can have a lush, beautiful lawn no matter where you live.