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.
Frederick Leeth
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