Question:
What type of grass seed mix should I purchase?Answer:
When purchasing grass seed, select a high quality seed mix that is best adapted to the site. Kentucky bluegrass is the best choice for sunny areas that receive at least 6 hours of direct sun each day. Choose a seed mix that contains at least 2 or 3 bluegrass cultivars. Because Kentucky bluegrass is slow to establish from seed, perennial ryegrass is often included in bluegrass mixes to speed establishment. (The percentage of perennial ryegrass in a high quality bluegrass mix is generally 20 percent or less.) The fine-leaf fescues (creeping red fescue, hard fescue, chewings fescue, etc.) are the best grasses for shady locations. In lawns that contain sun and shade, select a seed mix that is approximately 60 percent Kentucky bluegrass, 30 percent fine-leaf fescue, and 10 percent perennial ryegrass. Kentucky bluegrass will be the dominant grass in the sunny areas while the fine-leaf fescues will thrive in the shaded portions of the lawn.