The Best Lawn Seed for a Thick Green Lawn in Zone 7

Cool-Season Grasses

• In Zone 7, some grass seeds, including Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue and perennial ryegrass, will grow best in the spring and fall. Although they tend to turn brown and go dormant during the hottest parts of the summer, they often remain green during the winter, even when covered with snow.

Warm-Season Grasses

• Heat-loving grasses, such as Bermuda grass, zoysia grass and centipede grass, grow most actively during periods of hot, sunny weather. While they may turn tan in the winter, warm-season grasses are tolerant of the seasonal drought that is common throughout Zone 7, remaining green and lush even during the hottest, driest parts of the summer.

Blends

• Using blends of grass seed, rather than a single cultivar, can improve the appearance of most lawns, but they are particularly beneficial for lawns in Zone 7 and other transition zones. Planting a mixture of both warm- and cool-season grasses allows you to enjoy a green lawn all season long, regardless of temperature. Additionally, the blend of seeds often increases the genetic diversity of the landscape, resulting in a deeply rooted carpet of grass that is as durable as it is beautiful.

Overseeding

• In transition zones, many homeowners elect to renovate the existing lawn by scattering new seeds over the grass. This process, known as overseeding, improves the condition of the lawn while causing no trauma to the current landscape. To overseed a lawn, simply spread a 50/50 mixture of cool-season and warm-season grasses over the current turf in the fall or spring, and then water the lawn profusely. The pressure from the water will wash the seeds between the grass blades so they can take root in the soil below.