Zone 4 Grass Seed

USDA Hardiness Zones

• The USDA plant hardiness zone map identifies whether plants cans survive the average lowest winter temperatures in each of the 11 zones in the United States. While this is helpful in determining whether plants can survive the winter, the year-round climate conditions are equally important. The turfgrass adaptation map, used in conjunction with the hardiness zone map, will help you better determine not only the right hardiness, but also whether warm or cool-season grass species are most suited to your the growing season in your area.

Cool-Season Grasses

• The turfgrass adaptation map identifies zone 4 as part of the cool humid and cool arid climatic zones. Cool-season turfgrass and ornamental grass species are the most ideal for your area. Consider turfgrasses such as Bentgrass 'Fairway/Tee' or 'Putting Green', Fineleaf Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass 'High Input' or 'Low Input', perennial Ryegrass or Tall Fescue. If adding ornamental grasses, Blue Fescue (Festuca Ovina glauca), Blue Oat Grass (Helectrotrichon sempervirens) or Quaking Grass (Briza media) are just a few to consider.

Turfgrass Maintenance

• The maintenance schedule for seeding or sodding your lawn with cool-season turfgrass is different than with warm-season grasses. Prepping your lawn starts in March and September is when you fertilize the soil and seed your lawn. Your grass will grow the most when soil temperatures reach 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit and the air temperatures are between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ornamental Grasses

• Ornamental grasses clump forming or spread. Clumping ornamentals grow into neat mounds that mix well with other perennials without becoming invasive. Spreading grasses can be aggressive and invasive and are not the best choice for well-tended perennial beds. Therefore, make sure you understand how your ornamental grows before planting. Cool-season ornamentals can be planted in spring and container-ornamentals can be planted anytime during the growing season up to the first frost. Most ornamentals need about three to five hours of sun and can be cut back in early spring before new growth starts, which is when cool-season grasses start growing.