The Best Grass Seed to Plant

Northeast and Upper Midwest

• The mild summer weather of northern states such as Maine, Michigan and Minnesota is well-suited to cool-season grasses. Lawns seeded with Kentucky bluegrass blends or mixtures of perennial ryegrass and fine fescue will grow actively during the spring and fall. While theses grasses may turn brown if exposed to excessive summer heat, they often remain green, even when covered with a winter snow.

South and Gulf Coast

• Lawns in hot, humid states such as Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana require warm-season grasses. Robust, hardy grasses such as St. Augustine and Bahia can take the heat, growing most actively and exhibiting a rich, green color during the summer. On the down side, they tend to turn brown in the winter and may not green-up until mid-spring.

Plains

• The flat fields and open spaces of plains states, such as Kansas and Nebraska, are subject to a wide range of weather conditions. For sunny, natural landscapes, plant buffalo grass or blue grama. These hardy grasses will create an eye-catching, low-maintenance lawn that does not require routine watering to remain green.

Mountains

• Those who live in the mountains must contend with unruly weather, unfiltered sunlight and rocky, thin soils. To grow grass in the central regions of the Rockies or the Smokies, choose perennial ryegrass and fine fescue; these plants tend to do well at high-elevations. In drier regions, such as those near the Grand Canyon, choose the hardier, less water-dependent, buffalo grass.

Southwest

• The desert landscapes of Arizona, California and New Mexico have a quiet beauty that is all their own. However, the climate makes gardening a challenge, as many plants cannot endure the blistering heat and lack of moisture. In non-irrigated lawns, stout blades of buffalo grass have the best chance of survival. For irrigated areas, the options are greater, as zoysia and hybrid Bermuda grass can handle the sun, provided they are given an adequate amount of water.

Pacific Northwest

• The Pacific Northwest is known for towering redwoods and scenic, seaside views. The temperate climate is well-suited to a variety of grasses, and the majority of lawns will flourish when seeded with Kentucky bluegrass, red fescue and perennial ryegrass. However, those along the coast must contend with sandy soils and salty air. In these situations, the vigorous, fast-growing fine fescue is more appropriate.