How to Choose Lawn Seeds
- 1). Find out your region's plant hardiness zone. Check out the United States Department of Agriculture's website to see your region's annual minimal temperatures. There are two types of grass: cool and warm season. Cool season grass is generally grown in north United States, while warm season makes up much of the south. Some gardeners will plant both for a green expanse throughout their fall and winter.
- 2). Decide how much foot traffic your yard will receive. Certain types of turf weather foot traffic better than others such as buffalo grass and tall fescue. Tough grasses like perennial ryegrass, Zoysiagrass and bermuda grass will hold up to foot traffic during the growing season.
- 3). Conduct a soil test on your lawn area to help you determine if you need to change the pH range or work with the one in the yard. All grass has different pH requirements that allow it to absorb the soil's nutrients. Purchase a soil testing kit from your local county extension office. Dig a six-inch hole and collect dry soil samples from the bottom. Mail the samples to the address provided on the kit. Use the results to help you determine what type of lawn seeds to buy.
- 4). Choose lawn seeds based on the amount of sun your receive. Watch your yard for one day and note any areas that receive less than six hours of sunlight a day. Pick grass types that can live in shady areas that get four to six hours of sun such as fine-leaf fescue, St. Augustine and tall fescue.
- 5). Use a grass type that can live through droughts if your area sees periods of little precipitation. Seashore paspalum, bahia grass and zoysiagrass offer gardeners adequate drought resistance.