Grass Seed Types

When choosing the type of grass seed you should use in your lawn, there are a few factors you should take into consideration. We offer three types of grass seed. We have Emerald III which is a turf-type tall fescue, Supreme bluegrass mix, or Ecological fine fescue seed blend. We consider our Emerald III turf-type tall fescue to be the best option for our local area. Below are more specifics about the different types of grass seed we offer and what will be the best fit for your lawn.

How much foot traffic will the lawn see?

• Both Emerald III and Supreme bluegrass seed will hold up well to heavy foot traffic.
• While both Emerald III and Supreme support heavy foot traffic, Supreme would be a better choice for a sports field type area, due to the nature of the growing habit of this grass type creating a smoother surface area for bouncing balls.
• The Ecological blend will be only be good for areas that do not get much foot traffic. This grass type is usually used in berms or non-irrigated areas of the lawn that aren’t walked on.

How much sun or shade will the lawn get?

• Emerald III will be the best option if the lawn has heavy shade. It can do well in up to 80% shade; it also does well in full sun.
• Supreme blend will only be well-suited for full sun areas. It can only tolerate about 30% shade.
• Ecological has good shade tolerance, and does well in full sun.

Is the lawn area irrigated?

• Emerald III will use about 1/3 less water than bluegrass, but does need to be watered regularly to keep an even appearance. When this grass is drought stressed it will only grow in smaller clumps.
• Supreme bluegrass mix requires regular watering to look great, but will not die if it goes through a period of extreme drought. This grass will go dormant until watered again, making it drought proof.
• Ecological mix will work in areas that are not irrigated, but is not drought proof, so it does need to be watered. It can be watered more infrequently than the bluegrass, but if not watered for a month or more, this grass type will die.

When should I seed?

Seeding is more successful between about August 10^th -September 1^st and will produce the greatest germination rates. Seeding in spring is the next best option. You want to seed when you are able to keep the seeds moist, so it’s not advised to seed after the sprinklers have been turned off for the season, unless you really love hand watering. Seeding during the summer could be a lost cause trying to keep the delicate seeds moist in the heat of summer. Organo-Lawn offers a top-seeding package that includes aeration, Humate, Rain Maker, and your seed of choice. This package has a germination guarantee if the seed is watered following our recommendations. We offer top-seeding packages in both spring and fall.

What else should I know about seeding?

We do not suggest to cover the seeds with peat moss or top soil or hay. But it is suggested to put seed down after aeration. Not only do the aeration holes make a great place for the seed to germinate, but aeration gets air down into the soil, a much-needed element to a healthy soil. For your watering schedule, you will want to follow the 1-2-3-2-1 plus seed technique. This means you are watering the lawn deeply but infrequently 1-3 days a week depending on the time year, and the other 4-6 days a week you water just enough to keep the seeds moist. This is between 5-15 minutes per zone, depending on the type of sprinkler heads you have in each zone. You will water every day until the seeds have germinated.

• Emerald III turf-type tall fescue will usually germinate between 17-21 days.
• Supreme bluegrass mix will usually germinate between 21-25 days.
• Ecological mix will usually germinate in between 21-25 days.