People who live in the northeastern part of the United States should carefully consider what grass seeds they buy for their lawn. Only those who choose the best grass seed for the northeast region can create a great-looking lawn that is easy to maintain.
In this guide, I will provide you with detailed information on the northeast grass types and which grass seeds are best suited for this region. Continue reading if you’re interested in having the best-looking lawn in the whole neighborhood.
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5 Best Grass Seeds for Northeast Reviewed
- Scotts Grass Seed for Northeast – Top Pick
- Pennington Smart Seed and Fertilizer – Best for Unfavorable Conditions
- Scotts Grass Seed Pennsylvania State Mix – Best for Pennsylvania State
- Pennington Smart Seed Northeast Mix – Best for full sun to medium shade
- Mountain View Seeds Northeast Mix – Best for Low-Water Soil
A vibrant, lush lawn is something that every respectable homeowner would like to have, but only a few manage to create a lawn that they can be proud of. Why do so many people fail in creating a good-looking lawn? Choosing the wrong type of seeds is usually the main reason. This is why I have carefully chosen a list of the top-rated grass seeds for the northeast part of the United States.
1. Scotts Grass Seed for Northeast: Top-Rated Mix
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Scotts Miracle-Gro Company started to sell lawn seeds almost one and a half centuries ago in 1868. This company specializes in manufacturing and selling garden and lawn products as well as items for pest control.
This grass seed mix was specifically created to thrive in the northeastern region known for its hot summers and harsh winters. This is an elite, top-rated grass seed northeast mix that has a medium drought resistance and is suitable for both sunny and shady spots. The unique WaterSmart PLUS coating that these seeds have allows them to absorb up to two times more water than regular, uncoated seeds. This coating is also meant to feed the seeds with all the essential nutrients while protecting seedlings from disease.
Even though this seed mix is fairly delicate when it’s growing, and you should be wary of weeds taking over, I found that this option worked great for me. Although I simply planted the seeds in bare dirt, everything worked out fine.
Just make sure that the seeds are well-watered, keep an eye on the weeds, and prevent any animals from relieving themselves on the grass since even established grass will quickly die if pets will pee in your yard. Thus, this grass mix isn’t suitable for high-traffic areas where people may walk their dogs.
This seed mix truly shines after it is fully grown. Unlike other grass mixes, it doesn’t die off under snow when the temperatures are low and as soon as March comes along, you will see that your yard is fully green even if the weather is a bit nippy.
- Grows quickly;
- Perfect green color;
- Good cold tolerance;
- Suitable for sunny and shady areas.
- Not optimal for high-traffic lawns.
2. Pennington Smart Seed and Fertilizer: Best for Unfavorable Conditions
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Pennington began operating in 1945 as a small seed store. Since then, it has grown into a company that can fulfill all your mowing, seeding, edging, and fertilizing needs.
This premium mix consists of Fine Fescues, Perennial Ryegrass, and Kentucky Bluegrass, making it perfectly suitable for the Northeast region. This grass disease-resistant seed mix has a high tolerance for drought and contains the perfect amount of fertilizer to ensure that your new lawn will flourish. Once this grass establishes itself, it needs up to 30% less water when compared to normal grass seeds.
If you’re searching for a grass mix that will survive and flourish in less-than-perfect conditions, then this product might be the best solution. My next-door neighbor has been using this grass mix for years, and he confirmed that no other grass mix worked better for him.
Having a yard that is constantly exposed to sunlight can quickly kill grass that is not suitable for such conditions. Pennington Smart Seed Mix, on the other hand, thrives when exposed to a lot of sunlight and needs a lot less water than other types of grass. Our summers are often dry and hot, and this grass looks green and lush even if you sometimes forget to water your lawn.
- High drought tolerance;
- Needs 30% less water;
- Superb disease resistance;
- Contains fertilizer to increase survivability.
- Needs at least 4-6 hours of sunlight.
3. Scotts Grass Seed Pennsylvania State Mix: Pennsylvania Weather-Resistant
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This seed mix was specifically made to withstand severe winters as well as high heat and humidity. This self-repairing mix will easily overpower weeds, preventing crabgrass and dandelions from growing in your yard. Just like other seeds produced by Scotts, this grass seed mix has a WaterSmart coating that retains water. The resulting grass has a fine-bladed texture and a medium resistance against drought, even when exposed to the extreme sun. It can also grow well in areas that get a lot of shade.
Overall, I consider this seed mix to be perfect for the weather in Pennsylvania. Half of my yard is shaded, while the other half is not, and this grass grew well in all the areas where it was planted. When planting these seeds, be sure to cover them with straw and water them twice per day to get the best results.
A friend of mine from Delaware gave this mix a shot and had similar success. When I visited him last summer, his yard looked great, even though he wasn’t very diligent about watering these seeds when they were growing up.
- Robust grass mix;
- Grows well in dense shade and full sun;
- Good for hot summers and cold winters.
- Needs maintenance when growing.
4. Pennington Smart Seed Northeast Mix: Designed for Full-Sun Lawns
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This product is among the best full sun grass seed for the Northeast that was specially designed to grow well in areas that get a lot of sunlight. This particular mix creates a very dense root system that allows grass to handle drought and very hot summers with ease. Thanks to Pennington’s denoted technology, these seeds have a high resistance to fungus. These seeds establish quicker during the early stages of growth, allowing them to be more protected against disease.
When I used these seeds on the bare patch of ground left by the construction workers, I was surprised that it took only 5 days for them to germinate and 2 weeks to fully grow. You have to keep the seeds watered all the time, but this can be easily solved with an automatic sprinkler system in the yard. The color that this grass has is also very nice and vibrant. Just be sure to plant it in areas that get a lot of sunlight since it might not work as well in heavily shaded areas.
- Needs 30% less water;
- High fungus resistance;
- Excellent germination percentage;
- High drought tolerance.
- Needs at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight.
5. Mountain View Seeds Northeast Mix: Great for Low-Water Soil
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Mountain View Seeds is a company that was established by Oregon farmers in 1946. It specializes in producing a large variety of grass seeds for sports turf, golf courses, and residential and commercial use.
This grass seed mix is known for its WaterGard QS technology which allows it to show much better results while using less water when compared to regular seed mixes. The WaterGard QS polymer coating doesn’t just increase water retention by trapping it in its insoluble matrix, it also contains all the necessary micronutrients.
The micronutrients added to this mix allow the grass to establish a strong root system which greatly increases the health of your lawn. The result will be lush, dark green, and healthy grass.
I’ve got to say that this seed mix has been the simplest one that I’ve used. It quickly germinated and established itself, creating a nice-looking lawn.
- Simple to use;
- Grows well in high-traffic areas;
- Germinates within 7-10 days;
- Doesn’t require a lot of water.
- Lower shade tolerance.
Grass Seed for Northeast Buyer’s Guide
Types of lawn grasses that flourish in the Northeast
If you live in the United States, you can notice that grass types are broadly divided into two categories – warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses. The choice between the two is determined by your geographic location, so if you live somewhere in the southern part of the United States, you need warm-season grasses.
Cool-season grasses grow well in areas that have harsh winters as well as hot summers, making them perfect for the Northeastern United States. These grasses are hardier than the warm season ones and are likely to stay green throughout most of the year.
The best cool-season grasses include the tall fescues, ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass. They grow well in cool, humid weather that is often seen in the Northeast regions of the United States.
What to consider choosing the best grass seed for the Northeast
Climate is not the only thing that should be considered when choosing the most suitable grass seed mix for your lawn. Several factors are crucial to take into account before you choose which seed mix to purchase, so let’s discuss them below.
Sun exposure
Various types of grasses prefer different levels of insolation. Some grasses can thrive only when exposed to a lot of direct sunlight, while others grow better in the shade. Thus, if your background has a lot of shade, it is wise to go for the perennial ryegrass or varieties of fescue. On the other hand, if your yard is getting lots of sunlight, the tall fescue should be your number one choice.
However, it’s rare for a lawn to be fully shaded or to have full exposure to sunlight, so the most prudent choice is to use a mix of cool-season grasses. When the mix contains different species of grass with varying sunlight requirements, you are guaranteed to get great results if you follow the instructions. As a result, some brands sell mixes of seeds intended for areas that have varying levels of shade and sunlight.
Traffic level
Some people view their lawns as decorations for their houses, while others love playing in their backyard with their dogs and children. Heavy traffic compacts the soil which reduces the amount of oxygen, water, and nutrients that your grass will be getting, so it’s important to choose a grass type that can survive such harsh conditions.
Tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass all perform well when being used in high-traffic areas. Fine fescue, on the other hand, is best reserved for decorating areas that will not be trampled by kids and animals. While it will survive if you walk on it occasionally, it will not be prudent to walk on it on a regular basis.
Germination percentage
When you plant your grass, you can’t expect every seed to grow since the percentage of seeds that will grow is affected by a number of factors including the moisture level, quality of the soil, and temperature. You can affect the moisture level and the soil quality, but if you want to ensure that the germination percentage is as high as possible, you need to choose high-quality seeds that are not too old. Seeds that are stored for more than two years can have a reduced germination rate, which is why it is always important to look at the date when the seeds were produced.
Furthermore, another factor that increases the seeds’ germination percentage is their versatility. If you buy a versatile mix that is tailored to your area’s climate, the percentage of seeds that will germinate will be as high as possible. In addition, versatile seed mixes are also a lot more resistant to diseases and work great when you’re looking for grass seed for overseeding in the Northeast.
Grass Seed for Northeast FAQ
If you choose the right type of seed mix and properly maintain it, you can create a beautiful, lush lawn. Here are the most popular questions that people ask when they are going to choose and plant grass seeds in the Northeast region.
What grass seeds are most suitable for the Northeast?
The northeastern region of the United States is a relatively cool, humid zone that can have fairly hot summers and cold winters. Cool-season grasses, including perennial ryegrass, fescues, and Kentucky bluegrass, are most suitable for this type of climate. Although cool-season grasses can survive fairly huge temperature fluctuations, they grow best when the temperature outside is between 60-75 degrees F. This is the reason why they grow the best in spring and fall.
When is the best time to plant grass seeds in the Northeast?
If you live in the Northeast, the most optimal time to plant grass seeds is in August. If you plan to plant fall grass seed for Northeast, then you should finish before the end of September. Otherwise, it can be too cold for the seeds to germinate, which will drastically reduce the number of species that will grow. The reason why it is important to sow grass seeds at the beginning of the fall is that the outside temperature during fall is perfect for growing grass.
How do I grow grass in the Northeast?
Before planting your seeds, your first step is to prepare your lawn. You should first remove any debris such as large rocks and sticks; pull out any weeds you don’t want to grow in your yard. Then, you need to break up the soil to ensure that it is well-aerated. This can be done using a spade and a garden fork. Finally, you should add a specialized fertilizer to the soil. This step can be skipped if your seeds have micro fertilizers infused in their outer shell. After that, you should follow the manufacturer’s directions when seeding your lawn and water it regularly according to the instructions.
Choose the Best Grass Seed for Your Conditions
It is fairly simple to choose the right grass seed for your lawn. If you live in the Northeast region, simply choose seeds from a trusted brand that has Northeast written on its label. Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Northeast Mix, for example, is an excellent choice for both sunny and shady areas in the Northeast. You can buy regular tall fescue seeds and plant them on your lawn, but using a mix of different seeds will produce much better results, especially if the seeds are infused with micro-fertilizers and have a polymer water-retaining shell.
Which type of grass seeds did you use in the past and how successful it was? Do you believe that modern polymer-coated seeds are superior to regular ones? Tell us what you think in the comments below and share this article with your friends if you found it helpful.
