Looking for the best grass seed for Minnesota? Many cool-season grass seeds are available, but choosing the right seed type can be a tough decision without proper guidance.
Grass seed types vary in every region, by climate. So the warm season and Cool-season regions have their own grass types that grow successfully.
Almost all the cool-season grass types can be grown in Minnesota lawns.
Besides choosing the right seed, there are many factors that matter for a beautiful yard like proper watering, fertilizer, good timing, and aeration by aerators.
A well-prepared soil before planting and well-timed decisions of every activity on lawn grass make the difference between a pristine lawn and a blemished lawn.
Let’s move to the article in which everything, growing to plant, fertilizer to watering of grass is well explained that makes the lawn successful in Minnesota.
Growing grass in Minnesota
Minnesota is located in the northern zone so the climate of these regions is cold. Cool-season grasses perform best in these areas because there exist cold winters and mild summers.
Cool-season grasses grow at their potential if they are grown in the regions that have fewer months of summer and most time of winter cold. They have most of their growth in spring and fall.
These grasses grow in temperature zones between 65-80 degrees F.
In Minnesota, cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescues, and tall fescues can be grown for lawns. All of these grass seeds can grow solely or in blends for different needs.
Buying guide: Choosing the best Minnesota grass seed
Before buying any grass seed there are many factors to consider, that directly impact the lawn health and beauty.
First of all, you need to keep in mind the present condition of the lawn and the purpose for which you are establishing the lawn, and the time you have to maintain the lawn.
Consider lawn condition as:
- If sunlight directs the lawn or some shady areas
- If more or less foot traffic as each grass can bear the various intensity of foot traffic
- If you have more or less time for maintenance, as all grasses have a various maintenance requirement
On the basis of the present conditions of your lawn from the above-mentioned factors, choose the grass seed type wisely as:
- For shady lawns, choose the shade-tolerant grasses like fine fescues along with shade-tolerant Kentucky bluegrass.
- For sunny lawns, a mixture of 50:50 Kentucky and perennial ryegrass performs best for surface covering.
- In case you want a low maintenance lawn, choose the mixture of Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues for the long-lasting lawn.
- In the case of both sun and shady areas having sandy soil with low water, choose tall fescues that are very worn and drought-tolerant grass.
Products: Minnesota grasses
- Kentucky bluegrass – Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Kentucky Bluegrass Mix
- Fine fescues – Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Turf Grass Seed
- Perennial Ryegrasses – Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Perennial Ryegrass Mix
- Tall Fescues – WaterSaver Grass Mixture with Turf-Type Tall Fescue
Reviews: Minnesota grass seeds
1. Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Kentucky Bluegrass Mix – best grass for shade in minnesota
It is a self-repairing, thick, and durable lawn grass seed. This Kentucky bluegrass mixture is formulated by Scotts turf Builder is a famous brand for producing grass seeds and fertilizers.
Kentucky bluegrass is famous among the people of northern cool-season regions. It has a fine-bladed texture that makes it durable among lawn growers.
The premium feature of this grass is the 4 in 1 WaterSmart PLUS coating that absorbs more water in the seed and that water helps in nutrients movement and sprouting of the seed.
The coating on the grass seed helps to protect the seed from various types of disease attacks.
It is designed for full sun to light shade areas.
A single pack of this Kentucky bluegrass is enough to cover/seed a 4660 sq. ft. area.
Features
- Self repairing grass
- Fine bladed texture
- Grows in full sun to light shade
- WaterSmart PLUS Coating absorbs more water in seed
- Coating protects seed from diseases
- Cover 4660 sq. ft. area
- Medium drought resistant grass
2. Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Turf Grass Seed – best grass for low fertility soils
The fine-bladed, dark green fine fescues grass seed manufactured by Outsidepride is a popular grass seed for planting a fine-bladed grass lawn.
Fine fescue grass has a vast use in parks, golf courses, lawns, and many other areas.
The best thing about this grass is that it can grow in full sun to quiet shady areas making it a valuable choice for northern areas.
The tremendous cold tolerance of this grass makes it an ideal grass seed for any cold season areas.
It requires much less amount of fertilizer and water than Kentucky bluegrass. It is the ideal grass for dry and shady areas and has less performance in wet soils.
To get an immaculate lawn, you need to mix the fine fescue seeds with a blend of hard fescues and creeping red fescues.
The premium feature of this grass is that it can grow in low fertility areas.
With a single pack of this grass seed, more than 1000 sq. ft. of an area can be planted.
Features
- Fine bladed grass seed
- Ideal grass for dry and shady soils
- Low fertilizer and water requirement
- Performs great in cold weather
- Grows in full sun to shady areas
- Cold tolerant grass
- Performs great in low fertility soils
- Covers 1000 sq. ft. area
3. Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Perennial Ryegrass Mix – best grass for high traffic
It is a fine-bladed, low drought-resistant grass seed by Scott’s turf builder and it is well known as Perennial ryegrass. It is specially manufactured for sunny to light-shaded areas of Minnesota.
It has rapid germination and establishment. It grows perfect in well-drained soils with medium soil fertility.
The shiny feature of this grass seed by Scotts is the WaterSmart PLUS coating, which helps to improve the germination count by absorbing more water than uncoated seeds.
The presence of a coating on the seeds protects the seed material from disease attacks.
It is an ideal grass seed choice for high traffic areas and erosion control.
It covers a 2900 sq. ft. area with a single package of 7lb by Scotts.
Features
- Fine bladed grass
- Low drought resistant
- Needs medium soil fertility
- Rapid germination and establishment
- Perfect grass for high traffic areas
- Ideal choice for quick growth
- Cover 2900 sq. ft.
- WaterSmart coating protects from diseases and absorbs more water
- Moist the seed 2x longer
4. WaterSaver Grass Mixture with Turf-Type Tall Fescue – best grass for dry areas
Very low maintenance and self-repairing grass exist in the form of Tall fescue. It has lower wagering requirements than Kentucky bluegrass.
Tall fescues grass seeds are manufactured by many companies but this grass seed by WaterSaver is a professional and premium grass seed for growing tall fescue grass.
It grows well in almost all types of mostly sunny to low shady areas of northern climatic zones.
The premium feature of this grass is that it requires very low maintenance and watering by growing the root system very deeply.
Tall fescues is the premium choice for dry and sandy areas where there is low water availability.
Tall fescue grass seeds by WaterSaver have no or very less overseeding and few weed problems.
A pack of 10lb grass seed will be enough to seed 1000 sq. ft. of tall fescue grass.
Features
- Low maintenance grass
- Very low water requirement
- Few weed problems
- Self-repairing
- Sunny to light shady areas
- Best choice for dry and sandy soils
- 10 lb grass seed for 1000 sq. ft. lawn
How Long does cool season grass take to grow in Minnesota?
Germination time of grasses after planting is metered directly by the irrigation or watering of the lawn after seeding.
Mostly, grass seeds germinate two weeks from planting. But in some cases due to less moisture in the soil, the seeds do not sprout.
In case of no germination after two weeks, reseed the lawn and water the lawn properly. But ensure the right amount of water, it should be enough to moist the soil.
Why water is crucial for grass seed growth
Water is the only thing after seed that has the king’s role in the germination of any plant. Sprouting of plants from seed directly depends on the moisture present in the soil surface.
In the case of grass seed, irrigation at the right time ensures the maximum sprouting of seeds.
Timely and frequent irrigation is the primary factor that determines the germination percentage. Frequent irrigation helps to keep the soil moisten so the grass seed sprouts and thrives evenly.
But keep in mind that the flooded irrigation will wash away the grass seed and leave the barren land.
How to seed the grass seeds
Spreading grass seeds evenly on the surface of the lawn is the main factor to determine the maximum output of spread grass seeds. The best strategy is to use the spreaders for spreading grass seeds.
But there are many things that need to be taken care of to ensure maximum germination. Some of the useful tips are:
- Seeding of grass seeds should be spread by half rate in a perpendicular direction across the lawn area.
- After seeding, follow light raking with rakes but ensure that 10-15% of seeds remain visible on the surface.
- Use a Cultipacker or roller on the seeded surface to make good seed-soil contact.
- In the early days, follow the frequent irrigation of the surface three to four times a day.
- After the germination of grass, minimize the irrigation frequency to promote the growth of the roots.
What is the best time to grow cool season grass in Minnesota?
Late summer and early fall are the best time to plant grass seeds in cold-weather states like Minnesota. Grasses planted at this time frame have enough time to establish before the onset of winter.
The time frame of late summer to early fall planting provides the best chance of survival to cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, tall fescues, and perennial ryegrass.
The well-established grasses, go dormant in the winters, providing a better chance for seeds for grabbing essential nutrients from the soil.
Lawns seeded with cool-season grass seeds in the months of late summer and early fall are more likely to fill the surface completely before the winter and produce thick turf in the following spring.
The benefit of seeding cool-season grasses in late summers is that the longer and cooler nights help the new grass to stay moist for more time.
FAQs
When should I overseed my lawn in MN?
Two times of year are considered best for overseeding a lawn that is in the fall between August to October and the other one is the Spring season that comes from March to June. But early fall is the premium choice for overseeding.
What is the best grass seed for overseeding in MN?
Overseeding a lawn is a common thing in cool-season areas. Kentucky bluegrass and Tall fescues are the ideal grass seeds for overseeing the lawns in cool-season areas while Perennial ryegrass is a perfect match for overseeing the warm season lawns.
What is the best grass seed to use in Minnesota?
Any cool-season grass is best for planting a lawn in Minnesota. The perfect choice is Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine and tall fescues for Minnesota lawns.
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Final Verdict
Achieving a beautiful lawn is never possible without the right type of seed. Seed quality and type determine the germination and establishment of lawn in any region even if you provide enough fertilizer and water.
To grow a lawn in Minnesota, any cool season grass will work perfectly.
To ease you in establishing a lawn in Minnesota, I built this guide on best grass seed for Minnesota to solve your primary problem of choosing the right seed.
If you find this guide helpful, share it with your colleagues and friends on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and email.
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