When is the best time to plant grass seed?

The best time to plant grass seed depends on the type of seed and the climate. However, since most mixtures germinate when temperatures aren't too hot or cold, . ..planting in the fall for a cool-season grass and spring for a warm-season grass is typically ideal. Seedlings thrive in semi-warm soil with moderate daytime temps and slightly cooler evenings.

How do you prepare the soil for grass seed?

To prepare the soil for grass seed, start by removing any sticks, large rocks, and weeds from the surface. Then break up the soil with a spade, hoe, garden fork, or a core aerator, continuing to remove rocks and debris as you go. If your grass seed doesn't contain fertilizer, you'll also want to add a slow-release fertilizer to the soil before planting.

How often do you need to water grass seed?

Grass seed needs to be watered once or twice a day until it germinates. How much and how often depends on where you live and what the weather is like, but the goal is to keep the top layer of soil moist at all times. When your seedlings are about an inch tall, you can switch to watering every other day. After a few weeks, when the grass has established, weekly or bi-weekly watering should suffice.

The 8 Best Grass Seed of 2021

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

Commerce Photo Composite — The Spruce / Chloe Jeong

Grass seed can be used to grow a lawn from scratch or sprinkled onto existing turf to make it thicker and patch up bald areas. It can also address spots where fungus, poor sunlight, insects, or pet urine have caused your grass to go brown or thin out. Whether you have a small yard or multiple acres, any homeowner is wise to keep some seed on hand.

There are several different kinds of seed, so make sure you get a variety that works for your yard and climate. Some contain blends that grow year-round in the sun or shade, while others are better suited for winter or summer. We searched high and low to find the finest seeds for growing beautifully green grass and selected versatile options that retain water, contain fertilizers, grow quickly, resist lawn diseases, and stand up to heavy foot traffic.

Here, the best grass seed for sprucing up your yard.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Scotts Turf Builder Sun & Shade Mix at Amazon

Thanks to a special coating, the seeds can sprout and thrive year-round in the dense shade or scorching-hot sun.

Read Review

Best for Shade:

Pennington One Step Complete at Amazon

The ultra-absorbent mixture contains shade-friendly seeds, pro-grade fertilizer, and mulch to help you sprout seedlings in as little as a week.

Read Review

Best for Full Sun:

JB Instant Lawn Sunny Lawn Seed at Lowe's

This weed-free seed mix produces thick sod-quality lawns, loves clear skies and flourishes in direct sunlight.

Read Review

Best for Cool Season:

Barenbrug Winter Wonderlawn Grass Seed at Home Depot

The ryegrass blend is made for over-seeding in the cold season and germinates within two to four days, even in the fall and winter.

Read Review

Best for Warm Season:

Water Saver Lawn Seed Mixture at Amazon

This lawn seed establishes quickly, roots deeply, and retains water, allowing it to tolerate high temps and drought conditions.

Read Review

Best for Heavy Traffic:

Jonathan Green Heavy Traffic Grass Seed at Amazon

This abrasion-resistant turf seed contains a hardy mixture of perennial ryegrass and fescue, which are ideal for heavy foot traffic.

Read Review

Best Fast-Growing:

Vigoro Fast Grass at Home Depot

This grass seed mix is perfect for erosion control, quick ground cover, and temporarily patching sparse areas.

Read Review

Best Bermuda grass:

Sta-Green Bermuda grass Seed at Lowe's

This premium Bermuda grass seed has a special coating to help it grow quickly and resist disease.

Read Review

In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for
Why Trust The Spruce

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Home Depot

Sun Tolerance: Dense Shade to Full Sun | Climate: Drought, Cold Winters | Size: Up to 8,000 square feet | Grass Texture: Fine

What We Like

Thrives in sun and shade
Holds up in droughts and cold winters
Resists disease

What We Don't Like

Not suited for Southern lawns

When it comes to versatility, Scotts Turf Builder is tough to beat. As its name suggests, the Sun & Shade Mix thrives in scorching sunlight or densely shaded conditions. The fine-bladed grass can even hold up in droughts and cold winters.

Each individual seed is wrapped in a special WaterSmart Plus coating, which absorbs twice the amount of water as its uncoated counterparts. The coating also protects your seedlings from various lawn diseases and feeds them essential nutrients to jumpstart growth. You can count on fast-growing turf that's thick, green, and healthy.

View On Amazon View On Home Depot

Sun Tolerance: Dense Shade | Climate: Cool-season | Size: 125 square feet | Grass Texture: Medium

What We Like

Formulated with mulch and fertilizer
Grows fast
Great for spot treatments or larger areas
Suited for Midwestern lawns

What We Don't Like

Not for warm-season lawns

Pennington One Step Complete blends the brand's Smart Seed with mulch and professional-grade fertilizer, allowing it to thrive in densely shaded areas. This all-in-one grass seed sprouts seedlings in as little as two weeks, even in the tricky corners of your lawn that don't see more than two to four hours of direct sunlight a day. Whether you're growing a lawn from scratch, or you're just looking to patch up sparse areas, this ultra-absorbent mixture is a quick and easy solution for achieving a lush, spot-free yard.

View On Lowe's View On Home Depot

Sun Tolerance: Full Sun | Climate: Cool-season | Size: 1,000 square feet (max overseeding coverage area), 600 square feet (max new seeding coverage area) | Grass Texture: Fine

What We Like

Works with new and existing lawns
Comes in various sizes
Grows fast

What We Don't Like

Not suited for Midwestern lawns

JB Instant Lawn's Sunny Blend is formulated for direct sunlight. It loves clear skies and flourishes in non-shaded areas with six or more hours of sun exposure a day. The brand's signature perennial ryegrass seed produces thick sod-quality lawns with fine blades and a deep green hue. It can be planted with your existing grass or used to grow a lawn from scratch with a germination period between seven to ten days.

View On Home Depot View On Ace Hardware View On Tractorsupply.com

Sun Tolerance: Full Sun and Partial Shade | Climate: Southern | Size: 2,500 square feet | Grass Texture: Fine

What We Like

Grows fast
Thrives in sun and partial shade
Stands up to heavy traffic

What We Don't Like

Not suited for Northern lawns

For the chillier season, you'll be glad to have a bag of Winter Wonderlawn on hand. Containing a blend of Italian and perennial ryegrass, the mixture is ideal for overseeding your lawn during the coldest months of the year.

This grass seed establishes quickly and germinates within four days, even in the fall and winter. After a few weeks, you'll have dense growth of fine-bladed grass with a deep green color.

View On Amazon View On Home Depot View On Tractorsupply.com

Sun Tolerance: Full Sun and Partial Shade | Climate: Hot and Dry | Size: 1,000 square feet | Grass Texture: Coarse

What We Like

Resists disease
Grows fast
Thrives in sun and shade
Tolerates drought conditions

What We Don't Like

Not suited for Southern lawns

Water Saver contains a mixture of turf-quality tall fescue and RFT (rhizomatous tall fescue) seeds. The blend has a gorgeous color, a nice texture, and stands up to various diseases.

This lawn seed establishes quickly, roots deeply, and retains water, allowing it to tolerate high temps and drought conditions. It thrives in the sun or shade, and thanks to its deep roots, it can be mowed shorter than other varieties.

The 6 Best Battery-Powered Lawn Mowers of 2021

View On Amazon

Sun Tolerance: Partial Sun | Climate: Hard Wear | Size: 1,200 square feet | Grass Texture: Coarse

What We Like

Stands up to heavy traffic
Resists weeds and insects
Comes in various sizes

What We Don't Like

Not suited for densely shaded areas

If you have kids, pets, or an otherwise busy household, we recommend Jonathan Green Black Beauty. The brand's Heavy Traffic Premium Mixture contains a healthy blend of fescue and perennial ryegrass seeds. Fescue emits an amino acid that naturally acts as a herbicide, so it will curb emerging crabgrass and broadleaf weed seedlings. Not only that, but this reliable formula stands up to abrasion and is naturally resistant to insects.

The 7 Best Weed Killers of 2021

View On Home Depot

Sun Tolerance: Sun and Shade | Climate: Any | Size: 750 square feet | Grass Texture: Fine to Medium

What We Like

Grows fast
Great for spot treatments
Thrives in sun and shade

What We Don't Like

Only for existing lawns

Vigoro Fast Grass Mix germinates impressively quickly and sprouts in as little as three days. Anytime you need speedy ground cover, erosion control, or want to repair patches in your yard, this is your best bet.

The seed works in both sunny and shady areas and produces lush green grass with semi-fine blades and virtually no weeds. It's ideal for temporarily filling in bare spots, and depending on when and where you plant it, you might see continued growth.

The 8 Best Lawn Aerators of 2021

View On Lowe's

Sun Tolerance: Full Sun | Climate: Southern, Dry | Size: 5,000 square feet (max overseeding coverage area), 2,500 square feet (max new seeding coverage area) | Grass Texture: Fine to Medium

What We Like

Grows back annually
Resists disease
99 percent weed-free

What We Don't Like

Longer germination period

Bermuda grass is a warm-weather perennial, meaning it flourishes in the spring and summer and grows back annually. This grass seed from Sta-Green contains a premium blend of 99 percent weed-free Bermuda grass.

The germination period is longer than other species (about two to three weeks). But thanks to a special QuickGrow2X coating, the mixture grows faster than other Bermuda grasses and resists disease. Soon enough, you'll have a beautiful lawn with medium-textured grass that's dense, lush, and feels good between your toes.

Final Verdict

Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Sun & Shade Mix (view at Amazon) is the best grass seed overall. The seeds have a special coating that makes them more absorbent, allowing your turf to thrive year-round in the sun or shade. However, if you have pets or kids and want something that can grow with heavy foot traffic, Jonathan Green Black Beauty Heavy Traffic Premium Grass Seed Mixture (view at Amazon) might be a better choice.

Climate

One of the most important things to keep in mind when buying grass seed is the climate, as some blends do better in certain regions. For instance, Bermuda grass is native to the southern hemisphere, so it thrives in the South and the Southwestern United States.

That being said, some grass species (such as fescue and ryegrass) can grow in a variety of climates. Be sure to check the product description before purchasing grass seed to confirm it can grow where you live.

Sun Exposure

Another thing to consider is the level of sun exposure your seedlings will get. Species like Bermuda grass and some types of ryegrass need at least a few hours of sunlight a day to thrive, whereas fescue can grow in densely shaded areas.

Some mixes are formulated to grow in the sun or shade, any time of year. Check the product information before buying grass seed to make sure it's suitable for the amount of sunlight your yard gets.

Maintenance

If you're in the market for low-maintenance grass seed, look for an option that contains fertilizer. That way, your seedlings will have the nourishment they need to grow quickly and flourish. Some blends also contain mulch, which helps keep the soil healthy, retains water, and prevents weed growth.

Speaking of weed growth, you may want to get grass seed that specifically indicates it's a weed-free (or 99 percent weed-free) formula. Additionally, some seeds are individually coated with a special substance that makes them more absorbent (meaning they don't need to be watered as often) and resistant to disease.

FAQ

When is the best time to plant grass seed?

The best time to plant grass seed depends on the type of seed and the climate. However, since most mixtures germinate when temperatures aren't too hot or cold, ...planting in the fall for a cool-season grass and spring for a warm-season grass is typically ideal. Seedlings thrive in semi-warm soil with moderate daytime temps and slightly cooler evenings.
How do you prepare the soil for grass seed?

To prepare the soil for grass seed, start by removing any sticks, large rocks, and weeds from the surface. Then break up the soil with a spade, hoe, garden fork, or a core aerator, continuing to remove rocks and debris as you go. If your grass seed doesn't contain fertilizer, you'll also want to add a slow-release fertilizer to the soil before planting.
How often do you need to water grass seed?

Grass seed needs to be watered once or twice a day until it germinates. How much and how often depends on where you live and what the weather is like, but the goal is to keep the top layer of soil moist at all times. When your seedlings are about an inch tall, you can switch to watering every other day. After a few weeks, when the grass has established, weekly or bi-weekly watering should suffice.

The Spruce contributor Theresa Holland is an experienced commerce writer with several years of experience covering home improvement. She's spent countless hours researching yard care and landscaping products, not only for the content she writes but also for personal use. You can see more of her home-related stories on MyDomaine.