We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Shopping Gardening Reviews Lawn Care Reviews The 8 Best Grass Seed of 2024 for a Luscious Landscape After researching various grass seeds and speaking to experts, we’ve rounded up the best grass seeds for every type of lawn. By Renee Freemon Mulvihill Renee Freemon Mulvihill Renee Freemon Mulvihill has been writing for Better Homes & Gardens for more than a year, where she has focused on gardening and outdoor products. Her work has also appeared in Secrets of Getting Organized, Dream Kitchens & Baths, Houseplants, Halloween Tricks & Treats, Living the Country Life, and several of the Real Simple Special Interest Publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on March 8, 2024 Fact checked by Emily Estep Fact checked by Emily Estep Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics that range from film and beauty to science and the automobile industry. Her plant biology degree has a focus on sustainable agriculture, and she's an expert on growing your own food, environmental sciences, and all topics relating to houseplants. Learn about BHG's Fact Checking Process In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line What to Know Before Shopping Your Questions, Answered Who We Are Better Homes & Gardens / Marcus Millan Those lush, green lawns are a classic symbol of summer, but, sadly, they don’t magically appear without some work on our part. Thankfully, the best grass seeds can make maintaining your lawn a lot easier—so you have more time to sit back and enjoy the look of your lush lawn. “The first factor to consider is where you live,” says Bob Mann, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at the National Association of Landscape Professionals. “Then you need to take into consideration site-specific conditions at your home. For example, how much sun does your yard get?” “The best grass seed is adapted to your climate and growing conditions,” says Paige Boyle, PhD, and natural scientist at Sunday, a manufacturer of non-toxic lawn care products. “Think about things like high and low temperatures in your region, water availability, and the amount of traffic a lawn gets from people and pets." What We Researched To assess the best grass seeds we looking into a variety of factors such as climate compatibility, whether it’s best for sun or shade, how large of an area it will cover, and how quickly the seeds will germinate. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Scotts Turf Builder Sun & Shade Mix at Amazon (See Price) Jump to Review Best Budget: Pennington Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix at Amazon ($24) Jump to Review Best Splurge: Hancock Seed Company Spring & Summer Grass Seed Mix at Amazon ($140) Jump to Review Best Bermuda: Sunday Bermuda Time Grass Seed at Getsunday.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best for Shade: Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade at Amazon ($30) Jump to Review Best for Full Sun: Jonathan Green Black Beauty Sunny Grass Seed at Amazon ($45) Jump to Review Best for New Lawn: Scotts Grass Sun & Shade Mix at Amazon ($89) Jump to Review Best for Sandy Soil: Wildflower Farm’s Eco-Lawn at Eartheasy.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Overall Scotts Turf Builder Sun & Shade Mix Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart $27 View On Farmandfleet.com Why You Should Get It: The seeds include a coating that helps them retain moisture and sprout more quickly.Keep in Mind: It should only be planted when temperatures are between 60°F to 80°F. Most yards have a mix of shade and sun and maybe even slightly different soils (some wetter areas, some dryer areas), so the best grass seed is often one that will grow in a variety of conditions. This grass seed mix gets high marks for versatility as it grows well (and stays green) in full sun, part shade, and dense shade (though it will grow best with four to eight hours of sunlight per day). Made from a blend of several different types of cool-season grasses, including perennial ryegrass, fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass, this grass seed mix is best suited for Northern lawns and features a bright green color and fine blades of grass. Each seed in this mix is wrapped with a coating which keeps seeds moist for twice as long as uncoated seeds, and it includes a fertilizer to allow the grass to grow more quickly. It also helps protect the seed against disease. This grass seed is resistant to drought and insects, tolerant of traffic, and spreads quickly to fill in bare patches within an existing lawn. The 7-pound bag covers 930 square feet for a new lawn and up to 2,800 square feet when overseeding. It will begin to sprout in five to 10 days, with the perennial ryegrass growing first. For best results, plant it when temperatures are between 60°F to 80°F. Product Details: Type: Perennial ryegrass, chewings fescue, creeping fescue, Kentucky bluegrass | Climate: Northern regions | Sun Exposure: Sun and shade | Lawn Size: Up to 2,800 square feet | Sprout Time: 5 to 10 days Best Budget Pennington Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix Amazon View On Amazon $24 View On Walmart $24 View On Pennington.com Why You Should Get It: This seed mix is heat and drought tolerant and grows in sun or partial shade in a variety of soil types.Keep in Mind: It won’t grow in dense shade since it requires at least four hours of sunlight per day. This grass seed is not only budget-friendly, but it’s also very versatile since it grows well in a range of soil types and in both full sun and partial shade. This tall fescue seed grows best in Northern and Central regions and creates a dense, dark green lawn that will keep its color throughout the growing season. It’s heat and drought tolerant and can hold up to heavy traffic and insects—making it a great, low-maintenance choice. In fact, tall fescue is the most heat and drought tolerant cool-season grass (although it can grow in wet soils, too). This grass seed requires four to six hours of sunlight per day and can be used for overseeding an existing lawn or seeding a new lawn. Typical tall fescue grass grows quickly and requires more mowing, but this version has a lower growth rate which minimizes mowing needs. Since tall fescue is a bunch-type grass, it does have a tendency to sometimes look clumpy, but overseeding every few years can help your lawn look even better. A 7 pound bag covers up to 1,750 square feet and will start sprouting in 8 to 16 days. For the best results, you should plant it in early spring or early fall. With its low price and minimal watering and mowing needs, this best budget grass seed is a bargain all the way around. Product Details: Type: Tall fescue | Climate: Northern region | Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun | Lawn Size: Up to 1,750 square feet | Sprout Time: 8 to 16 days Best Splurge Hancock Seed Company Spring & Summer Grass Seed Mix Amazon View On Amazon $140 View On Hancockseed.com Why You Should Get It: This Bermudagrass mix tolerates a range of soils, including sandy soils, and it is drought tolerant. Keep in Mind: You’ll need to follow directions carefully to ensure the millet seed included in the mix doesn’t crowd out the Bermudagrass. This grass seed mix contains 75% Bermudagrass seed and 25% browntop millet seed, which germinates more quickly than the Bermudagrass seed. The browntop millet creates a groundcover that helps suppress weeds and prevent erosion while the Bermudagrass is getting established. Be sure to follow the package directions for planting instructions to ensure that the brown millet doesn’t overtake the area and crowd out the Bermudagrass. This mix can be used in both lawn and pasture areas and often does well in areas where other grasses might struggle. It can be grown in both wet and dry areas and tolerates sandy soil, and it’s often used where erosion control is needed. This grass seed grows well in Southern regions of the United States, as well as the Central transition zone where both warm- and cool-season grasses can grow. The mix is drought-tolerant and stands up to foot traffic well, but it grows best in full sun and needs eight or more hours of sun to thrive. It costs a bit more than some other seeds, but it’s worth the splurge since you’ll get a higher percentage of grass seed in each package than you do with many other brands. It’s also a versatile seed that’s able to grow in a range of soil types. Just keep in mind that it won’t do as well as other grasses in shady lawns, or in lawns with a mix of sun and shade. Product Details: Type: Bermudagrass and browntop millet | Climate: Southern regions | Sun Exposure: Full sun | Lawn Size: Up to 3,000 square feet | Sprout Time: 5 to 14 days The 11 Best Seed-Starting Soil Mixes of 2024 Best Bermuda Sunday Bermuda Time Grass Seed Sunday View On Getsunday.com Why You Should Get It: This grass seed is a great option for hot and dry areas as it’s heat and drought tolerant. It also grows well in a range of soil types, even in sandy soils.Keep in Mind: Bermudagrass only thrives in full sun, so it will not grow well in lawns with part or full shade. Bermudagrass is distinguished by its grayish green hue and thin blades. As with all Bermudagrass species, this grass seed grows best in Southern lawns that are in full sun, and will not grow well in shaded areas. This type of grass is a great choice for drought-prone areas—because the roots grow deep, Bermudagrass is more heat and drought tolerant than some other types of grasses. These seeds also have a calcium coating to help retain moisture in between waterings. Because of these features, you won’t have to water this Bermudagrass as much as you would some other types of turf grasses. This can be a big bonus in areas of the country that are experiencing water shortages or have watering restrictions in place. Bermudagrass is also an ideal choice for areas with sandy soil. The best time to plant this type of grass is when daily high temperatures are between 75°F to 85°F. This product works well for seeding new lawns or it can also be used for reseeding lawns planted with another type of Bermudagrass. It’s not recommended for reseeding lawns that are planted with a different type of warm-season grass. This product is guaranteed to be 99.9% weed free, so you don’t run the risk of introducing more weeds into your lawn (although keep in mind that some weed seeds might already be in the ground from a previous growing season). Product Details: Type: Bermudagrass | Climate: Southern regions | Sun Exposure: Full sun | Lawn Size: Up to 2,500 square feet | Sprout Time: 7 to 21 days Best for Shade Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade Amazon View On Amazon $30 View On Lowe's $39 View On Home Depot $16 Why You Should Get It: If you’re trying to grow grass in the shade, this is a good candidate since it includes fine fescue, which is one of the most shade-tolerant cool-season grasses. Keep in Mind: One bag covers up to 1,750 square feet, which isn’t as much as some options on our list. It’s tricky to grow grass in shady areas, but this is one of the best grass seeds for use in the shade. It contains a mix of tall fescue and fine fescue, which both tolerate shade better than many other grasses. You will need a bit of sun to grow this grass successfully, but it only requires two to six hours of sun per day. Another benefit of this grass seed is its drought resistance. Pennington’s Smart Seed was developed to help conserve water. Once the lawn is established, it needs up to 30% less water than traditional grass seed thanks to Pennington’s breeding and research programs that have improved drought-resistance over time. This can add up to a big savings in water over the years. The seeds are coated with calcium nitrate, which helps the seeds retain more moisture and provides a fertilizer to encourage seeds to germinate faster and turn green more quickly. Tall fescue and fine fescue are cool-season grasses, but Pennington says this grass can be grown anywhere in the United States. This seed can be used to fill bare spots in your lawn or to seed a new lawn. It also tolerates foot traffic well and is resistant to disease. This 7 pound covers up to 1,750 square feet, which is less square footage than other grass seed mixes on our list. Product Details: Type: Tall fescue and fine fescue | Climate: Northern and southern regions | Sun Exposure: Shade | Lawn Size: Up to 1,750 square feet | Sprout Time: 8 to 16 days Best for Full Sun Jonathan Green Black Beauty Sunny Grass Seed Amazon View On Amazon $45 View On Walmart $29 View On Jonathangreen.com Why You Should Get It: This dark green grass looks healthy even in extremely hot and sunny conditions and provides good disease and drought tolerance. Keep in Mind: Although it stands up well to heat, it’s not a good choice for Southern lawns, as the grasses in this mix are all cool-season grasses. Although most grasses grow better in sun than shade, a full sun site can also become a challenge because of heat and drought. The best grass seeds for sun should be able to handle both conditions—and this one does. It’s a mixture of several different cool-season grasses: perennial rye, Kentucky bluegrass, and tall fescue. All grow well in full sun and can tolerate heat, and these grasses need four to eight hours of sun each day. They can tolerate a little shade, but don’t grow as well in shade as some of the other turfgrass varieties. Deep roots also improve its drought tolerance. The grass in this mix features a waxy leaf coating, which helps prevent disease and retain moisture (because it limits evaporation). When properly planted and cared for, the lawn will be a dark green color that will become a dense groundcover that looks lush and healthy even in hot, sunny conditions. If you have a slope or hillside in your yard that dries out more quickly than the rest of your yard due to water run-off, this grass seed mix is a great solution. It’s also the best choice for lawns on the south side of the house that will get more sun all day (unless of course the yard has a lot of trees). This grass seed is best for Northern lawns and should be planted in mid-March through mid-May or in mid-August through mid-October. It can be used to seed a new lawn or to overseed an existing lawn. Product Details: Type: Perennial rye, Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue | Climate: Northern and central regions | Sun Exposure: Full sun | Lawn Size: Up to 2,975 square feet | Sprout Time: 7 to 14 days The 7 Best Lawn Mowers of 2024 to Keep Your Yard Neat and Trim, According to Testing Best for New Lawn Scotts Grass Sun & Shade Mix Amazon View On Amazon $89 View On Walmart $89 View On Lowe's $114 Why You Should Get It: This grass seed includes a mixture of grass species which allows it to sprout quickly and grow well in both sun and shade. Keep in Mind: These cool season grasses won’t germinate if temperatures fall below 55°F, so you’ll have to pick a planting time when there’s no chance of cold temperatures or frost. Sometimes the best grass seed isn’t just one type of seed, but a mixture of several different types of grass species. This versatile mix of quick-sprouting rye grass, full-sun loving bluegrass, and fescue that tolerates some shade helps the grass successfully grow in a variety of conditions—including both sun and shade The also includes a fertilizer, it helps you enjoy a lush, green lawn faster than you could with other types of grass seeds. This grass seed will grow in Northern areas of the United States, and its mixture of seed and fertilizer works best when it’s applied when temperatures are between 60°F to 80°F. Spring and fall are the best times to plant this grass seed. If you follow the instructions on the package for preparing the site, applying the grass seed, and watering, you should see lush and green grass within just a few weeks. Scotts has a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the results, so this mix is also worth a try for those problem areas where grass is difficult to grow. Product Details: Type: Perennial rye, fescue, bluegrass | Climate: Northern regions | Sun Exposure: Sun and shade | Lawn Size: Up to 8,000 square feet | Sprout Time: 12 to 21 days Best for Sandy Soil Wildflower Farm’s Eco-Lawn Eartheasy View On Eartheasy.com View On Wildflowerfarm.com Why You Should Get It: This fescue blend not only thrives in sandy soils, but it offers an eco-friendly lawn option that requires less watering and mowing.Keep in Mind: If left unmown, it may be a little more unruly than some homeowners would prefer. This grass seed mix grows well in sandy soils, where many other grasses struggle. It’s also the best grass seed mix if you hate mowing the lawn, as it is designed to minimize the need for mowing. The seed mix is a blend of seven fine fescue grasses, which create a thick, green lawn that can be cut short like a normal lawn or left unmown. If you don’t mow it, the grass looks a little different than what you’re probably used to—some may think it looks a little unruly, but others will love the more natural look. The grass is less vulnerable to insect damage because it has deep roots that make a poor habitat for insects that live underground. The deep roots also help it take up more moisture, and the thin grass blades require less moisture than typical lawn grass with thicker blades. It can be easily grown without fertilizer or pesticides, so it offers an eco-friendly option for lawn care. This grass seed mix grows in both Northern and Southern climates, but in Southern regions you will have to water it more when it’s getting established, as well as in future years during hot and dry weather. It still requires less watering than most turf grasses, but it will likely need more water than lawns in Northern climates. Product Details: Type: Fine fescue | Climate: Northern and southern regions | Sun Exposure: Sun and shade | Lawn Size: 1,000 square feet | Sprout Time: 7 to 14 days The Bottom Line After researching a variety of grass seed mixes for both Northern and Southern lawns, we chose Scotts Turf Builder for Sun & Shade Mix as the best grass seed because it’s versatile enough to thrive in both full sun and dense shade and includes a coating that helps retain moisture and jump start seed growth. If you’re looking for a grass seed for Southern areas, we recommend Hancock’s Common Bermuda Spring & Summer Grass Seed Mix. It grows well in full sun, is drought tolerant, and tolerates a range of soil types, including tricky sandy soils. What to Know About Grass Seed Before Shopping Type There are a variety of grass species available, and what type you need depends on where you live and your soil type. Perennial ryegrass, which is found in the Scotts Turf Builder Sun and Shade Mix, will germinate in about a week or so if you need to fill in a lawn fast. If you have a lawn that doesn’t receive much sunlight, a shade-tolerant grass seed like fescue is the best choice. Conversely, if you have a lawn that receives full sun or live in a Southern region, Bermudagrass seed, like the Sunday Bermuda Time Grass Seed, is the ideal option. For Northern lawns or partial shade, Kentucky bluegrass is a popular choice. The grass seed label should list the types of grass seeds that are included in the package. There may be just one species of grass, or there may be a mix of several different species that can often help grass succeed in a variety of conditions within the same property. Climate Not all grass seeds can be successfully grown everywhere. Grasses are divided into two categories: cool-season grasses, which grow best in cooler regions of the United States and warm-season grasses, which can tolerate the hot summers in the Southern states. “Lawns in the Northern US should use cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescues, and perennial ryegrass,” Boyle says. “In the south, warm-season grasses are the better option because they can withstand the heat; this includes grasses like bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, buffalograss, and kikuyugrass.” However, not all warm-season grasses can be grown from seed—some need to be planted as sod or plugs. Sun Exposure Most grass seeds grow best in full sun, but some types of grasses are more tolerant of shade than others. For example, Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade only requires two to six hours of sun per day to grow. In general, if you’re looking for a grass that is somewhat shade-tolerant, Boyle recommends fine fescues for Northern climates and St. Augustinegrass or zoysiagrass for Southern regions. Keep in mind that even the best grass seeds may not be able to thrive in dense shade. Lawn Size Most seed bags will provide information about the coverage area for both overseeding an existing lawn and establishing a new lawn. You’ll need more seeds if you are putting in a whole new lawn. The coverage area of grass seed varies quite a bit, so measure your lawn area and check the grass seed bag before purchasing. Most seed mixes are sold in a variety of sizes, and the coverage area for each package size will be different. Sprout Time How quickly seeds germinate will vary depending on the species of grass you are growing. Some seeds sprout in a week or less, while others may take up to 21 days. Perennial ryegrass, included in Scotts Turf Builder Rapid Grass Sun & Shade Mix, has one of the shortest germination times so it can help fill in a lawn quickly. “The seeds of perennial ryegrass germinate in a matter of days and will quickly hold topsoil in place preventing erosion,” Mann explains. “Ryegrass performs the role of a nurse species until more permanent grasses can germinate and become well-established.” Your Questions, Answered What is the easiest grass seed to grow? The easiest grass seeds to grow are the ones that are best suited to your climate and growing conditions. In addition to choosing a cool or warm season grass based on your climate, you should also select a grass seed based upon the conditions in your own lawn. “Different grasses have different tolerances to different stressors,” Boyle says. “Tall fescue is a great option for cool-season lawns that need a little extra heat or drought tolerance, fine fescues are better adapted for shady conditions, and Kentucky bluegrass is good for high-traffic lawns.” Take time to assess your site and the activities that will be taking place in the lawn before selecting a grass seed. What grass seed grows best in the shade? Fine fescues are a good shade-tolerant option for Northern regions and St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass are good shade-tolerant choices in the South. Keep in mind, though, that generally grass seed does not grow as well in the shade. “You can get grass to grow in the shade to a point, but homeowners may need to explore something different to plant there, such as a shade-tolerant groundcover,” Mann says. Who We Are Renee Freemon Mulvihill is a freelance writer specializing in home and garden topics. To write this story, she researched grass seed online and talked to Bob Mann, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at the National Association of Landscape Professionals and Paige Boyle, PhD, and natural scientist at Sunday, a manufacturer of non-toxic lawn care products, to get their insights on choosing the best grass seed for a variety of climates and conditions. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit