What to Avoid When Buying Grass Seed
If you’re planning on seeding a lawn from scratch, you might be wondering, “What are the common mistakes to avoid when planting grass seed?” Some people will say overwatering, uneven broadcasting, or insufficient protective covering. But the biggest mistake you can make happens before all of that—it’s buying low-quality grass seed.
Believe it or not, most of the problems people face when planting grass seed can be avoided by investing in high-quality seed varieties up front. Find out what to avoid when buying grass seed, and set yourself up for success from the very beginning.
Don’t Fall for Bargain Bin Blends
Every spring, countless homeowners fall victim to the bargain bin grass seed blends for sale. Big box brands promise quick germination times, strong roots, and great coverage, while the product inside often falls short. Nothing is more frustrating than spending hours preparing a lot, seeding, and watering, only to end up with a dull, patchy lawn. If the price of a grass seed bag seems too good to be true, it probably is. These bargain blends usually contain the following:
- Low-quality or outdated varieties
- High percentages of filler
- Weed seeds or annual grasses
Avoid Seed Mixes with High Inert Matter or Weed Content
One of the most common mistakes to avoid when planting grass seed is buying seed mixes with a high percentage of inert matter or weed seed content. Grass seed is usually sold with seed tags that tell you more about the composition of the mix. Watch for higher percentages of some contents, like inert matter and weed seed, as they can make germination more difficult.
What is Inert Matter?
Inert matter or filler material is anything in a seed mix that will not grow. Things like dirt, debris, seed hulls, stems, sawdust, and sand may all be mixed in with a bag of low-quality grass seed. Companies include inert matter because it simply ends up in the bag during the seed-cleaning and sorting. With high-quality grass seed, suppliers take more time to remove this excess material so that the percentage is low. A good rule of thumb is to avoid grass seed with more than 2% inert matter.
What is Weed Content?
When grass seed is sorted and packaged, sometimes weed seeds end up in the mix. This means that when you plant your grass seed, you also plant a small percentage of weeds (unwanted plants) like crabgrass or dandelions. Some mixes even contain noxious weeds (non-native or harmful plants), like hairy chess. Ideally, your grass seed mix will contain 0% weed seed. Avoid grass seed bags with a weed seed content above 0.5%.
Steer Clear of One-Size-Fits-All Seed
Quality grass seed mixes should be specific to your region, sun exposure, and desired variety. When a bag touts messaging like “3 in 1,” “sun & shade,” and “grow anywhere,” it’s usually a red flag. These “one-size-fits-all” grass seed mixes usually contain a lot of inert matter, several types of grass seed at low percentages, and excessive amendments. High-quality grass seed should contain as close to 100% seed purity as possible. Avoid mixes that claim to do several jobs at once or that can be “planted anywhere.”
Don’t Ignore Germination Rates
Another common mistake to avoid when planting grass seed is choosing a bag with a low germination rate. The germination rate refers to the percentage of seeds in the bag that will actually sprout and grow. For example, in a high-quality mix with a 95% germination rate, only about 5% of the seeds in the bag will fail to sprout. Germination rates are based on real growth studies of the product and can be a great predictor of success. Avoid seed mixes with a germination rate lower than 85%.
Watch Out for Annuals in Perennial Disguise
When planting grass seed, the best choice is usually a perennial. Perennial grass seed establishes roots, grows, and then regrows year after year. Annual grass seed completes one growth cycle and fails to come back the following year. A common mistake to avoid when planting grass seed is buying annual varieties. While some people may buy annual seeds as a way to fill in bald patches, this type of seed is not ideal for full lawn coverage. Always check the seed tag or label on grass seed bags to determine what kind you’re buying, and avoid mixes with annual grass seed.
The Smart Way to Buy Grass Seed
If you want to steer clear of the common mistakes to avoid when planting grass seed, it’s time to buy smarter. At Nature’s Seed, all of our grass seed varieties have been thoroughly cleaned, quality-tested, and vetted for premium performance. With no filler materials, high germination rates, and region-specific blends, our seed will set you up for success from the beginning. Find the high-quality grass seed you’ve been looking for, and get started today.
FAQs
What are the common mistakes to avoid when planting grass seed?
Some of the most common mistakes to avoid when planting grass seed include buying mixes with a high percentage of inert matter, using a mix with low germination rates, and focusing on annual varieties instead of perennials.
What is the secret to growing grass seed?
Buying a high-quality grass seed or seed mix is the secret to seeding a lawn successfully. Cheap, low-quality grass seed will set you up for a series of headaches like patchy growth, disease, poor stress tolerance, and weed invasion.
Can I put grass seed and fertilizer down at the same time?
Generally speaking, you should not apply fertilizer and plant grass seed simultaneously. Seedlings are delicate and can be overpowered by fertilizer, so it’s best to wait at least a month before fertilizing your new lawn. This is another reason why “multi-purpose” grass seed mixes can be disappointing. They include a lot of fertilizer and amendments that can hinder germination.