7 grass seed varieties compared over a year

14 years ago

I couldn't decide which grass seed to go with, so I planted 7 different varieties in side-by-side rows in my front yard and figured I'd track which one worked best. Also, I tried out bentgrass in a patch on the side. I took some pictures during the good and bad times over the course of the year.

Besides watering and fertilizing during the initial seeding, I didn't water, fertilize, or pesticide the grass. The grass probably would have done much better had I done some watering in the summer, but I'm apparently too lazy for that.

Perhaps someone else will benefit from looking at how these grass seeds performed in a just about zero-maintenance setting in Northern VA. Also, I wonder if anyone has opinions on which row of grass they like best.

I got all the grass seeds from SuperSeedStore in last fall (2008) and planted them around Oct 1, 2008, after killing and tilling the previous lawn and adding compost. The area gets full sun for the most part.

Link to PhotoBucket album is at the bottom.

The grass rows, from right to left when looking at the house. The following descriptions are copied from my order. I deleted the prices and quantities because I'm embarrassed at how much I spent/wasted on this little experiment.

1) Gotham Hard Fescue

Gotham hard fescue matches the outstanding performance of Spartan II hard fescue in the NTEP trials.

Seeding Rate: 4 lbs./1,000 sq. feet

2) SS 8000 blend

SS8000 IMPROVED

This three way blend of superior hard fescue varieties (Gotham, Predator and Minotar) is designed for steep slopes and other areas where limited mowing is desired. For use north of the Mason-Dixon line, or anywhere Kentucky bluegrass is adapted.

Seeding Rate: 4 lbs./1,000 sq. feet

3) SS1000

This superior quality blend of five of the top tall fescue varieties in the most recent national trials is the finest tall fescue blend available anywhere. Contains equal parts Rebel IV, Inferno, Padre, Justice, and 2nd Millennium.

8 lbs/ 1000 square feet

4) SS1100

This four-way blend of Midnight II, Bedazzled, NuDestiny and Freedom III Kentucky Bluegrass is ideal for overseeding existing bluegrass lawns. It can also be combined with perennial ryegrass and fine fescue to make a great sunny lawn mix for Northern growing conditions. SS1100 provides increased genetic diversity, and better overall disease protection, compared to a single Kentucky bluegrass variety.

Seeding Rate: 2 lbs./1,000 sq. feet

SS6000

SS6000 NEW IMPROVED

This superior mixture combines superior shade tolerant fine fescues with a shade tolerant Kentucky bluegrass to produce beautiful turf under moderate shade conditions. SS6000 contains 20% each of Gotham hard fescue, Zodiac chewings fescue, Garnet creeping red fescue, Intrigue chewings fescue and Brilliant shade tolerant bluegrass.

Seeding Rate: 4 lbs./1,000 sq. feet

6) Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass

Midnight has set the standard for outstanding bluegrass performance for over 20 years. Insist on Certified Midnight Kentucky bluegrass!

7) Zodiac Chewings Fescue 5 lbs. containers Outstanding turfgrass quality in all parts of the country with very good disease resistance.

Seeding Rate: 4 lbs./1,000 sq. feet

8) Penncross Creeping Bentgrass

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics of 7 different grasses

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Comments (11)

lazyocd
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Although it doesn't look so good right now, in a way, the bentgrass might have done the best of the grasses. It looked the best up till the summer when it started to yellow out. Some of the grass looked too densely packed and it started to yellow. In any case, even where the bentgrass appears dead, it was thick enough to prevent other weeds and it looks easy enough to re-seed or let the bentgrass fill in.
A more persistent issue was the increase in the height of a yellow sheath around the bentgrass. The yellow sheathes looked sort of like a natural part of the plant, like dried leaves or like the dry yellow leaves you see on the side of corn ears - sort of like this: http://www.howtoboilafrog.com/images/frogblog/corn.jpg

Anyway, I'm not sure whether my issue was letting the bentgrass get too high, or cutting it too short, or not watering it, or just trying to have bentgrass in the summer without watering it or cooling it. Also, although lots of compost was tilled into the soil and I did my best to even it out, the dead parts look a little less rich (probably because they're drier now because they don't have live grass). I wonder if distribution of compost had an effect on where the grass died.
When shopping for Bentgrass, I never saw any pictures of bentgrass in the summer, or bentgrass in sun, or bentgrass drought, so maybe someone will see these pics when searching on those. There's only one bentgrass picture currently in the album, it's from a few weeks ago, after the dry ravages of summer.
bpgreen
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
One thing to note is that bentgrass should be kept mowed VERY short (less than 1/2 inch) but all the other grasses will do best if you mow them high (at least 2-3 inches).

Also, fine fescue needs about half as much fertilizer (or less) than the others on the list.
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reelfanatic
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I can't believe you went to all of that trouble and did not water or fertilize. No offense man, but your yard looks like a disaster. What are your plans? Pick one variety and do it for real, or just leave it like that?
garycinchicago
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
>"The grass rows, from right to left when looking at the house."

Yeah, so you take pictures the other way, pointed towards the street?!?!?!??!
I don't read Hebrew!

Like reel says - it's a disaster. Good job - mazeltoff!
tiemco
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
"I deleted the prices and quantities because I'm embarrassed at how much I spent/wasted on this little experiment."

Don't worry, most of the people with turfgrass addiction on here are very familiar with SSS's prices.

No offense but I agree with Reelfanatic. It was a cool idea, but with some research you could have found the best grass for your specific needs. You would have also learned a lot about caring for turfgrass, and probably would have had a nice looking lawn. I think you still have time to do something this fall since you are in Virginia, but not much. Best of luck to you.
Scott Haslip
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Disaster is putting it mildly.

If my lawn looked even 1/2 that bad, i would, i would......

I have cheap contractors tri-rye, and it has at times looked stellar. I do of course work hard with my "cultural practices" and a hybrid synthetic/organic fertilization program.

I spot spray, and hand pull weeds and my lawn is 20 times the size of your lawn.

Just this fall, i overseeded with SS1100 and have been watering daily for 2 weeks.
lazyocd
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, I wasn't expecting insults, ridicule and vaguely anti-semitic complaining when I posted this (I mean you, Gary).

And Haslip, thanks for letting me know you're a better gardener and have a lawn 20 times the size of mine. You probably drive a better car, too, want to put that in a post?

Lighten up, guys, I just lost interest after the fall and didn't water it in the summer.

Thank you to those people who replied and weren't jerks. reelfanatic: I'll probably take a thatch rake, reseed the rows with my leftover seed from last year. Or, maybe I'll just see how the grass recovers on its own with some water and the cooler weather.
garycinchicago
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
>"vaguely anti-semitic"

MUHAHAHAHAHA ... right!
Keep up the good work!
Scott Haslip
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
My car sucks, and it just cost me $650! But my wife is beautiful!
schreibdave
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
My first thought when you described your experiment was "I should try that." My second thought was "umm, maybe not on MY lawn though." Good luck.
jimmygiii
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Lazyocd - thanks for putting the pics of your experiment up.

Remember, any spineless person can put post pics of their yard looking its very best. It takes a real man (or a glutton for punishment & ridicule) to post pics of their yard throughout the year in both the good times and the bad times and the really, really bad times.

7 grass seed varieties compared over a year

Comments (11)

lazyocd
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7 grass seed varieties compared over a year

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lazyocdOriginal Author

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