Establishing a Lawn - How to Choose a Grass Seed Mix

Every lawn has its own needs. Some grasses thrive in sun, others in shade, and yet others tolerate heavy use. That's why there are various types of grass seed mixtures to choose from.

Choosing the right grass seed mix is one of the most important phases when establishing a lawn.

It's worth paying sufficient attention to this, because thanks to the right seed, your lawn can grow quickly and look beautiful for many years to come.

Before you buy a grass seed mix, you need to clarify what you'll be using the lawn for. Some grasses are suitable for ornamental purposes, others for heavily used sports fields.

Therefore, first determine whether the lawn should serve only a decorative function, whether you'll be walking on it, or if you just need to stabilise the soil. Based on this, choose garden, park, ornamental or sports field mixes.

Mixes labelled as universal should be used mainly for areas that you simply need to stabilise and cover with grass. There are also mixes designed for repairing and thickening existing turf, suitable for damaged or older lawns with thin and bare patches.

If you don't find a label on the seed indicating what conditions the mix is intended for, it will probably thrive better in sunny conditions.

It's also important to consider how much water and light your lawn will have available. That's why there are categories, especially for garden grass seed mixes, designed for sun, shade or partial shade.

How do individual mixes differ?

The reason why some mixes are intended for shade and moisture while others can withstand blazing sun and foot traffic is determined by the representation of different grass species in the seed and also by the ratios between them.

Here you'll find a list of typical species used and their characteristics. Based on their representation and ratios in the grass seed mix, you can estimate which of the many mixes will be best for your future lawn.

Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)

Especially due to its vitality and resilience, it's used in mixes for heavily used areas, such as sports fields and recreational areas.

Sometimes you may also encounter the name English ryegrass, as it's the basic grass of English lawns. It prefers heavier, moist soils and tolerates drought poorly. It excels with its rich green colour, resilience under stress, rapid germination and good regeneration.

However, in areas with long-lasting snow cover it can be attacked by snow mould, and in severe frosts there's a risk of frost damage.

Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)

You'll find fescue in every ornamental mix.

There are tufted and creeping forms, with tufted forms being more drought-resistant, while creeping forms are suitable for moister locations. Fescue can have a rich green or grey-green colour and germinates at a moderate speed - roughly after two to three weeks.

It greens up early in spring. It has good resistance to weather fluctuations and various climatic conditions; during prolonged drought the leaves dry out, but the plant survives and greens up again after watering. It tolerates moderate use.

Creeping varieties are used for utility lawns on poorer soils, where they form less dense turf.

Fescue varieties can be found in ornamental lawns, where they can make up to 70% of the mixture. Quality varieties form dense and fine turf. The highest quality ones are used for golf lawns.

Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina)

This fescue species finds its use especially in mixtures for dry sites. It excels with its rich green colour and low nutrient requirements. We can find it in mixtures for ornamental lawns.

Colonial Bentgrass (Agrostis tenuis)

It forms perennial, very dense turf. It requires sufficient moisture and frequent mowing. It germinates relatively slowly and doesn't tolerate much wear, sprouting later in spring. It's used in mixtures for golf courses and very fine ornamental lawns.

Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

Bluegrass forms slightly coarser dense turf. The seed germinates three to four weeks after sowing, and bluegrass reaches full development no earlier than in the second year.

Thanks to its ability to withstand wear and excellent regeneration, bluegrass is used as one of the main components of mixtures for sports fields, athletic and recreational lawns. Some cultivars may also appear in smaller amounts in mixtures for ornamental lawns.

Choose the mixture for your lawn

Ornamental Lawn

The basis of ornamental lawns is usually red fescue. If the lawn will be on a dry site, an admixture of sheep's fescue or hair grass is suitable.

Colonial bentgrass is usually added to mixtures for wetter sites or irrigated lawns, but frequent mowing must then be expected. If the lawn will be subjected to moderate foot traffic, it's appropriate to choose a mixture containing Kentucky bluegrass.

Sports Field Lawn

Lawns on sports fields are exposed to extreme wear, so it's necessary to select vital species with fast regeneration. These properties are found in perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass. The proportion of bluegrass in the seed should be as high as possible.

Recreational Lawn

Recreational lawns are not as heavily used as sports field lawns, but they still must withstand considerable wear. Therefore, ryegrass and bluegrass are predominantly represented here as well, and we often encounter fescue or other species.

In addition to these basic categories, there are also park mixtures (for lawns without wear that require little care but are not suitable for gardens due to foot traffic), golf mixtures (seed has top quality for high-quality but demanding lawns), or meadow mixtures, which contain flowering plant species and require almost no maintenance.

Your lawn will be with you for many years, so it pays to choose the best seed possible. You'll find quality grass seed mixtures in our e-shop!

Written by Eliška Kadlecová