When you want to establish a perfect lawn, you have to do a lot more hard work. It’s a tedious task to deal with a quality good looking lawn. If you prefer an immaculate lawn, you have a lot of things to consider. First, you can start the job by testing soil conditions. Then, choose the perfect turf types that suit your lawn’s soil conditions.
When you are looking for the best grass seeds for Raleigh, NC, you have to go for the perfect type of turf to suit your Raleigh lawn care program. As North Carolina is situated in the USDA transition zones, both warm and cool-season types of grass can be grown in this area.
However, don’t worry! If you are seeking the best Raleigh grass seeds, you land in the right post where you are going to get a complete guide on Raleigh lawn care and maintenance.
Here, you will also get the 5 best seed packages for these zones. We will also discuss which grass varieties are precise for North Carolina. Keep reading the post and get all of your solutions.
The Top Choices at a Glance:
- Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Tall Fescue Mix
- Jonathan Green Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed Mix
- Pennington Dense Shade Grass Seed and Fertilizer Mix
- Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed – State Certified
- TifBlair Centipede Grass Seed Direct from The Farm
What Are The Best Grass Seeds For Raleigh, NC?
Both warm-season and cool-season pastures can be developed in the Raleigh regions. Let’s discern the grass types:
Warm Season Grass:
Bermuda and zoysia are the most popular types of grasses perceived in Raleigh to cultivate. The two turf types become an excellent option for this district due to their sun-loving characteristics. They can grow best in full and hot sunlight. They can be grown by stolons and withstand all harsh conditions. The grass types are resistant to drought and excessive heat, thus they can tolerate the temperatures of the Raleigh regions.
Cool Season Grass:
Fescue is the best-grown cool-season grass in Raleigh, NC. There are so many shady areas in North Carolina that prefer turf types that can thrive in shady conditions. Tall fescue and fine fescue are the best choices for these areas. The grasses stay evergreen and give you an immaculate lawn. It only needs 2-6 hours of sunlight and less water than other grass types. Having resistance to harsh conditions, fescue has become the best-grown grass in Raleigh.
Best Time To Plant Grass In North Carolina?
When the question arises of what to plant grass seed in NC, you have to know the time for both warm-season and cool-season grasses. Let’s know the peak time of planting grassroots:
Warm-season Grasses:
Warm-season grasses of Raleigh, North Carolina like Bermuda and zoysia remain dark green in the summer months, but they start getting dormant during winter. In the winter season, the grasses start to get brown and lose liveliness. You can play these grass types both in late spring or in early summer for better growth.
The best time to plant these turf types in North Carolina is between March and July. This is called the peak time of these grasses for optimum activity and growth. Because they need enough time to establish roots before the winter arrives. You can apply a quality aerator to the soils so that the soils can loosen up and ready to germinate.
Cool-season Grasses:
The most familiar cool-season pastures in Raleigh, North Carolina are Tall fescue, fine fescue, perennial ryegrass, as well as Kentucky bluegrass. The grasses remain green through the winter months but start to get brown during summer. They typically grow best in the early spring and winter months. They can’t tolerate excessive heat and temperature.
Mid-August and mid-October are the ideal time to plant cold-season grasses in North Carolina. Late spring is not favorable to these turf types. Because they don’t get proper time to generate their roots. Try to plant these turf types during early fall so that they can get enough time to develop the root system.
5 Best Grass Seeds For Raleigh NC (North Carolina)
1. Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Tall Fescue Mix
Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed is made with the herb mixture of tall fescue that covers up to 5,000 square feet of areas. It is said to be the best grass seed for NC. The superior combo mix is proven to resist all harsh environments including heat, drought, insects, and even diseases. The seeds can grow in both bright sunlight and partial shade. It has a lightweight structure of only 9.14 pounds along with product dimensions including 22 x 15 x 5.5 inches.
The package comes with 4 in 1 WaterSmart PLUS Coating technology that is nourished with vital nutrients to protect seedlings from further damages and diseases. It can absorb more water than regular uncoated seeds. It is considered Scott’s best seed package that ensures the protection of plants against insects, pests, diseases and also keeps the seedlings 2x moister than regular seeds. The seeds are easy to spread and fast-growing than you think.
Coming with a medium-coarse bladed texture, the seeds have high resistance to drought and heat. It ensures the rapid growth of plants within 6-14 days. The package is made with Southern-bred grass seeds so that it can withstand all rough edges like high traffic, rocky surfaces, full sun, or shades. It offers you a lawn with a deep root system of seedlings. You can easily get thicker and quicker evergreen grasses because the perfect seeds mixture ensures jump-start growth.
Pros:
- Medium-coarse bladed texture
- Offers a liable lawn with thicker and quicker grasses
- Easy to grow and spread
- Have resistance to all harsh environments
Cons:
- The product quality could be more durable
2. Jonathan Green 10322 Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed Mix
Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed is the best North Carolina grass seed that is made with 3 different varieties of grass mixture including Black Beauty Tall Fescues, elite Perennial Ryegrass, and elite Kentucky Bluegrass. Made out of 3 specific varieties, it possesses the diversity of your lawn. It is designed to generate dark green grasses to keep your lawn lush green always. The product dimensions include 16 x 10 x 4 inches with a weight of 7 pounds.
The seeds mixture is proven to ensure fast germination and optimum growth of seedlings within two weeks. Designed with 3 quality grass species, the seed mixture has resistance to all tough surfaces and can withstand all weathers. It can tolerate excessive heat, drought, rains, insects, and pests. It also comes with an invisible waxy coating technology to protect the plants against diseases and insects.
Comes with a 7-pound bag, the package is quite enough to cover up to 2,800 square feet of your lawn. The seedlings can grow generously in full sunlight, partial shade, and sandy soils also. Therefore, you don’t have to bother with the seedlings as the seeds package offers easy-growing grasses with normal maintenance. You know that the combo seeds package retains water in the leaves so that the seedlings can survive during drought also.
Pros:
- Comes with an invisible waxy coating technology
- Heat and drought resistant
- Offers insects and diseases free plants
- Rapid growing seedlings
Cons:
- The package is quite costly than you think
3. Pennington Dense Shade Grass Seed and Fertilizer Mix
Are you looking for the best grass seeds to grow in shady areas? Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade Grass Seed can be a great choice for you. Thus, it is the best grass seed for North Carolina. It is perfectly made with a balanced mixture of Tall Fescue and Fine Fescue to offer thicker and quicker green grass to make your lawn strong and durable.
Comes with a 3-pound bag, the seeds only cover 750 square feet areas. Made with quality turf types it can withstand harsh surfaces, rocky patches, and high traffic. The perfect seed mixture only demands 2-6 hours of sunlight that ensures rapid growth within 8-16 days. It has measurements of 3 x 7.5 x 11 inches with a weight of 3 pounds.
The top-performing grass seeds need less water (about 30%) and poor maintenance than regular grass seeds. The water-conserving grass seeds offer you an evergreen thick lawn drought tolerant quality seeds. You are gonna save half of your money if you purchase the seed package from Amazon. Designed with advanced fertilizer-enhanced seed coat technology, you will get fast-growing thicker grasses than you think. Get a lush green thicker lawn with the amazing seed package.
Pros:
- Water-conserving grass seeds
- Top-performing advanced grass seeds
- Fertilizer-enhanced seed coat technology
- The perfect mix of quality turf types
Cons:
- The bag should be larger
4. Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed – State Certified
Are you in search of the best grass for Raleigh NC? Then you have the right choice to purchase
Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed. The package is made with quality turf varieties to offer you a thick, hardy, and durable grass lawn. Designed with quality turf types, the seed package can go through all weather and tough surfaces including high traffic, rocky edges, drought, full sun, or partial shades.
The packet arrives with a measurement of 15.43 x 10.55 x 4.41 inches and it weighs 5.08 pounds that can cover a great number of areas of your lawn. It is handcrafted by skilled manufacturers in the United States to deal with all rough edges of north Carolina. You are glad that you are gonna get this amazing seed package from Amazon at a very reasonable price. It offers you thicker evergreen lawn grasses free of infections and pests.
Eretz, the most popular brand, comes to the market with this perfect combo of seed packages to give you an immaculate and sharp-looking lawn. It is proven to be a great forage grass that is perfect for all types of grasslands and wildlife. You don’t have to worry about the effectiveness of the grass seed because it offers you rapid-growing plants only with poor maintenance. You are gonna love the efficacy of this standard seed package.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Easy to spread
- Fast-growing grasses
- Offers maximum efficiency
- Perfect for all grasslands and wildlife
Cons:
- The built quality could be better
5. TifBlair Centipede Grass Seed Direct from The Farm
Patten Seed Company, one of the well-known seed brands, has developed a perfect seed package made with different turf types. It has become the perfect grass seed for Raleigh, NC. It is made of quality turf varieties and natural ingredients to offer you a thick good looking lawn full of green grasses. You are going to get rapidly growing grass types that won’t get brown but withstand all harsh weather.
Comes with the advanced coated seed technology, the seed is promised to ensure rapid germination of plants. The drought-tolerant grass types can go through both full sun and part shades. The seeds are also resistant to extreme heat and cold. They are easy to spread and plant. You don’t take more effort to plant these seedlings as they are disease and insect-free. You are glad that you will get this perfect seed package at a very affordable cost with maximum customer service.
If you buy TifBlair Centipede Grass Seed from Amazon, it will be worth the money. You are going to get 1 pound of seed package that can cover about 4000 square feet of your lawn. The product dimensions are 8 x 5.4 x 1.5 inches. It also prevents your plants from further damage. You are gonna love this product that is designed with improved seed technology to offer you an immaculate thick lawn.
Pros:
- Improved seed coat technology
- Easy to apply
- Cover a great number of area
- Have resistance to harsh weather
- Value for the money
Cons:
- You may have to take more effort for growing plants
What Types of Grasses Should I Plant in Raleigh, NC?
Being a landscaper of Raleigh, NC, it’s a tricky task for you to find out the best grass seed. You have a lot more factors to take into consideration. This is because North Carolina consists of 3 main areas including Mountains, the Piedmont, and Coastal Plain Area. Different places prefer different grass seeds according to climate, elevation, and humidity. You need to figure out grass types depending on the locations.
Best Grasses for Mountain Regions:
The mountain regions of North Carolina have a variety of climate fluctuations. For example, somewhere there are wetlands or somewhere there are driest areas. You better consult a professional gardener before figuring out what types of grass grow well in which places. The best grass types for Mountain regions include-
Tall Fescue: Tall fescue is one of the most commonly used cool-season grass found to be grown in transition zones of the United States. The common turf type is resistant to drought and excessive heat. It can be planted only with low maintenance. It only needs low mowing to around 3 inches. It can be grown in shady areas and demands 2-6 hours of sunshine only. It also requires less water than other grass types.
Kentucky bluegrass: Kentucky bluegrass is one of the healthiest cool-season grasses that can be grown in humid parts of north Carolina. The turf types are found to be grown in the spring and late summer months. It should be trimmed to around 3.5 inches. You can grow the plants with less watering and low maintenance.
Perennial ryegrass: Perennial ryegrass is the most widely received cool-season turfgrass that is seen to be grown in the coolest areas of Raleigh, North Carolina. It has so many agronomic qualities. It also contains naturally occurring nutrients and has a rapidly grown root system. It is also preferable to wetlands and demands well-drained soils.
Fine fescue: Fine fescue is one of the most highly dense grasses and is resistant to cold and humidity. It can tolerate rough surfaces and can be grown in poor soil conditions including sandy, rocky, or clay. The cool-season grass also can tolerate drought and shades. It can be a great choice for high elevations.
Grasses for Piedmont Regions:
Both cool and warm-season types of grass are seen to grow in the Piedmont regions of northern Carolina. The cool-season turf types are discussed above including-
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Perennial ryegrass
- Tall fescue
- Fine fescue
The warm-season varieties are-
Bermuda: Bermuda is one of the most widely used warm season grass types that have outstanding tolerance to excessive heat and drought. You only need to do poor management and low watering for planting these grasses. It can withstand the toughest areas, high traffic, and rocky edges also. It is proven to be a rapidly growing grass.
Zoysia: Zoysia is the most common warm-season grass that has excellent resistance to tough surfaces, drought, and heat. The grass stays lush green throughout the summer but gets brown in the winter months.
Centipede: Centipede is one of the hardiest and toughest grass types that can be grown in poor maintenance and low soil conditions. It has a medium-coarse texture that stays lush green in the summer months. It also has exceptional resistance to cold and demands less trimming.
St. Augustine: It is the most common grass type that prefers well-moist soils and tolerates all climates well. But it has no resistance to high traffic areas.
Grasses for Coastal Plain Regions:
Generally, warm-season grasses grow best in the coastal plain regions of Raleigh, North Carolina. This is because the climate and nature of this region suit the warm season grasses best. The most common warm-season grass varieties for this region are-
- Zoysia
- Augustine
- Bermuda
- Centipede
How to Choose The Best Grass Seed for Raleigh NC?
A beautiful well-maintained lawn is a recreational space for your home that signifies your life status also. The beauty of nature adds a charming value to your residence. It is proven that the charming beauty of nature can get rid of all your anxieties and make your mind jolly in pinkies. Green grass on your lawn spreads the extra texture and helps to stabilize the environment. It reduces environmental pollution, heat, noise as well as keeps your home calm and steady.
However, maintaining a healthy lawn is not a joke at all. You need to take much care and maintenance, while the very first job is to choose the best grass seeds according to the location. When choosing the best grass seeds for Raleigh, NC, you have a lot more factors to take into sight. North Carolina consists of three different regions with different climates, environments, soils, and weather patterns. Before choosing the best grass seeds for Raleigh, NC, you have to consider many things. Let’s discuss the fact:
Consider the region first:
As you know, North Carolina is the state where there are 3 different regions with different soil properties, weather patterns, and environments. The three regions of North Carolina are the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plains. Understanding the regions of North Carolina is very much crucial because different grass varieties grow in different regions depending on the climate, weather, temperature, and soil conditions.
The Mountains are the coolest regions where cool-season grasses grow best. On the other hand, Coastal Plains are the hotter region of northern Carolina that prefers warm-season grasses for planting. Besides, Piedmont is the place where both warm-season and cool-season grasses can be planted.
Understand the variety of grasses:
Different turf types can grow in different parts of Raleigh, North Carolina. The grass is said to be the best that can be planted in different regions. Suppose, you live in a habitat of unpredictable weather, you need to choose one grass type that will be favorable to the weather. The grass varieties that can resist both warm and cool circumstances are considered to be the best grass seed for Raleigh, NC. The most common turf grasses for North Carolina are-
Kentucky bluegrass: Kentucky bluegrass is a perfect choice for both the Mountains and Piedmont zones of Raleigh, NC. This cool season turfgrass grows best in the coolest areas of northern Carolina. It is also an ideal selection for high-traffic areas due to its low growth and tough nature. You can plant the grasses in partial shades that only require 2-6 hours of sunlight daily. It is mild heat and drought tolerant turfgrass.
Tall fescue: Tall fescue is proven to be the best turfgrass for Raleigh, North Carolina. This is because this type of grass can thrive in all regions of the NC making it the perfect choice. It is resistant to high heat, drought, and cold weather also. The versatile variety of turfgrass can grow well in rough edges and poor soil conditions also. It can withstand rocky surfaces, sandy soils, and high traffic.
Bermuda: Bermuda grass is one of the easiest adaptable turf grasses that perfectly suit the regions of Raleigh, NC. It has become more popular due to its tough blades and tolerant nature. It only demands low maintenance, little watering, poor soil conditions, and resistance to tough surfaces and all-weather. Although it can tolerate heat, drought, and high traffic regions, it can’t thrive well in shady conditions.
Perennial ryegrass: Perennial ryegrass may work as a substitute for Kentucky bluegrass, but it can’t grow well in the Mountains. In northern Carolina, Perennial ryegrass is seen to be planted along with Kentucky bluegrass. The mixture of Perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass is gonna be a versatile variety because it ensures rapid growth and a thicker lush green lawn. The combo mixture is only perfect for shady areas and fills the damaged areas quickly.
Zoysiagrass: Alike Bermuda grass, Zoysia is another warm-season grass that can sprout well in full sun or partial shade. It ensures a more rapid growth rate than Bermuda grass. It produces a denser lawn than you think. It needs less watering, less frequent mowing, and poor maintenance than Bermuda grass.
Analyze the lawn type:
Analyzing the type of lawn before going for turfgrass is very important. Because you need to choose the grass variety that will be favorable to your lawn conditions like soil properties, areas either full sun or shady, temperatures, climates, and so on. So, you should first examine the condition of your lawn and then consider the turf type.
These described factors should be taken into consideration before choosing the best grass seed for Raleigh, NC. If you consider these factors thoroughly, you will get a perfectly good-looking lawn I guarantee. Let’s make your lawn more immaculate and add value to your home with the perfect grass seeds.
Important Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Will Grass Seed Grow If I Just Throw It Down?
Taking care of your lawn is nothing but a tedious task. It’s not recommended to only throw grass seeds into the lawn. It won’t give you the desired result. For the perfect growing of grasses, you have to take care of the lawn. The soil conditions should be well moist, well-drained, and fertile enough to grow plants.
You should maintain the lawn care by proper watering of seeds, frequent mowing of the plants to make an immaculate lawn. Thus, it’s not like that you simply throw down the seeds and you get a thicker lawn. You need to have much more effort if you want a well-maintained lawn.
Can I Cover Grass Seeds with Plastic?
If you want rapid germination of seeds, keeping the grass seeds relatively warm and moist is highly recommended. Plastics can keep the grass seeds well moist and warm for easy germination. Besides, it saves the seeds from birds as they used to eat seeds.
What Is The Best Grass Seed to Plant In Spring?
Warm-season grasses are perfect for planting in Spring. Most of the warm season grasses include Bermuda grass, Bahia grass, Centipede grass, Zoysia grass. Spring is recommended to plant these grasses. Because in spring the grasses develop their root system and it is the peak time for their growth.
Which Is Better Zoysia Grass Or Bermuda Grass?
Bermuda and Zoysia grasses are well known in Raleigh, NC as the best warm-season grasses. Both two grass types grow well in the different regions of northern Carolina. Both two varieties have different characteristics and features. When the question comes to which one is better either Zoysia or Bermuda, I must say Zoysia is the best due to several reasons.
Because Zoysia grass has more tolerance to weeds than Bermuda grass. It can grow well in shady areas also but Bermuda grass can’t. Plus, Zoysia has a more impressive appearance than Bermuda grass. It also has a more rapid growth rate and a blue-green appearance. But the only drawback is you have to face problems during mowing Zoysia grass as it is the toughest grass variety.
Do I Need to Cover Grass Seeds?
Planting grass seeds is a challenging task as you have to give more effort. If the grass seeds won’t get favorable conditions, they can’t grow properly. Grass seeds demand enough moisture for growth otherwise they can get dry. To prevent grass seeds from drying out, covering the seeds can be a solution. When you cover the grass seeds, they can get enough moisture, and thus, they can thrive well.
Last Few Words:
Choosing the best grass seed for a perfect lawn is not an easy deal. It’s more tedious than you think. You need to choose grass seeds as per your lawn. Do you want to know what are the best seeds for Raleigh, North Carolina? Wanna know the peak time of grass growth? Don’t waste your time but read the post about the best grass seeds for Raleigh, NC. Here, you will get to know which turf types are perfect for the Raleigh zones.
