Posted on August 18th, 2016
Deciphering confusing labels on the back of grass seed can be difficult, which makes selecting the ideal type overwhelming. Well, not anymore! With a little help from This Old House, we’ve broken down the basics for you, plain and simple. Here are the terms that you need to look
“Pure Seed” & “Variety”
This tells you the percentage of each individual grass seed variety that makes up the entire bag. As a general rule, try to select a brand that boasts a blend of 2 or more seed types. This makes your lawn more resilient against disease. Make sure that a variety is specified for each, as this is a good indicator of its quality.
“Other Ingredients”
Additional crop seed varieties are typically mixed in, but you want to be sure that this doesn’t account for more than 2.5% of the bag. Weed seeds are also always mixed in, as they’re unavoidable, but sticking to .2% or less shouldn’t be an issue. Finally, you’ll see “inert matter,” listed. This refers to the dirt and broken seeds, or fillers that are mixed in.
“Noxious Weeds”
Unlike “weed seeds,” noxious weeds can be harmful and rather invasive. The higher quality grass seeds will have no trace of noxious weeds in sight. Keep that in mind when selecting your see this fall.
“Tested”
Think of the tested date as an expiration date. If the bag of seed was tested more than a year ago, it’s best to look for something tested more recently. The longer it sits, the less effective it will be.
Could you use a hand selecting the perfect grass seed for your lawn this fall? If you live in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, the Turf Unlimited team is always just a phone call away!
To schedule an estimate and learn more about our lawn care services, call 888-649-9919 today.
