The Grass Doctor

What grass seeds to use? And are Scotts or Pennington any good?

My front yard is a mess. I tried doing research online but there are soo many different opinions that I am not too sure what to follow. So I live in North California and I am just wondering what type of grass would suit this weather? and is it okay to use Scotts or Pennington smart seeds?

Public Comments

1. Both will give you good results. However, from experience, use a seed that is for bluegrass only, ie, that it does not contain any fescue, or other broadleaf grass. They will only grow, and grow, and grow. The you will have to deal with ugly grass. So, straight bluegrass seed with good watering. One last thing, now is probably not the right time to start any new grass because of the heat. Maybe end of September would be better. been there already, good luck.
2. You need a cool-season grass. Depending on your micro-climate, you probably want a drought tolerant variety like Dwarf Fescue. The Home Depot stocks it. What makes it drought tolerant is it's ability to root deeply (up to 6'). However, in order to take advantage of this trait, you need to deep-till the area . Seed establishment can be tough (for the amatuer) in the middle of summer. Sod can take some of those problems away- like weeds. Good Luck