The Grass Doctor

what is the best type of grass to grown in nj?

my lawn died i think because i put weed kiler on it in july :( so now i have to plant more seed on my front lawn which has a slope and some spots on the rest of it. any advise on which brand and what type of seed? i always liked scotts. :)

Public Comments

1. The best thing to do now is get rid of the dead grass. A front tine tiller is good for this. Mix in some top soil or compost. Buy either Scotts or Pennington seed with a healthy bluegrass blend and look at 'Gardens Alive' for products that promote germination.
2. Hi April ! Sorry to hear about your dead grass. Some lawn seeds are decorative and others are intended for hard wear. Kids playing on it and so on. I think it depends on how you use your lawn. Weeds are killed off by regular mowing as you know. Weed killers are a bit strong and if not used correctly can cause more problems than they solve.
3. Truthfully I have no clue but you certainly need some help in restoring your front yard so I have a link for your nearest university extension and they usually have a Master Gardner that answers question for people in need. http://www.greenhousecatalog.com/cooperative_extensions_for_each_state.php Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station http://njaes.rutgers.edu/ Contact site To expedite your inquiry, please indicate the subject matter about which you are writing: Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required. *********You probably want this category **************Lawn and Garden ............................http://njaes.rutgers.edu/contact/
4. I think the best choice of seed for lawns in cold-Winter areas is a blend of several varieties. An 'Estate Blend' or 'Sun and Shade' mix usually contains a mixture of Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Rye grass and Fine Fescue. Kentucky Blue is a good basis for the blend. It has nice color and texture. Perennial Rye generally sprouts more quickly than other varieties so it will fill-in bare areas and help to keep the slower-to-germinate seeds in place. Fine Fescue, such as 'Creeping Red ' or 'Chewings' holds up well in shadier areas of the lawn. You get what you pay for with grass seed. More expensive grass seed will generally have a higher germination rate and a smaller content of weed seed. The composition will be listed on the bag. Scott's seed is pretty good stuff; I would advise paying a little more for their 'Pure Premium' products. Pennington is another quality seed brand. I like to buy grass seed from a feed and seed store. If there is such a place in your area, I would recommend checking them out. Their prices are competitive, they are usually very knowledgeable and they will often custom-blend varieties of seed for your particular needs. I feel that the seed I buy from that type of store is fresher than what they have at the 'big-box' stores.
5. Hi, NJ here too. Look for SCOTTS "Reseed Supreme" at Home Depot or Lowes. This bag contains a good blend of high quality grasses that grow well in sun or shade. As others suggested here you would do best if you revove the dead grass and slightly prepare the soil. Good compost usually works better than "top soil" when reseeding bare spots. And - as you may have gathered... it is best not to use "weed killer" in hot weather. (now he tells me) (Weed killer puts stress on all plants and grass, not just the plants it is designed to kill and that along with summer heat could be lethal). (PSS- The most effective weed killer is the kind designed to prevent the weeds from growing from seed- this is best used in Spring). PSSS- You can use "Corn Gluten" weed preventer in the Spring (about when the forsethia bloom) to avoid the nasty weed killer chemicals. Corn Gluten is natural and works just as good as any chemical week killer. It is availbale at most good garden centers but Home Depot doesn't sell it and Lowe's only sells a small bg of it... it is good stuff though if you can get it. LASTLY, Also- you mentioned that the grass is on a slope. This area of your lawn may dry out faster since water will run off the area faster than on a flat area. (And may have an effect on the grass). GOOD LUCK