For longtime GardenLine listeners, this may seem repetitive, but it’s worth a reminder that only three grasses work consistently in Texas: Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia.
On the radio show last weekend, we got into a couple of discussions about why April or May is the best time to get Bermuda seed germinating. And remember that the only grass that germinates from seed in this region is Bermuda.
I bring this up because of the advertising for Scott’s grass seed that's saturating the Houston area. It seems there’s a new grass seed mass-marketed almost every year, especially on cable TV. A couple of years ago it was Grassology. The year before that, it was Patch Perfect. Back when I first started hosting GardenLine, there was one known as Canadian Green.
Don’t be taken in by “sounds too good to be true” marketing. The simple fact is that almost no grass seed OTHER THAN BERMUDA will work in Southeast Texas, because others are usually blends of fescues, bluegrasses and ryes. Winter rye is an exception, because it will work as winter cover. But, don’t get me started about why you shouldn’t use winter rye either.
Scott’s does have a Bermuda seed, and it is supposedly a more "scientifically developed" Bermuda. But they also have scores of fescues and likely some bluegrasses and ryes as well. So, please read the label carefully before you buy anything from Scott’s. Even if you find something that contains Bermuda seed, it won’t germinate until the soil temperature is warm enough. Like right NOW!
By the way, Scott’s Bermuda seeds are usually quite good at germination, because they have been developed to germinate with scant moisture.
But there’s another catch: It’s hard to tell the difference between one Bermuda seed and another. Common Bermuda seed sold at local nurseries and feed stores is often less than $20 for a five-pound bag, and about two pounds will properly cover 1,000 square feet. But some seed with “water smart engineering” can be over $150 per bag and only cover around 5,000 square feet. While major corporations may be able to rationalize that sort of pricing because of “engineering” or having a fertilizer built in, I just don’t see how those things justify such a huge price difference. For background, feed stores can buy a big 50-pound bag of good Bermuda seed for roughly $300 wholesale, then break it down for smaller, reasonably priced bags. Do you see the perspective?
Finally, don’t be fooled into thinking that Bermuda seed will work in shade, as some commercials claim. It won’t! Only some Zoysia grasses, (such as Zorro and Zeon) and a very few St. Augustine types have a fighting chance in shadier environments.
And by the way, Zoysia and St. Augustine are not sold as seed. If you want those, you need solid sod. Bermuda is the only grass we can grow from seed in Southeast Texas. And if you want it to germinate properly, you’ve got the perfect window for the next 45-60 days.