How To Choose The Best NightShift Grass Seed For A Lush And Green Lawn

If deep greens from the natural world put you at ease, growing a lawn with this color palette may brighten your day-to-day life. NightShift grass seed blends — formerly known as Blackout seed — are designed to bring about this soothing shade. The company combines grass varieties known for their dark emerald hues, primarily Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. All three of these are considered cool-season grasses, meaning that they excel in temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool-season grasses grow well across most of the continental U.S., except in Florida, much of Texas, and the deep South. Keep this in mind when selecting a NightShift blend for your yard. Since tall fescue can handle drought and quite a bit of heat, blends featuring this variety may be the best fit for warmer areas.

Also, compare the sunlight requirements, durability, and texture of the different NightShift blends you're considering. Kentucky bluegrass is known for its soft texture, so the Kentucky Bluegrass Dark Blend might be ideal if you like to go barefoot in your backyard. If you need grass that can withstand heavy foot traffic, durable Turf-Type Tall Fescue seed is up for the challenge. It's also a good match for yards with a bit of shade since it can handle partial sunlight. If your yard has more than a little tree cover, the shade-loving fireball and hattrick grasses in the Perennial Ryegrass blend could be just the ticket. These ryegrass varieties also grow exceptionally fast, so they're a fine choice if you want to cover bare patches of ground as soon as possible. No matter which you choose, try to follow the one-third rule when mowing. It'll help keep your grass at a height that promotes healthy growth.

Caring for cool-season grass is pretty straightforward, but some varieties require less maintenance than others. In general, fertilizing your lawn at the right time, with a high-nitrogen, iron-fortified product, can help the color stay vibrant. If you're using NightShift's starter fertilizer, apply it when you sow the seeds or two weeks afterward.

Watering needs are another factor to consider when choosing a NightShift blend. Although it grows quickly, the Perennial Ryegrass blend requires only moderate amounts of moisture and mowing. The Turf-Type Tall Fescue blend stays strong during periods of little to no water. Plus, it's known for its disease resistance, which can be helpful when the stress of a drought makes grass and other plants more vulnerable to pathogens. Other disease-resistant choices include the Kentucky Bluegrass and Turf-Type Tall Fescue blend, which requires little watering, and the Dark Legend blend, which is designed to tolerate a variety of stressors while blanketing your yard in a delightfully deep green. A healthy, disease-free lawn also saves time and money since it needs fewer chemical treatments than stressed or unhealthy turf.