The Best Grass Seed for Missouri Lawns

The seven best grass seeds for Missouri lawns include cool-season types like tall fescue and warm-season types like Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass. Your location in the Show Me State will help determine which of these grass types will thrive in your yard.

These seven grass types are the gateway to increasing your curb appeal, just as the Gateway Arch is the “Gateway to the West.” Let’s learn more about these Missouri grass types and which is best for your yard. 

Best grass types for Missouri

Missouri is mainly home to cool-season grass types, with a few warm-season grasses that can tolerate the transition zone climate. Here are the seven best grass types for Missouri:

Cool-season grasses

Tall fescue

Turf-type tall fescue is a versatile grass choice for Missouri homeowners. It adapts well throughout the state and is one of the most popular grasses in the transition zone. Tall fescue can be planted as either seed or sod. Its deep 2-3 foot root system allows it to withstand heat and drought in sandy or clay soils, making it the best grass seed for Missouri’s clay soil.

Tall fescue thrives in full sunlight but can also withstand partial shade. While it cannot repair damage on its own and doesn’t hold up well against heavy foot traffic, it’s suitable for regular lawn use and is resistant to many lawn diseases. Tall fescue has a coarse to medium texture and can stay green year-round in some climates, including southern Missouri.

Check our guide on “How to Grow and Care for Tall Fescue” to learn more.

Grass Seed Options:
– Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend (5000 sq ft)
– Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed (choose your size)
– Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix (7 lb.)

Kentucky bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass, or KBG, is a fine-textured, dark green grass well suited for northern Missouri, provided it is properly maintained. It’s a popular cool-season grass type often used in lawns, golf courses, and athletic fields. 

KBG is tolerant of moderate foot traffic and recovers quickly from damage. It takes 14 to 28 days to germinate but spreads quickly to form a dense, soft turf. It also has excellent drought tolerance and thrives in full sun while tolerating moderate shade (depending on the cultivar). As such, KBG is one of the best Missouri grass seeds for full sun.

For more information, read our guide on “How to Grow and Care for Kentucky Bluegrass.”

Grass Seed Options:
– Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed (3 lbs.)
– SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed (5 lbs.)

Fine fescues

Fine fescues are a group of fine-textured grasses that thrive in cool, humid regions, coastal areas, and high elevations. They are often used in parks, roadsides, and seed mixtures for shaded lawns in Missouri. Popular types of fine fescues include:

• Chewings fescue
• Hard fescue
• Sheep fescue
• Slender creeping red fescue
• Strong creeping red fescue

Most fine fescues are drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, with the lowest fertilizer, mowing, and moisture needs among cool-season grass types. However, they are susceptible to lawn diseases like brown patch and are not suitable for lawns with heavy foot traffic. Fine fescues are the best grasses for shade in Missouri.

Read our guide on “How to Grow and Care for Fine Fescues” for more information on these grass types.

Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz Creeping Red Fine Fescue Seed (choose your size)
– Outsidepride Creeping Red Fine Fescue Grass Seed (25 lbs.)

Perennial ryegrass

Perennial ryegrass is a cool-season turfgrass that blends well with other grasses. It establishes quickly, sprouting within five to 10 days, and forms an attractive, thatch-free lawn in 60 days. It can be seeded on its own but is often mixed with KBG and fescues to create a more pest-resistant lawn. It is also used to overseed dormant Bermudagrass during the fall.

Perennial ryegrass thrives in full sun and requires regular watering. It tolerates high foot traffic but lacks rhizomes, making it unable to recover well from damage. Perennial ryegrass is not generally tolerant of high heat, and without intensive care, it may die during more harsh Missouri summers, though there are newer varieties that have improved heat tolerance.

It is also susceptible to red thread and gray leaf spot, though proper care will reduce the risk of these lawn diseases.

Learn more in our guide: “How to Grow and Care for Perennial Ryegrass.”

Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)

Warm-season grasses

Bermudagrass

Bermudagrass is a warm-season grass that thrives in full sun with very little watering. It does require frequent mowing and fertilization but is also disease-resistant and can handle high foot traffic, recovering quickly from damage. 

Due to its cold sensitivity, Bermudagrass is most commonly used in southern Missouri, growing during spring and summer and going brown and dormant in the winter. Many cold-tolerant varieties are available, which will help protect the grass from dying in the winter. 

Pro Tip: Bermudagrass spreads aggressively through stolons and rhizomes, which can make it invasive in flower beds and gardens.

To learn more, read our guide on “How to Grow and Care for Bermudagrass.”

Grass Seed Options:

– Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass (10-lb. bag)
– Hancock Seed Co. Bermudagrass (50-lb. bag)

Zoysiagrass

Zoysiagrass is a durable warm-season grass that grows into a thick, soft-textured mat. It germinates and spreads slowly, taking a year to form a dense turf, but once it becomes established, it has several traits that make it worth the wait.

For example, Zoysiagrass requires little fertilizer, is moderately shade-tolerant, is disease- and pest-resistant, and has excellent heat and foot traffic tolerance, making it one of the best grasses for dogs in Missouri. One notable downside is that it recovers slowly from damage.

Meyer Zoysiagrass is among the most popular cultivars in Missouri. One of its key selling points is its relatively good winter hardiness, even though it does turn brown (dormant) for about six months in the fall and winter.

For more information, here is our guide on “How to Grow and Care for Zoysiagrass.”

Grass Plug and Seed Options:
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)
– Zenith Zenith Grass Seeds (1/8 lb. of seeds)

Buffalograss

Native to the Great Plains, buffalograss is a warm-season perennial grass that thrives in the drier and warmer regions of Missouri. This grass is popular for its drought tolerance, flood tolerance, and because it’s more cold tolerant than other warm-season grasses. It’s also a fairly low-maintenance grass once established. 

Buffalograss is a slow grower, requiring less mowing and fertilization than other grass types. It is also naturally resistant to many common pests and diseases.

Thanks to its native status, buffalograss is perfect for Missouri’s soil and climate, thriving best in full sun. However, it can struggle in heavily shaded areas, so it is more suited for homeowners with full sun and well-drained soil.

For more information, read our guide on “How to Grow and Care for Buffalograss.”

Grass Seed Options:
– Everwilde Farms Buffalograss Seeds (1 lb. of seeds)
– Buffalograss seed (primed) (5-lb. bag)

FAQ about grass seed in Missouri

When is the best time to seed my Missouri lawn?

The best time to plant grass seed in Missouri depends on your grass type:

Plant cool-season in the fall, around mid-September, or in the spring, from February to April. Although spring seeding is possible, the best time to seed your cool-season lawn is in the fall, when you can plant between late August and mid-October, depending on your location, when the temperatures are cooling down. 

Plant warm-season Missouri lawns in spring, from mid-May to early-June.

What native Missouri plants and wildflowers can I add to my landscape?

Adding native Missouri plants and wildflowers to your landscape can enhance your curb appeal and support local wildlife. 

Here are a few of the best “Missouri Native Plants for Your Landscape”:

• Eastern redbud
• Missouri evening primrose
• Wild bergamot
• Black-eyed Susan
• Purple coneflower

Additionally, here is a short list of “Missouri Wildflowers for Your Garden”:

• Blue wild indigo
• Columbine
• Cardinal flower
• New England aster
• Goldenrod

Pro Tip: Know your Missouri planting zone before going to your local nursery to select plants for your yard.

What’s a good lawn care schedule for Missouri?

A general seasonal schedule for Missouri homeowners would look something like this: 

Spring:

• Fertilize the lawn
• Control perennial weeds and apply pre-emergent herbicides
• Rake and mow
• Aerate cool-season lawns
• Control sod webworms

Summer:

• Mow cool-season lawns higher
• Water as needed
• Dethatch and aerate warm-season lawns
• Control white grubs

Fall:

• Mow warm-season grasses higher
• Aerate and dethatch cool-season lawns
• Overseed thin areas (cool-season grass)
• Fertilize cool-season lawns
• Control perennial broadleaf weeds

Winter:

• Remove piling snow
• Take a soil test

If you’re interested in a monthly breakdown, check out Lawn Love’s “Month-by-Month Lawn Care Calendar for Missouri.” 

Hire a pro

Need a pro to maintain a lush, healthy lawn no matter your grass type? Let Lawn Love connect you with lawn care professionals in your area for all of your lawn care needs. That way, you can sit back with a plate of toasted ravioli or a slice of gooey butter cake and not worry about overgrown grass and weeds.

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Main Image Credit: Lindell Boulevard Home, Missouri | artistmac | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0