Cool-season varieties are the best grass seeds for North Dakota lawns because of their resilience in the state’s harsh winter climates. Known for its durability and beauty, Kentucky bluegrass is the best and most widely used grass type in the Peace Garden State.
Perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and fine fescue are also popular choices for their durability and appearance. Buffalograss, though it needs special care as a warm-season grass, is worth considering for its resistance to drought.
Let’s discover why these grasses are ideal for your North Dakota lawn.
Cool-season grasses
Kentucky bluegrass: Best for North Dakota lawns
Kentucky bluegrass (KBG) stands out as the top and most popular choice for North Dakota lawns, thanks to its remarkable ability to thrive in cold weather and withstand the region’s temperature swings.
As a cool-season grass, it naturally acclimates to the cooler climate, ensuring a vibrant and resilient lawn that stays green for much of the year. Here are other reasons why it’s the preferred pick:
- Durability and foot traffic tolerance: It’s tough enough to handle moderate foot traffic, making it perfect for homes and public areas alike, where both beauty and functionality matter.
- Soil compatibility: Thrives in well-drained, nutrient-rich soils typical of many North Dakota regions.
- Natural spread: Its rhizomatous growth helps it fill in bare patches over time, ensuring a consistently lush and uniform lawn.
This grass type offers numerous varieties suitable for both high-maintenance (need supplemental irrigation and scheduled fertilization) and low-maintenance areas:
| KBG Cultivars for High-Maintenance Areas | KBG Cultivars for Low-Maintenance Areas |
| Adelphi Baron Bristol Glade Harmony Merit Nassau Nugget Parade Ram-I Touchdown Trenton Victa Welcome | Barblue Fylking Kenblue Monopoly Parade Park Plush Ram-I S.D. Common Victa |
While some varieties need regular mowing, watering, and fertilization, these tasks are manageable if you know 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.)
Perennial ryegrass: Best for fast growth
Perennial ryegrass is another great choice for homeowners and landscapers in North Dakota looking to establish a vibrant lawn quickly.
Its rapid germination (5 to 7 days) makes it a popular choice for seed mixes designed to create lush and long-lasting landscapes. While perennial ryegrass can be susceptible to winterkill in cold climates like North Dakota, certain cultivars have shown good winter survival in North Dakota trials. All of these are bunchgrasses:
- Dandy
- Dimension
- Gettysburg
- Goalie
- PS-8990
- Stallion
Aside from its fast growth, perennial ryegrass is also a good choice for the following reasons:
- Durability: It’s known for withstanding heavy foot traffic, which is perfect for families who love outdoor activities such as sports and gatherings.
- Adaptability: While it prefers well-drained, fertile soils, perennial ryegrass can also thrive in areas with less than ideal drainage, adapting well to North Dakota’s diverse soil conditions.
- Easy maintenance: With moderate mowing and fertilization needs and minimal or no thatch buildup, it’s easier to care for compared to other grass types.
Note, however, that despite its ability to handle high foot traffic and grow quickly, this grass type is vulnerable to common diseases like gray leaf spot and red thread. Regular monitoring and proper care for perennial ryegrass are essential to keep it healthy and vibrant throughout the year.
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)
Tall fescue: Best for resilience
Tall fescue is a great choice for North Dakota’s climate, known for its drought resilience and superior wear tolerance compared to other cool-season grasses. Although it is generally not as cold-hardy as Kentucky bluegrass, some of its bunchgrass varieties can withstand North Dakota’s cold winters:
- Amigo
- Arid
- Bonanza
- Rebel II
- Rebel Jr.
- Wrangler II
The following qualities make it a reliable option for homeowners and landscapers:
- Durability: Tall fescue is also ideal for places with continuous traffic or activity. It also has a dense root system, which makes it resilient to drought conditions.
- Adaptability: It thrives in North Dakota’s climate, with some varieties handling both extreme cold and intense heat with ease.
- Appearance and growth: With its medium to dark green color and finer leaf texture, tall fescue adds a touch of elegance to lawns. It grows quickly, which is ideal for those looking to establish their lawn rapidly.
- Moderate maintenance: Although it grows fast and requires frequent mowing to keep it looking neat, tall fescue doesn’t build up thatch excessively, making lawn care easier.
- Soil preferences: While it can grow in various soil types, it prefers fertile clay soils with good drainage, providing optimal conditions for healthy growth.
While tall fescue is resilient, choosing the right cultivar is crucial for achieving an attractive lawn. Avoiding options like Kentucky 31, which can appear coarse and uneven, ensures a consistently uniform and appealing lawn.
Learn more about this grass type in our guide: Tall Fescue: How to Grow and Care for It.
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.)
Fine fescues: Best for shade, low maintenance
Fine fescues are the perfect choice for North Dakota homeowners and landscapers seeking a low-maintenance lawn with fine-textured grass varieties like hard fescue, Chewings fescue, and red fescue. These grasses are great for their ability to create resilient and easy-to-care-for lawns.
Examples of particularly low-maintenance varieties of fine fescue include:
- Cindy Red Fescue
- Dawson Red Fescue
- Jamestown Chewings Fescue
- MX-86 Sheep Fescue
- Pennlawn Red Fescue
- Reliant Hard Fescue
- Ruby Red Fescue
- Scaldis Hard Fescue
Here’s why fine fescues are ideal for a low-maintenance lawn:
- Adaptability and durability: Fine fescues, whether mixed with other cool-season grasses or planted on their own, thrive in North Dakota’s challenging climates with minimal upkeep. Red fescues, in particular, perform well both as a standalone seed or when mixed with other grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. For best results:
- A 50/50 mix of red fescue and Kentucky bluegrass should be seeded at a rate of 2.5 to 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet, which amounts to 110 to 130 pounds per acre.
- When using 100% red fescue, seed at a rate of 3 to 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet, totaling 130 to 175 pounds per acre.
- Shade and drought tolerance: Species like Chewings fescue can keep up with shaded areas, while hard fescue’s deep roots make it the most drought-tolerant.
- Foot traffic: Handles low to moderate foot traffic, making it suitable for less heavily used areas.
- Easy maintenance: Requires less fertilizer and mowing, typically maintaining a neat appearance with a mowing height set between 2.5 and 4 inches.
Despite their resilience, these grasses may be susceptible to diseases like red thread and leaf spot. Regular monitoring and proper care for fine fescues help maintain their health and ensure a consistently beautiful lawn with minimal effort.
Pro Tip: If you want a low-maintenance but aesthetically pleasing lawn, consider using ornamental varieties of fine fescues, like blue fescue, that can complement the native plants for your North Dakota landscape. Note, however, that this variety thrives in full sun to partial shade.
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.)
Warm-season grasses
Buffalograss: Best for drought resistance
While warm-season grasses are uncommon in North Dakota, buffalograss is a notable exception and is gaining popularity. Known for its excellent drought resistance and winter hardiness, it is ideal for low-maintenance or low-water-requiring sites, often referred to as xeric landscapes.
Here’s why you should consider buffalograss for your North Dakota lawn:
- Adaptability: Thrives in full sun and boasts high drought tolerance, making it well-suited to North Dakota’s climate challenges.
- Easy maintenance, with considerations: Needs minimal fertilizer and mowing to maintain its aesthetic appeal, as well as less water compared to common lawn grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. However, its seed is expensive and can be difficult to establish. It remains dormant until temperatures consistently warm up and goes back into dormancy when temperatures drop below 40 F.
- Resistance to diseases and pests: Shows good tolerance against diseases and insects, reducing the need for intensive pest management.
- Soil preferences: Adapts well to native clay soils with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5, preferring these over sandy soils.
Despite its suitability, buffalograss isn’t ideal for high-traffic areas due to its low tolerance for foot traffic. Additionally, it may turn tan or brown during dormancy periods, which can span about half the year. This should be considered by those who prefer a consistently green lawn throughout the seasons.
To properly care for buffalograsses, check our guide: Buffalograss: How to Grow and Care for It.
Pro Tip: When choosing grass seed for North Dakota, whether cool-season or warm-season, it’s helpful to consider local planting zones, as this will determine how well a grass type will thrive and endure the area’s changing conditions throughout the year.
You can check out this article as your guide on the state’s planting zones: North Dakota Planting Zones.
Grass Seed Options:
– Everwilde Farms Buffalograss Seeds (1 lb. of seeds)
– Buffalograss seed (primed) (5-lb. bag)
Get expert advice and lawn care
Still struggling to decide on the best grass seed for your North Dakota lawn? Why not leave it to the experts?
Lawn Love can connect you with lawn care professionals in Fargo and throughout North Dakota. They’ll offer personalized advice, perform the maintenance tasks your lawn needs, and ensure your turf gets the care it deserves.
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Main Image Credit: Andrew Filer | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 2.0
