The Best Grass Seed for Southern Minnesota

lawn in front of a house in minnesota

Southern Minnesota’s slightly milder weather allows it to support more grass types than other parts of the state. Turf-type tall fescue, fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass all grow here.

With hardiness zones of 4b to 5a, southern Minnesota is the warmest part of the state. Let’s take a closer look at these grasses.

Turf-type tall fescue: An adaptable, low-maintenance grass

tall fescue
Aaron Patton | Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program

Turf-type tall fescue is easy to care for. It’s an adaptable grass that thrives in pretty much all of Minnesota and handles the common local sandy soil with ease. Like Kentucky bluegrass, it grows in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s great for southern, central, and northern Minnesota.

This resilient champ of a grass survives cold weather, drought, and heat. It even moderately tolerates shade. The best time to grow tall fescue in southern Minnesota is late July. But if you need to, you can instead seed in mid-May. Tall fescue is also a great overseeding grass.

Additional reading: Check out our article The Best Grass Seed for Minnesota Lawns for more information about grasses in the rest of the state.

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 fescue: The shade-tolerant, easy-care grass

fine fescue grass
Aaron Patton | Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program

Fine fescue is great at tolerating shade. It’s a soft grass that’s easy to maintain. The grass handles hardiness zones 4 and above, where annual temperatures don’t drop below -30 degrees Fahrenheit. So it’s a great match for southern, central, and some of northern Minnesota.

Because the grass grows well in soil temperatures of 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, you can plant it in late August to mid-September. Alternatively, late April to early June also works. Fine fescue will take 5 to 12 days to germinate.

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.)

Kentucky bluegrass: A cold-tolerant grass that bounces back when damaged

closeup of kentucky grass in a lawn
Shutterstock

Kentucky bluegrass is a cold-resistant grass that lives through freezing temperatures and grows in all of Minnesota. But in southern Minnesota, it may need supplemental watering in the summer. Kentucky bluegrass also needs more maintenance than most in general. However, it’s a stunning, dense grass.

Because of the climate and soil temperature, the best time to seed Kentucky bluegrass is early September, but alternatively, you can also do it in late April. Take note that this grass can take up to 28 days to germinate.

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

Perennial ryegrass: The fast-growing, traffic-tolerant grass

pyrennial ryegrass in a lawn
Aaron Patton | Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program

Perennial ryegrass is a fast-growing grass that tolerates foot traffic. It’s also great for overseeding. But it doesn’t work for everyone.

In Minnesota, you can only grow perennial ryegrass in hardiness zone 5. That includes cities like Minneapolis, Marshall, and Fairmont. It doesn’t include cities like Olivia and Madison. Stick to hardiness zone 5 or pick a different grass.

Check out our article about the best grass types for Minneapolis.

Like fine fescue, perennial ryegrass grows well in soil temperatures of 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. You can plant it in late August to mid-September. Alternatively, late April to early June also works. It will take 5 to 12 days to germinate.

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

FAQ

Which grass is best for overseeding in southern Minnesota?

Depending on where you live, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass should work well. But Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue should be fine, too.

Can you grow Bermudagrass in southern Minnesota?

No, even the warmest parts of Minnesota are unsuitable for Bermudagrass which needs a hardiness zone of 7 to 10.

Can you grow Zoysiagrass in southern Minnesota?

Unfortunately not. You might assume that the cold-tolerant Zoysiagrass would be the warm-season exception for Minnesota. But no. Even this grass requires a higher hardiness zone than the hardiness zone in the state.

Trust the pros

Southern Minnesota has much more to offer than lawn care. And yet, if you neglect that part of home maintenance, it will have clearly visible consequences. Stop worrying about lawn care and call a local pro in Minnesota, Minneapolis, or Saint Paul.

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Main Image Credit: Bobak Ha’Eri | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0

Judith van der Weij

Judith Gallova is a freelance writer who created her first blog at the age of 10. Later, she started working in marketing and eventually combined her writing and marketing skills to become a freelance writer. In her free time, she studies the Bible, goes to the gym, spends time with loved ones, and enjoys all things outdoors.