When traveling, a good plan is to experience what you can’t get at home. Maine is famous for its lobster, Philadelphia for its cheesesteak, and there are hundreds of locales that boast what they claim is the “world’s best” BBQ. Lawns tend to be the same way. You may love the Bermuda lawns you see in Florida, but there’s just no way to make it work in Minnesota!
Of course, some people don’t want to mess around with comparing grass varieties. All they know is that they want a beautiful, green lawn, no matter what kind of grass that is. Hancock has your back, with its range of regional seed blends. These products are designed to grow well in a wide range of states, adapted to work with your climate and produce thick, dark turf. Making the right choice is as simple as matching the state where you reside to the lists we provide below.
No matter what you choose, now is the time to plant! October temperatures are ideal for beating the first frost. If you miss this opportunity, you’ll need to wait until Spring!
Got a lot of trees on your property? Be sure to scroll down and see Hancock’s Choice Shade Mix as well!
Hancock’s Northeast / Midwest Seed Mix
WHERE: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin.
We know that residents in the Midwest and the Northeast can experience some frigid Winters, and our Northeast / Midwest Mix was planned to deal with the beatings of this intense weather. Combining a blend of Bluegrass, Ryegrass and Fescue, this blend also stands up well to the wear of heavy foot traffic. Requiring relatively low maintenance, this blend will prosper in direct sunlight or moderate shade.
Test the pH of your soil; you’ll be aiming for a score between 5.5 and 6.5. Plant 5 to 10 lbs. of seed for every 1,000 square feet on your property (definitely closer to 10 for athletic use), at a depth of 1/4 in. Add 5 to 8 lbs. of starter fertilizer (such as 16-04-08) per 1,000 square feet. We recommend a mowing height of 2 to 3 inches once your lawn comes in.
Where do you live? The green region represents where Hancock's Northeast / Midwest Lawn Mix will thrive. The yellow region shows where Hancock's Central Lawn Mix will work best (North Texas is safe...South Texas may be too warm).
Hancock’s Central States Lawn Mix
WHERE: Arkansas, Delaware Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.
The band of states included in the list above are often referred to as the “transitional” zone because they stand between the nation’s warmer and cooler regions. This belt also deals with both blazing and freezing temperatures, imported from its neighboring regions! Hancock’s Central States Lawn Mix is packed with extra Fescue, as well as Bluegrass and Rye, so that it can take the heat (and the cold!). Again, this blend is best for sunlight or moderate shade.
Test the pH of your soil; you’ll be aiming for a score between 5.5 and 6.5. Plant 5 lbs. of seed for every 1,000 square feet on your property (or 6 lbs. for athletic fields), at a depth of 1/4 in. If you’re going big, allot 200 to 250 lbs. of seed per acre. Add 5 to 8 lbs. of 16-04-08 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet (or 220 to 350 lbs. per acre). Hancock recommends a mowing height of 2 to 3 inches once your lawn comes in.
Hancock’s Choice Shade Mix
This blend will thrive in any environment where it will not be exposed to significant heat, including all of the states listed for the brands above (be wary of local climate when planting in Texas and South Carolina).
Both of the blends mentioned above are meant for lawns that experience plenty of direct sunlight, and can handle moderate amounts of shade as well. But what if your lawn comes with plenty of trees and, accordingly, plenty of shade? You may want to try Hancock’s Choice Shade Mix. This combination of Creeping Red Fescue, Ryegrass and Bluegrass is built to thrive where the sun don’t shine.
The same pH standards as above apply here, but you’ll want to apply 6 to 7 lbs. of seed per 1,000 square feet at 1/4 in. depth.
