Best Grass Seed for Wisconsin Overseeding – Reviews and Buyer’s Guide [March 2022]

Wisconsin is a state that often experiences colder winter seasons. Due to this, not all sods are capable of surviving in such conditions. This region has transitive zones, which makes Fescue grasses ideal. They fill this gap since they can thrive in both warm and cold conditions. 

This article focuses on:

1. The top five types of grass seed for Wisconsin overseeding
2. When to plant grass seed in Wisconsin
3. USDA and climate zones in Wisconsin and how this affects the grass to choose
4. Types of grass in Wisconsin
5. The best time to overseed the lawn
6. How to overseed your lawn

The Top Five Types of Grass Seed for Wisconsin Overseeding

Parameter	Outsidepride Creeping Red Fescue	Jonathan Green Ultra	Pennington Kentucky 31	Scotts EZ Seed	Outsidepride Bent Grass
Types of Grass Incl.	Hard, Sheeps, and Legacy Fine Fescue	Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, perennial Ryegrass	Tall Fescue	Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass and Ryegrass	Mixture of BentGrasses
Size	10 lb	7 lb	25 lb	20 lb	5 lb
Area covered in square feet	2,000	2,800	6,250	5,985	2.000
Time taken to sprout	7-14 days	7-14 days	14 days	21 days	14-21 days
Thriving growth conditions	Cool climates and shady conditions	Fractional shade or full sun	Average shaded to full sun areas	Grows anywhere	Both warm and cool conditions

Outsidepride Creeping Red Fescue – Best Grass Seed for Northwestern Wisconsin

In cold climates of -35⁰F to -25⁰F where most sods fail to survive on greenswards, the Outsidepride Creeping Red Fescue will perfectly suffice. It also thrives in vicinities with an average annual precipitation of 18 inches. It is unique for propagating rhizomes. Thus it can fill bare spots. Besides being a cool-season grass, it can grow in full sun transition zones of the Wisconsin region.

It withstands considerably acidic conditions of a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.5 and thrives well in the shade. It develops better if sustained under irrigation and soils with good drainage found in zone 3b and 4a of the state.

Pros

• Fills bare spots
• Does well under shade
• Grows under considerable acidic conditions

Cons

• The heat of summer may cause it to wilt

Jonathan Green Ultra – Best Grass Seed for North Wisconsin

Jonathan grows under temperature conditions between -30⁰F to -25⁰F. This grass seed can readily grow in warm climate transitive vicinities. Having a protective coating, it thrives well on sandy or clay soils found in zone 4a of the North Wisconsin region. It also gives a softer greensward.

It’s tolerant to wear in massive traffic lawns. Besides, its deep root penetration allows for more nutrient intake. It can fill bare spots courtesy of Kentucky bluegrass, which in turn refreshes worn out greenswards. However, it does not do well under shaded areas.

Pros

• Quick germination
• Resistant to diseases
• Drought tolerant
• Can fill bare spots

Cons

• Does not thrive under shaded areas

Pennington Kentucky 31 – Best Grass Seed for Central and Western Ohio

It is resistant to drought, enabling the lawn to remain invigorated all through the year. It is suitable for temperatures of -25⁰F to -20⁰F found in zone 4b. It remains intact even under heavy foot traffic.

The Pennington technology protects it from a fatal fungus, which would prove detrimental to the turf’s development. It does not require intensive care and is economical, which is beneficial to lawn owners. Nevertheless, it congenitally germinates in clumps. This growth habit causes its spreading capacity to be limited.

Pros

• Easily established
• It is resistant to drought
• Grows fast
• Not too tiring to care for

Cons

• Limited spreading capacity

Scotts EZ Seed – Best Grass Seed for Eastern Wisconsin

This seed is guaranteed to thrive under the shade, unlike most sod seeds. It has a mulch component that makes it possible for the seed to expand in a moist layer after absorbing its weight in water six times. It best grows in temperatures of -20⁰F to -10⁰F of zones 5a and 5b.

It can densely grow under shade due to its fertilizer component that stimulates growth. It does not wash-away, therefore enabling its growth even on slopes. Provided it is appropriately seeded and well taken care of, its growth in any vicinity is assured. Its downside is that it requires a lot of attention and maintenance for effectiveness.

Pros

• Can grow in any area
• It can sprout under shady conditions
• Has a protectant that prevents diseases

Cons

• Requires intense maintenance and care

Outsidepride Bent Grass – Best Grass Seed for Warm and Cool Climatic Zones

This grass seed suits USDA zones: 4b and 5a, which comprise of cold and warm areas. It forms dense turfs that are utilized for fairways. It is also tolerant to wear on grounds with heavy foot traffic. Its proficiency to thrive under a wide range of situations makes it adaptable. It is considered in areas with extreme temperatures.

It also does well on sandy and clay soils with considerable drainage. It produces very fine-textured grass and is therefore highly recommended for golf courses. Its development, however, is hindered in wet areas.

Pros

• Thrives in warm areas as well as cold surroundings
• Produces fine-textured grass

Cons

• Does not thrive in wet areas

Buyer’s Guide

When to Plant Grass Seed in Wisconsin?

This is all dependent on the sod’s zone of cold hardiness or its period of active growth. It is advisable to seed the sod during August and early September when weather is favorably warm (between 50⁰F and 65⁰F), promoting seed growth. The sod will grow all through the annual period.                   

USDA and Climate Zones in Wisconsin. How Does This Affect the Grass to Choose?

A USDA map exhibits the hardiness zones in a given region. Moreover, there are also transition zones in the vicinity. This affects the sod to select for the lawn in that cool-season sods do not thrive in lower areas of transition zones where the hot conditions hinder their survival and vice versa.

Types of Grass in Wisconsin

Sods in Wisconsin are all adaptable to their respective cold hard-zone areas. Among them are:

1. Kentucky bluegrass mostly found in the cool vicinities of the upper Midwest region of zone 4a
2. Creeping Red Fescue found in the cold 3b areas in the north
3. Hard Fescue found in the northern 4a and 4b areas

Best Time to Overseed Lawn

Overseeding a turf ought to be done contingent upon the zone number of the regions. In areas where the zone number is high, there are relatively warm conditions. Thus, the preferable period for overseeding would be during late summer (August) or spring (March to May). Vicinities with a low zone number have colder conditions, making it the most appropriate time for overseeding lawns to be during early fall (early September).

How to Overseed Your Greensward?

It is essential to first spread the seeds evenly around the edges of the greensward. Once spread, apply a top dressing soil-based material and cover up the seeds using the backside of a rake. After this procedure over the whole turf, the lawn can be watered by irrigation or reliance on rain.

FAQs

When should I plant grass seed in Wisconsin?

Preferably during early fall or late summer.

When to fertilize grass seed in Wisconsin?

Most effective during early September.

Which spreader is the best for use when overseeding?

Drop spreaders are applicable.

Which soils are best for sod seed?

Well-drained soils such as sand soil.

Remarks

In conclusion, Creeping Red Fescue grass flourishes in cold climates of zone 3b. Jonathan Green Ultra thrives in 4a. Pennington Kentucky 31 flourishes in zone 4b, Scotts EZ Seed is suitable for zone 5a and 5b, and Outsidepride Bent Grass is appropriate for zones 4 and 5. Therefore, it is prudent to know your vicinity zone to use the best sod for your lawn.