Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed for Overseeding Sun & Shade
I overseeded my bare spots this fall with Scotts Turf Builder Sun & Shade Mix. Seedlings in a week, thick lawn in 30 days.
Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Sun & Shade Mix is worth buying if you have an established lawn with bare spots and you’re willing to water two to three times a day for the first week. I seeded in the fall, had seedlings in about a week, and a thick lawn at 30 days. Buy it.
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How this review was made: written from my own video review of this product. Every opinion here is my own, from using it myself.
| Seed types | Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye, three fescues |
|---|---|
| Fertilizer | 4-0-0 NPK, built in |
| Coverage (2.4 lb) | 960 sq ft overseeding, 320 sq ft new lawn |
| Best soil temp | 55°F to 70°F |
| Germination | 6 to 14 days |
Filling Bare Spots With Quality Grass Seed for Overseeding
The bare spot I filmed had been dirt for two-plus years, previous seed attempts included, and at 30 days after seeding with the Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Sun & Shade Mix, it was thick enough that I had to mow it. Seedlings came up in about a week. The rest was just time and a hose.
The Watering Schedule Is the Whole Job
Two to three times a day for the first week. That’s not a suggestion, that’s the deal you’re making when you buy this grass seed for overseeding. After that first week I backed off to once every other day, and the seedlings kept coming. Keep that schedule and the seed does its part, I had dense enough coverage at 30 days that the bare spot was no longer visible from the street.
The mix itself is seed, fertilizer, and soil improver in one bag. The fertilizer is a 4-0-0, so it’s nitrogen for leaf growth, nothing else. Seed-wise you’re getting Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and three different fescues, which is why it handles both full sun and the shady side of the yard out of the same bag. Scotts says sprouts in 6 to 14 days. Mine landed right in the middle of that.
Timing matters too. You want soil between 55°F and 70°F, which in practice means spring or fall. I went fall.
Three Waterings a Day Is a Real Commitment
If you travel, work long days, or just forget things, this seed will punish you. The first seven days are the fragile window, and skipping a round of watering in the heat is how you end up with a thin patch instead of a thick one. Nothing about the product is at fault there. It just means you should seed on a week you’ll actually be home.
Who I’d Hand This Bag To
If you’re in the Northeast with an established lawn and bare spots you’ve been staring at all summer, this is the bag. The five-seed blend handles the sun-to-shade patchwork that defines most yards up here, and the spring and fall temperature windows both fit the 55°F, 70°F soil requirement without any fussing. What it’s not built for is starting a lawn from scratch, the coverage math gets expensive fast at 320 square feet per 2.4 lb bag on bare ground.
Pros
- Seedlings up in about a week, thick coverage at 30 days
- One bag handles both sunny and shady spots
- Fertilizer and soil improver already mixed in
- Filled a true bare spot, not just thin turf
Cons
- Two to three waterings a day for the first week is a lot to keep up with
- Only works in the spring and fall temperature window
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a 2.4 lb bag cover?
960 square feet if you’re overseeding, 320 square feet for a brand new lawn. The bigger bags scale up from there, with the 32 lb covering up to 12,800 square feet.
Can I leave the leftover seed in the garage over winter?
Keep it sealed, dry, and out of extreme heat and it’ll hold for next season. Moisture is the enemy with any grass seed. A sealed bin in the garage beats a torn bag on a shelf.
Does it fill in on its own after it’s established?
Scotts calls it a self-repairing lawn, meaning the grass spreads into thin spots over time. The bluegrass in the mix is what does that. Don’t count on it instead of overseeding, though.
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Scotts Turf Builder Sun & Shade Mix
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