What Is Canada Green Grass Seed?

Canada green grass seed has been heavily marketed as a wonder grass: It's supposed to stay green all year, fill in bare spots in a flash, and to be super drought resistant. What gives? Can all these claims be true? Let's break down the details behind them.

Canada Green Grass Seed Claims

Vendors who sell Canada Green grass seed use the same verbiage to entice buyers, although it's not clear whether the seed is still manufactured. Some sites state that the seed was discontinued, and internet searches for its manufacturer return nothing.

However, the Better Business Bureau does identify "Canada Green Grass" as an alternate business name of Best Buys Direct, Inc. It's safe to assume that the manufacturer is no longer producing this seed.

However, you can still find this grass on various third-party vendor websites, including Amazon, Walmart and eBay. Here's what the ads usually claim:

• Germinates in five days and should be fully grown within 10 days
• Can survive temps from -40°F to 100°F and stay green
• Is resilient, crowds out weeds and deters pests

Canada Green grass reviews are mixed, but most reviewers on reputable sites have found it to perform spottily and not live up to the claims.

Average Price for Canada Grass Seed

As grass seed goes, this is an expensive grass. Typical prices fluctuate widely, but they range from:

• 2-lb. bag: $20 to $24
• 4-lb. bag: $20 to $40
• 6-lb. bag: $30 to $57
• 12-lb. bag: $85 to $98

Most of the stated prices don't include shipping, which is sometimes quite expensive.

The Numbers Behind Canada Grass Seed

Over the years, the percentages of different types of grass seed in Canada Green grass seed has fluctuated, but current advertisements peg it like this:

• 48.3% Creeping Red Fescue
• 26.2% Annual Ryegrass
• 25.5% Kentucky Bluegrass

Iowa State University Extension identifies Canada Green as a poor-quality seed. Its large percentage of annual ryegrass is a problem, because ryegrass has a very aggressive growth pattern that can prevent other, more desirable perennial grasses from becoming established.

It's the ryegrass that makes this seed germinate and fill in an area quickly, but higher-quality grasses don't contain this level of ryegrass. For instance, Pennington reports that annual ryegrass can take over Kentucky bluegrass. There is a perennial ryegrass variety that does come back year after year, but that is not the ryegrass in Canada Green.

Choosing the Right Grass Seed

A lawn is a long-term investment, so it's important to get the foundation right, which is the grass seed itself. The best grass seed for your yard depends largely on where you live. Grass seed is categorized as either cool season or warm season.

The easy answer as to which type of grass you need is that warmer areas with more sun usually better support warm-season grasses, while cool-season grass types are better for cooler climate locations.

There are a lot of variables, however, so always consult with a local expert on grass varieties recommended for your area. Your local university extension office can advise you.