• Seeding is the first step in building a lush, green lawn.grass seed image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
  
  There are a number of varieties of grass seed that vary in their hardiness, the speed at which they germinate and the suitability for your growing zone. Modern horticulturists have made the grass seed choice more complicated by coating the seeds with compounds to encourage growth and retain moisture. When comparing seed, be sure to factor in any additions in determining what is right for your lawn.
  
  

Fescue

• Fescue is a cool-season grass with good drought and shade tolerance that stands up well to traffic. The seed can germinate quickly, in seven days, or take as long as three weeks to appear. It prefers to be planted very shallow in the soil, when it is cooler in the spring or fall.
  
  

Ryegrass

• A ryegrass lawn is the ultimate in cool-climate grasses. This seed germinates quickly in five to 10 days from planting, but the seeding rate requirements are higher than some other grasses at 8 to 10 pounds per thousand square feet. This is because this grass expands from clumps rather than rhizomes.
  
  

Kentucky Bluegrass

• Another popular cool-climate grass variety is Kentucky bluegrass. Seeding a lawn with bluegrass seed takes patience, as it may take up to two months for it to fill in after a three- to four-week germination period. The seed rate is low at 3 pounds per thousand square feet and only 1 ½ pounds for overseeding.
  
  

Bermuda Grass

• Bermuda grass (sometimes called Bermudagrass) has earned the title of the "South's grass" as it thrives in tropical, sub-tropical and transitional growing zones. The seed prefers to be planted in late spring or early summer when the soil temperatures have reached 65 to 70 degrees. It germinates in seven to 21 days and demands eight or more hours of sun per day.
  
  

Bent Grass

• A specialty seed used on golf courses is bent grass. Its seeds develop a fine blade that has extensive maintenance requirements in order to stand up to the wear and tear it receives. It germinates quickly but may require up to six weeks to fully establish itself before use. This seed is generally not used by homeowners because of the upkeep requirements.