Merrifield Tuff Play Grass Seed

Price range: $11.99 through $159.99

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Our most popular and versatile grass seed blend, Merrifield Tuff Play produces a medium textured, rich green lawn that is adaptable to many environments. It contains 95% tall fescue and 5% Kentucky bluegrass. This blend is quick to establish, tolerates foot traffic and has a high degree of durability, making it a great option for areas of the lawn where kids or pets play. While Merrifield Tuff Play does root well in partial shade, it requires at least 4 hours of sunlight for optimal results.

Tuff Play takes about 10 to 14 days to germinate. It will get to mowing height around 4 weeks after application. It is considered established after it’s been mowed at least 3 times. You can begin applying weed preventers once it’s established.

Merrifield Tuff Play comes in 1 lb., 5 lb., and 20 lb. bags to accommodate any size lawn. This product can be applied with a lawn spreader, or small areas can be seeded by hand or with a handheld spreader. Coverage areas for these three sizes are as follows:

1 lb. bag = 125 sq. ft. for new lawns / 250 sq. ft. for overseeding established lawns

5 lb. bag = 625 sq. ft. for new lawns / 1,250 sq. ft. for overseeding established lawns

20 lb. bag = 2,500 sq. ft. for new lawns / 5,000 sq. ft. for overseeding established lawns

We can deliver bags of Merrifield Tuff Play Grass Seed Blend to your location. In addition to delivery, we can also provide installation services. If you’re interested in having our team install your seed blend, please book a landscape appointment and select Garden Cleanup, Mulch and Sod as the appointment type.

When seeding your lawn:

  • Use a rototiller to cultivate the soil to a depth of 2 to 4”.
  • Rake the area, being sure to remove rocks or debris, leaving behind a smooth, level surface ready for seeding. If you are overseeding an existing lawn, we suggest mowing it, raking it, scratching up the bare spots and laying down our select seed starting lawn food.
  • Mix lime with Merrifield Tuff Play grass seed blend into the soil by following the instructions on the back of the bag. If you are working with dense, heavy clay, we recommend mixing in a ½” layer of compost.
  • Lay down your seed using a lawn spreader, your hands, or a handheld spreader. Planting a new lawn will require Merrifield Tuff Play grass seed at a rate of 4 lbs. per 1,000 square feet.
  • Use a leaf rake with the tines pointed upwards or a sod roller to make sure your seed is nestled into the surface of the soil. If you’re overseeding an existing lawn, you can apply the grass seed at a rate of 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
  • Cover the seeded area with a ¼ to ⅜” layer of compost, topsoil of ½” straw.
  • Water the area to keep the seeds particularly moist. While your seeds are germinating, we suggest watering it twice a week with ½” of water, either relying on natural rainfall or from your own watering system.

Avoid weed control products until the lawn has germinated and mowed at least 3 times (usually a period of 4 weeks.)

When's the best time to seed your lawn?

The best time to seed your lawn is in the Fall during the months of September through early October. The second best time would be in the Spring during the months of March, April and May as well as late October and early November.

What type of seed should I use?

We have three types of lawn seed: Merrifield Tuff Play, Shady and Sunny. If you know that you will be getting four or more hours of sun per day, we recommend going with Merrifield Tuff Play for its high traffic tolerance, heat and drought tolerance, quick establishment rate and density. You can also use Merrifield Sunny, which will result in a dense, uniform, luxurious lawn with a rich, dark blue-green color and a medium texture. However it is slightly less heat and disease tolerant than Merrifield Tuff Play and it will require more watering and maintenance. If you’re getting two to four hours of sunlight per day, we suggest using Merrifield Shady. We recommend not mixing the seed together but using a different blend for your front yard and your backyard if the areas get different amounts of sunlight.