Lawn Care

Grass Seed:

Annual Ryegrass, Italian Ryegrass: A cool-season annual or, in cooler climates, a short-lived perennial bunch-type grass. It forms a medium to coarse-textured lawn with moderate wear resistance. In temperate climates, it is sometimes used as a temporary lawn in late spring. In mild-winter areas of the southern, southwestern, and Pacific states, it is often used to overseed dormant warm-season grasses for winter color. Best grown in full sun, this grass requires a moderate to large amount of water and is not drought tolerant. It also has poor tolerance of heat and cold.

Kentucky Bluegrass: The blades of blue grasses all have a characteristic boat shaped tip, with the edges curved up like the sides of a canoe. Most are relatively cold tolerant but need generous amounts of water and fertilizer. Kentucky bluegrass is the most popular; rough bluegrass is often added to shade mixtures. It is widely used for lawns, athletic fields, golf fairways, and general-purpose turfs because of its beauty. Even so, it requires conscientious maintenance. It is best adapted in northern states east of the Rockies, in the Pacific Northwest, and at higher elevations in the South. Mow it to between 11/2 and 21/2 high, slightly higher during hot weather. Water frequently and fertilize generously. Among the most useful cultivars is "Adelphi", which is low low growing, dark green, and fine leafed; it is especially disease resistant, fairly tolerant of shade and heat, and attractive even under low maintenance.

Hard Fescue: A fine-textured grass found mostly in the northern United States and Canada and at high elevations. Growing in clumps, it is slower to fill in and become established than chewings and red fescue, but it needs minimal maintenance when mature. It is tolerant of shade in well-drained soils and is fairly drought resistant and salt tolerant. Highly resistant to diseases such as dollar spot, leaf spot, and red thread, it is generally healthier than other fine fescues. It also stays greener over summer, even during extended dry periods. Its wearability is fair, though the clumps do recover slowly from damage.

Last Updated: March 4, 2007