If you have a space where you are planning to put in grass, hold off and consider planting groundcover instead. If it’s in a spot where dogs and children won’t be running through it, groundcover might be the smart choice.

Planting Grass

If you choose grass, then you must choose your seed depending on how much sun and shade the grass will get. The majority of commercial seed blends do well in either full sun or medium shade.

If you have less than three or four hours of sun per day, under trees, for instance, you should use a special blend. Choose your seed carefully. A heavy seed will be free of most chaff and dust and while it costs more initially, it will be more economical than a cheaper light seed that germinates slowly and contains more chaff.

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass has the reputation of being the best grass for a lawn, but it needs to rest at midsummer. It also causes the stereotypical grass stains on clothing. On the good side, it does form a nice uniformly thick turf, and will grow in soils that are slightly acid or alkaline. It is also somewhat weed-resistant.

If you are installing a putting green or just want a small grassy area, you may want to choose bent grass. Colonial bent is used frequently in commercial mixes, as it grows well in conditions that are not as favourable for creeping bent or velvet bent. These grasses stay short and they spread fast, although they do need frequent mowing and top dressing to thrive.

Combining redtop with Kentucky bluegrass works well because it stays green while the bluegrass rests, and it rests after the bluegrass has recovered. If you like a fine-textured grass for a shady area, you might want to look at chewings fescue. It matures late, is drought resistant and grows well in acid soil. It is also weed resistant.

If you’re starting a new lawn, you may want to consider perennial rye grass. It is a fast-growing, tough grass that will keep weeds to a minimum until your lawn is established. In the South and the Southwest where sandy soil is the norm, they use Bermuda grass.

Mixing grasses work best in most situations, as the different species rest at different times. Mixtures are also more disease-resistant, since most grass diseases only attack a single species.

The next post, part two, will discuss different groundcovers that look good in place of grass.

best grass for a lawn kentucky bluegrass landscaping tips planting grass