Grass Types & Requirements

Kentucky Bluegrass

• Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-season grass well-adapted to residential lawns, athletic fields and golf course roughs. Kentucky bluegrass has a medium-textured blade and holds its color throughout winter months. This variety of grass is not very tolerant of shade or salt and needs to be mowed at higher blade heights to avoid damage to the turf. Kentucky bluegrass establishes at a medium growth rate and handles average foot traffic but needs to be well-watered.

Perennial Ryegrass

• Perennial ryegrass is a cool-season annual with a medium blade texture. Although not tolerant of drought or shade conditions, perennial ryegrass is somewhat adaptable to both salty conditions and medium rates of foot traffic. Ryegrass should be mowed at a higher height setting and is adaptable for use on golf courses, sports fields and lawn applications. Perennial ryegrass is quick to establish once planted.

Fescue

• Both tall fescue and red fescue are cool-season grasses commonly used in lawn applications. Neither tall or red fescues are well adapted to use on golf courses or sports fields. Tall fescue will accept a higher level of foot traffic, while red fescue should be planted in low-traffic areas. Coarse-bladed tall fescue is somewhat tolerant of heat and salty conditions, while the more narrow-bladed red fescue will not tolerate either salty or hot conditions. Both varieties of fescue tend to hold their color through winter and are somewhat adaptable to drought conditions. Red fescue accepts full-sun to partial-shade conditions, while tall fescue requires full sun.

Bentgrass

• The three most common types of bentgrass used in turf applications are creeping bentgrass, colonial bentgrass, common bentgrass and highland bentgrass. All varieties of bentgrass are cool-season grasses. Creeping and Highland bentgrass are somewhat heat tolerant, while Colonial bentgrass is not tolerant of high heat. Creeping bentgrass is the only variety with any salt tolerance, and no type of bentgrass will accept drought. All bentgrass can be grown in part shade and should be planted in low-traffic areas.

St. Augustine Grass

• St. Augustine grass is a warm-season grass that should be mowed at a high heights to prevent damage to the turf. The coarse-bladed grass species accepts only low to medium rates of traffic and as such is not suited for use in athletic field applications. St. Augustine grass accepts drought and may be planted in both full-sun and part-shade areas. St. Augustine grass is heat tolerant but goes dormant during winter months.

Bermuda Grass

• Bermuda grass is a warm-season grass species accepting of high traffic. This grass species is suitable for use in golf course, athletic field and lawn applications, provided the turf receives full sunlight. Bermuda grass goes dormant in winter, losing its color. Bermuda grass is heat, salt and drought tolerant and establishes at an average rate when planted.

Zoysiagrass

• Zoysiagrass is a coarse-bladed, warm-season grass that goes dormant during winter months. Although zoysiagrass is tolerant of harsh conditions, including salt, drought and heat, it is very slow to recover from damage and is therefore not suitable for athletic fields or golf course applications. Zoysiagrass is slow to establish but can handle both shade and heavy traffic.