The Best Grass Seed for Iowa

Kentucky Bluegrass

• Kentucky bluegrass is one of the most popular cool season grasses in the United States, according to American Lawns. Bluegrass gets its name from its traditional blue-green appearance, although some varieties can be bright green. It can easily be planted from sod, plugs or seeds. Kentucky bluegrass produces a thick turf that stands up well to moderate traffic. It requires more water than some other turf grasses, such as Bermuda grass, but it is also drought resistant and will go dormant during periods of water deprivation. Many varieties of Kentucky bluegrass reseed themselves, but additional reseeding may be required to mend insect or other environmental damage. Kentucky bluegrass may be seeded pure, or it may be mixed with ryegrass, tall fescue or red fescue.

Ryegrass

• Ryegrass was imported into the United States from Europe and is prized for its ability to green up quickly. There are two primary varieties of ryegrass that are used for lawns in Iowa, including annual ryegrass, sometimes referred to as winter rye, and perennial ryegrass. Both are cool season grasses. Ryegrass seed is rarely used alone for Iowa lawns, but is mixed in a 20/80 or 50/50 ratio with Kentucky bluegrass. Both varieties germinate and grow quickly. This is an important advantage for areas of barren ground that may be subject to soil erosion. Overseeding ryegrass on top of Kentucky bluegrass can provide a green lawn even during Iowa's cold winter months.

Fescue

• Two primary varieties of fescue are commonly grown in Iowa lawns--tall fescues and red fescues. According to the Iowa State University Extension, either variety may be seeded in its pure state, or mixed in a 50/50 blend with Kentucky bluegrass. Both varieties of fescues are shade tolerant, drought resistant and remain green all year long. Tall fescues tend to grow in tall bunches that stand up well to traffic, while red fescues tend to grow shorter, with finer blades and require less mowing. Red fescue, sometimes referred to as creeping red fescue, establishes itself quickly, making it a good choice for overseeding Kentucky bluegrass.