Fast-Growing Grasses for the Fall

Fescue

• Fescue is a fast-growing grass that looks its best during the cooler weather of fall and spring. It is a particularly good choice for those living in areas where the summers are too hot for cool-season grasses and the winters are too cold for warm-season grasses. The best time to plant fescue is mid-September through the end of October. Fescue has a deep root system, which allows it to tolerate mild drought conditions. It has a clumping growth pattern and will fill in quickly, providing a deep green, glossy lawn.

Annual Ryegrass

• Annual ryegrass is primarily used to overseed lawns that go dormant during the winter. It is grown from seed sown in the fall and germinates within just a few days. Given ample water, it will quickly cover up the brown, dormant lawn and provide a medium green, healthy and lush lawn through the spring. Annual ryegrass cannot tolerate heat and only lives for a year, making it suitable only as a temporary cover for dormant warm-season grasses. It is frequently used in grass mixtures to provide quick germination and growth.

Perennial Ryegrass

• Requiring more maintenance, watering and care than many other lawn grasses, perennial ryegrass is not the best choice for those wanting low-maintenance lawns. Perennial ryegrass germinates quickly, but is slow to spread and can leave bare spots in new lawns. It is an excellent grass for areas that are heavily used, such as playgrounds, ball fields or parks. Its ability to stand up to foot traffic makes it a common addition to seed mixes, where the other seed varieties provide even coverage and spread.

Bent Grass

• Once used primarily on golf courses and putting greens, bent grass requires a lot of maintenance, frequent mowing, careful attention to fertilizer and plenty of water. Despite this, it has become more widely cultivated for home use due to its beautiful, velvety, thick green blades, its aggressive coverage, which chokes out weeds and its ability to withstand a lot of foot traffic. Bent grass does well in most areas of the United States, but does not tolerate extreme heat.