Selecting a Species
Here are some common characteristics of grass species best suited for Ohio:
Click on name for identification of turfgrass plant.
Kentucky
Bluegrass
Kentucky bluegrass is the primary lawn turfgrass grown in Ohio. With proper
management, Kentucky bluegrass forms a fine-textured, high-quality, long-lasting
turf. This species produces rhizomes (underground stems) that give rise to
new bluegrass plants. This ability enables bluegrass to rapidly recuperate
from injury and fill in thin areas in the lawn. Kentucky bluegrass is winter-hardy
and capable of withstanding temperature and moisture extremes. During hot,
dry periods it tends to become dormant and lose color. If high quality is
desired during the summer period, lawn irrigation is often necessary.
Kentucky bluegrass requires moist, well-drained soil to develop into high-quality turfgrass. It will not tolerate extremely acid or alkaline soils or heavy shade. Germination and establishment rates are slow, and weeds may develop if seeded in late spring or early summer. Kentucky bluegrass requires a medium to high level of management with routine applications of fertilizer. All varieties respond well to a mowing height of 2-2 1/2". Although Kentucky bluegrass performs best in full sun, some cultivars are adapted to shade. For moderate to heavy shade, seed a mixture of Kentucky bluegrasses and fine fescues. The improved cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass have resistance to leaf spot, melting out and other turfgrass diseases. For best results, seed blends of 2-4 cultivars. Because of its durability and exceptional appearance, Kentucky bluegrass is often used in establishing athletic fields.
Perennial
Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass, like Kentucky bluegrass, is a fine-textured species with
the potential to develop into a high quality lawn. Perennial ryegrass has
rapid seed germination and seedling establishment qualities. This species
has a bunch-type growth habit, which enables it to form density through tillering.
The cold tolerance and disease resistance capabilities are less than for Kentucky
bluegrass but are acceptable for most areas of Ohio. All perennial ryegrasses
require well-drained soils of medium to high fertility. The maintenance, fertility
and pH requirements are similar to the improved Kentucky bluegrasses. Perennial
ryegrass has better drought tolerance than Kentucky bluegrass but normally
requires irrigation to maintain quality during most Ohio summers. The optimal
mowing height is 2-2 1/2" inches.
In recent years many improved perennial ryegrasses have been commercialized. These improved cultivars have greater cold tolerance, better density, darker color and better disease resistance than the older, common ryegrass selections. These new releases also have substantially better mowing qualities than the common types.
Perennial ryegrass is seldom seeded alone. Many commercial mixtures with Kentucky bluegrass are available. When mixed with Kentucky bluegrass, the ryegrass component of the mixture is usually between 10-50%. As with Kentucky bluegrass seedings, the perennial ryegrass component should be comprised of at least two different cultivars.
Many seed products on the market today contain annual ryegrass. Annual ryegrass is not recommended for use in Ohio lawns. The attributes of annual ryegrass (i.e., rapid seed germination and establishment, erosion control, etc.) can be satisfactorily met with the improved perennial ryegrass cultivars.
Tall
Fescue
Tall fescue has been used traditionally as a low-maintenance grass in areas
where a coarser texture is not objectionable. This species is coarser textured
than the other recommended turfgrass species. Tall fescue tolerates soils
of low fertility, persists well under low maintenance and possesses good tolerance
to insects and diseases. This species germinates and establishes quickly but
slightly slower than perennial ryegrass. When mature, tall fescue has excellent
wear tolerance and, due to its deep-rooted nature, tolerates drought and will
remain green throughout most Ohio summers without supplemental irrigation.
Juvenile tall fescue seedlings are not cold-tolerant and will be prone to
winterkill. However, well-established seedlings and mature lawns will endure
most Ohio winters.
Recently, a number of improved "turf-type" tall fescue cultivars have been commercialized. These improved tall fescues are finer textured than the old "Kentucky-31" cultivar. These improved cultivars are less coarse, grow more upright, tiller more readily and exhibit a darker green color. All tall fescues grow rapidly in the spring and require more frequent mowing than Kentucky bluegrass. The popularity of the improved turf-type tall fescues is increasing and they are now being used on many lawn sites, playgrounds, parks and low-maintenance athletic fields where the use of coarser textured grasses is not objectionable (See HYG-4027-91 for names of the newer, improved tall fescue cultivars).
Fine
Fescue
Red, hard and chewings fescues are fine-leaved turfgrasses that grow well
under conditions of shade, low soil moisture, low fertility, and soils with
unfavorable pHs. The fine fescues require well-drained slightly dry soils
with minimum levels of management. Excess applications of fertilizer, frequent
irrigation or establishment on poorly drained soils will result in a decline
in quality and plant density.
With correct management, the fine fescues can make an attractive turf of fair to good quality. In Ohio, the fine fescues are seldom seeded alone, or intended to be the principle species where other cool-season grasses can be cultured. Fine fescues are commonly used in mixtures with the other cool-season turfgrasses on low maintenance or shady lawns.
Creeping
Bentgrass
The bentgrasses form an extremely fine-textured, dense and uniform high-quality
turf when managed correctly. However, good cultural practices are so expensive
and time-consuming that few homeowners are capable of growing a bentgrass
lawn. In general, bentgrass is cultivated on golf courses, and is not recommended
for home lawns. It does not blend with Kentucky bluegrass and should never
be included in a lawn seed mixture.
Table 1. Selected Lawn Grasses
Table 1. Selected Lawn Grasses | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Blend or Mixture | % | Potential Quality Weight of Lawn | Sun or Shade | Amount of Care and Cost of Upkeep | Seedling Rate (lbs/1000 sq ft) |
| Improved Kentucky; Bluegrass Blends1 | 100% | Excellent | Sun | Average to Above Average | 1-2 |
| Improved Kentucky Bluegrass; Improved Perennial Ryegrass - | 80% / 20% | Good to Excellent | Sun | Average to Above Average | 2-3 |
| Improved Kentucky Bluegrass;Fine Fescue2 | 30-50% / 50-70% | Good to Excellent | Shade | Average | 2-4 |
| Common Kentucky Bluegrass;Fine Fescue3 | 50-70% / 30-50% | Fair | Sun or Shade | Below Average | 2-4 |
| Improved Kentucky Bluegrass;Improved Tall Fescue | 10-20%/80-90% | Fair to Good | Sun or Shade | Average to Below Average | 6-8 |
| Improved Tall Fescue4 | 100% | Fair to Good | Sun or Shade | Average to Below Average | 6-8 |
| 1 A blend is a combination of 2 or more cultivars/varieties. | |||||
| 2 Where improved grasses are used in mixtures (a combination of 2 species like bluegrass and fine fescue), it is recommended that at least 2 varieties of each species be used. Use shade-tolerant bluegrass varieties if available. | |||||
| 3 Used for low-maintenance lawns. | |||||
| 4 Use only improved tall fescue cultivars/varieties. Do not use "Kentucky 31" tall fescue. | |||||
