Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00001557
11/12/99
Selecting Lawn Grasses
A beautiful lawn is not maintained year after year without
some effort. Before planting a lawn, consider whether or
not it's worth the time and expense required to keep it
beautiful.
A lawn can be as low maintenance as mowing whatever grows
and letting nature do the rest. At the other end of the
spectrum is the lawn that needs monthly fertilization and
regular watering. If the lawn is watered and fertilized
regularly it will need more mowing and dethatching. The
maintenance required for these two types of lawns is
vastly different.
The maintenance level of the lawn is determined by the
grass selected, the desired lawn quality and the site. Be
aware that some landscape features are incompatible. For
instance, you can have a very shady landscape or a high
quality lawn but not both. Grass does not grow well in
the shade.
A good lawn becomes possible when a proper mix of grasses
is planted. Most lawns are combinations of Kentucky
bluegrass, creeping red fescue, and perennial ryegrass. A
mixture of three different grass species provides the
maximum amount of pest resistance and environmental
adaptability. Each of these three grasses has distinct
traits.
Kentucky bluegrass is the most common lawn grass. Blends
of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars can provide a very
high quality lawn but such lawns usually require above
average maintenance levels. The spreading growth habit
helps fill in bare spots but the grass goes dormant during
hot, dry, summer weather.
Creeping red fescue has thread-like leaves and is the
most shade tolerant lawn grass. This does not mean the
grass grows only in shade or that it will tolerate total
shade. It grows well in full sun and in fact requires
some sun during the day.
Only named cultivars of perennial ryegrass should be
used in lawns. Common perennial ryegrass often dies
during the winter and does not mow well.
A fairly adaptable mix is listed below. It is unlikely
that it can be matched exactly but a number of mixes will
come close. This mix will provide a good quality lawn
with below average to average care. The mix will provide
a lawn suitable for sun or partial shade.
50% creeping red fescue
30% Kentucky bluegrass
(can be 15% each of two cultivars)
20% named perennial ryegrass
Under some conditions the mix can be varied. If the lawn
will be subjected to heavy traffic increase the bluegrass
to 50% and reduce the fescue to 30%.
Less desirable grasses are available and should be
avoided. Here are the most common problem grasses.
Annual ryegrass is often sold as the major component of
some very low priced grass seed. It will die out during
the winter so forms a lawn that lasts for a single season.
Rough bluegrass is often found in shady grass mixes.
It has a light green color and does not blend well with
other lawn type grasses. It does however do well in
moist, shaded sites.
Tall fescue is one of the two worst lawn weeds. Yet
seed is available in most stores. The grass blades of a
clump of tall fescue always seem to stay taller than the
rest of the lawn. There is no selective control for this
grass as the chemicals that kill tall fescue also kill
other lawn grasses. Pure stands of this wear tolerant
grass are often used on playgrounds or roadsides.
Zoysia is a warm season grass that turns brown early in
the fall and stays brown until late into the spring. It
is not better than the cool season grasses more commonly
used in Michigan.
Bentgrass becomes established in a lawn and is the other of
the two worst lawn weeds. The grass can tolerate very low
mowings as on golf greens. At normal lawn heights it is
shaggy and often kills out during the winter or during hot
dry weather. There is no selective control for the problem.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base ZZ on 01/19/00.
Data base ZZ was last revised on 11/12/99.
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
heatley@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
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