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Creeping Bentgrass

Originally meant for golf course greens. Will tolerate very low mowing, however, when grown to normal height found on most homes, it becomes shaggy. Does not tolerate hot, dry weather, nor cold winters. NOT DESIGNED FOR NORMAL HOME USE, unless your home is on a golf course green and you plan on mowing your lawn every other day at 1".

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris) is a perennial cool season grass that forms a dense mat. The grass spreads by profuse creeping stolons and possesses rather vigorous, shallow roots. Stems are decumbent (creeping) and slender and produce long narrow leaves. Leaf blades are smooth on the upper surface and ridged on the underside, 1 to 3 mm wide and bluish green in appearance. The ligule is long, membranous, finely toothed or entire and rounded, auricles are absent.

The species is characterized by single flowered spikelets in a compact panicle. The panicle in flower is purple to bronze in appearance. Seed of creeping bentgrass are too small to be identified without magnification. Seeds are ovate, less than 1 mm long, usually awnless with an occasional short, straight and silvery in appearance.

Creeping bentgrass is adapted to cool, humid environments. Cool nighttime temperatures are particularly advantageous to bentgrass. High daytime temperatures together with warm nighttime temperatures create highly adverse conditions for bentgrass. During summer months, carbohydrate reserves are depleted in bentgrass and the turf becomes susceptible to any additional stress - drought, traffic, shade, insects or disease.

As a result, the only use of bentgrass is for golf greens where small acreage allows for very intense management. Bentgrass is best adapted to the transition zone where cooler temperatures prevail. But even in this area, special attention needs to be given to soil preparation, water management, air circulation, shade, exposure and other factors.

Doesn't mix well with other types of grass.

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Kentucky Bluegrass

Most common cool season grass. High quality lawn, available in blends. Spreads moderately and will fill in bare spots. Goes dormant in hot, dry weather as well as during the cold winter months. Does poorly in extremely shady areas. Not recommended for extremely hot climates and will require supplemental irrigation during hot, dry periods.

Bluegrass seed-blends that include perennial ryegrass, produce a tougher wearing lawn. With the addition of creeping red fescue, the lawn will tolerate shadier areas.

Bluegrass develops a shallow root system that is not very drought tolerant, but will go dormant during extreme conditions. If given intermittent watering during prolonged drought conditions, it will come back.

Shade tolerance: poor
Planting: seed or sod
Mowing height: 1 1/2" - 2 1/2"
Water: needs regular watering, will survive droughts by going into a dormant state.
Fertilization: needs regular fertilization
Maintenance: low

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Fine fescue

Three grasses go under the common name of fine fescue: chewings fescue, creeping red fescue, and hard fescue. All three survive extreme cold and combine well with other cool-season grasses.

None of the fine fescues tolerate wear and tear, but they have the unusual talent of being able to grow in dry shade. Hard fescue has a strong bunching habit that makes it appear less refined than other lawn grasses, but will persist in difficult sites that are unusually cold, windy, and dry.

The Fescues: The fescues are cool season grasses that are adapted to the transition zone and into Canada. The fescue species are easily seeded and include the sub species of tall bunching grasses named tall fescue and fine shorter fescues named creeping red, hard fescue, chewings and sheep fescue.

All of the fescues share the same variety characteristics with the three dominant ones being shade tolerance, staying green all year, and having good drought resistance. Fine Fescues are more cold and shade tolerant than Tall Fescue, but both are used though-out much of the Central to Northern USA states.

Working with Fine Fescue: Depending on your soil and climate, it may be wise to diversify a fine fescue lawn by including other cool-season grasses. Bluegrass gives the lawn vibrant green color and helps hold soil in place with its spreading habit, and perennial ryegrass helps the lawn recover quickly from wear and tear. In some sites, it is a good idea to emphasize these species and use fine fescue mostly to improve the lawn's appearance in shade or to improve its ability to withstand extreme cold. Reliable mixtures are available as both seed and sod. Plant fine fescue seed or sod in early spring or early fall so it can grow vigorously during cool weather.

Look at the contents label on bags of grass seed to identify the varieties of fine fescue and companion species. Avoid fine fescue seed that shows some annual bluegrass on its contents label under "weed seed content". Annual bluegrass is a weed.

Recommendations for the best selections of fine fescue are constantly changing. New selections undergo extensive evaluation at numerous sites in different climates, and the grass seed industry is quick to make use of new selections that show superior overall quality or outstanding resistance to common diseases. When buying hard fescue seed to plant in low maintenance areas, the species name to look for is Fesutca ovina, which translates literally as sheep fescue.

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Tall Fescue

While some of the older varieties are still available in some stores, these should be avoided. These are the coarse textured Kentucky 31 type.

There are now many improved tall turf cultivars that have a finer texture, but not as fine as bluegrass. Many have improved disease and insect resistance.

The turf type tall fescue is good for high-traffic home lawns and shady areas. It has better drought tolerance than bluegrass, but does require additional watering in extreme conditions.

There is some confusion between tall fescues, turf-type tall fescues and fine fescue. For most home lawns, only consider the turf-type tall fescues except for blends, which could include Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues and some type of perennial ryegrass.

For cool season and transitional areas of the country, these blends are well suited. As the seedlings establish themselves, the one best suited for particular areas (shady / sunny) of the lawn will become predominate.

Mowing Height: 2 1/2" to 3"
Availability: seed or sod
Common Pests:brown patch and leaf spot

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Red Fescue

Used in northern and temperate areas. Red fescue is a cool-season grass used in cool, shaded, mountain sites, such as camps, resorts, and cabins where low-input of mowing, fertilization, and irrigation is desired. Red fescues are fine with narrow deep green blades. Prefers shadier and cooler areas than most other cool season grasses. Red fescue is usually added to bluegrass seed mixes. Establishes itself quickly compared to the slower growing bluegrass. Non-aggressive tendencies; looks good even in un-mown conditions such as along roadways.

A very fine-bladed grass with a deep green color. The leaves are folded in the bud, there are no auricles, and there is a short membranous ligule present. Red fescue has two distinct growing habits: creeping red fescue spreads very slow by very short rhizomes and Chewings fescue is a bunchgrass with an upright growth habit.

Very low maintenance. It does not require much fertilizer and does not need excessive amounts of water. A high mowing cut is recommended. Red fescue has a high tolerance for cold temperatures and shade, moderate tolerance for drought and wear, and low tolerance for heat.

Mow at 1.5 - 2.5 inches or keep unmowed as a groundcover.

Fertilize during the period of active growth (March - June; October - December).

Seed at 3.5 - 4.5 lbs. seed/1000 sq. ft.

A low to moderate amount of water is required.

Water 1 - 2 times/week during the warm season; red fescue can go dormant in the summer if watered too infrequently or if no water is available.

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Perennial Ryegrass

Common perennial ryegrass usually only lasts one season. Germinates quickly and can be used as a temporary ground cover while the slower growing bluegrass plants take hold.

The ryegrasses are best adapted to moist, cool environments where temperatures are not extreme in the winter or summer. In the transition zone, perennial ryegrass may provide a permanent turfgrass.

Ryegrass is the least drought tolerant of the turfgrasses and needs frequent watering in the spring and early summer. In many golf course situations, daily watering is not unusual on ryegrass greens and fairways. Even on lawns, ryegrass is the first grass to show symptoms of drought stress.

Shade tolerance: good
Planting: seed
Water: needs regular watering, but will survive droughts if not for extended periods
Mowing height: 1 1/2" - 2 1/2"
Pests: gray leaf spot, leaf spot, billbugs

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