Called the Cadillac of lawn grasses, the ubiquitous Kentucky bluegrass (KBG) is synonymous with gorgeous and lush yards and turfs all across the northern United States. Its seed germinates best when the soil temperature is between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Examine the grass color. As with other cool-season grasses, Kentucky bluegrass growth slows significantly during hot summer months. (This makes it easier to spread.) Well over 100 Kentucky bluegrass cultivars have been introduced in the market over the last two decades. Some homeowners prefer to start a lawn bylaying sod. In the sun, it looked blue-green. Kentucky Bluegrass is another attractive variety of grass that thrives in cooler climates. For this reason, bluegrass varieties or mixtures that contain bluegrass and other rhizomes are well suited for areas that are likely to suffer from erosion. Also, pay attention to insect control, for which there are both products to apply after the fact and preventive measures. per 93 sq. Please enter your email address below to receive a password reset link. The best time to plant is in the fall, although spring is also a good time; this is why this grass type is classified as a cool-season grass. Seed new lawns or overseedexisting KBG lawns with Pennington Smart Seed Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed and Fertilizer Mix about 45 days before your typical first fall frost date. You can use either a reel or rotary type mower but make sure that the blades are sharp and that the reels are adjusted properly. Perennial Ryegrass. Its rhizomes allow it to spread and create new grass plants. The bermuda grass pictured will become dense by establishing many small plants as the runners go out. Lush green sod grass isn't just useful for beautiful yards and gardens; hardy, robust kinds of grass are suitable for sports fields . Aesthetically pleasing and durable, this grass performs beautifully on its own and works well with other cold season grasses, making up for their deficits with its winter-hardiness. If your area gets less water than this, it will be necessary to irrigate. Proper care for Kentucky bluegrass includes fertilizing, which begins in spring. The researchers concluded that KBG had the highest drought resistance when the soil moisture plunged down to a mere 3%. Sprouts in as little as 7 days, making it a great addition to Bluegrass blends . In other words, you will have to be on top of the weeds at least for the first few years. Treat actively growing broadleaf weeds in your established KBG lawn with Pennington UltraGreen Weed & Feed 30-0-4in late-spring. They are usually only sold by specialty establishments that serve the turf and landscaping industries. Rough bluegrass will usually only start to grow between days 7 and 10. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Crabgrass Control - How To Kill Crabgrass, Crabgrass Varieties: Information On Types Of Crabgrass Weeds, Dandelion Removal: How To Kill Dandelions, Best Trees For Carbon Sequestration And Climate Change, Common Flowering Quince Diseases And Pests, These Weeds That Spread By Seed Can Sprout After Years, Dittany Of Crete Herbs: Tips For Growing Dittany Of Crete, Dust Storms And Gardens: How To Protect Plants From Desert Storms, Cumin Plant Care: How Do You Grow Cumin Herbs, My Tree Stump Is Growing Back: How To Kill A Zombie Tree Stump, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. In fact, the creeping growth habit is what gives this grass its ability to stage a rapid recovery from damage. Now, you know why KBG is called a high maintenance grass. If planted in the transition zone, new leaves appear all year round.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'greenthumbplanet_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_14',189,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'greenthumbplanet_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_15',189,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0_1');.mobile-leaderboard-1-multi-189{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:600px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Whether or not you know it, when you think of the ideal lawn, youre probably imagining Kentucky bluegrass. KBG requires well-drained soil and consistent moisture for optimal health and beauty (3). Kentucky bluegrass is slower to germinate than other cool-season grasses, so budget your time accordingly. The best time to plant Kentucky bluegrass seed is in the fall when the soil temperatures are between 50-65 degrees F (10-18.5 C.). if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'greenthumbplanet_com-box-4','ezslot_11',142,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-box-4-0');It has one of the longest germination times of all cool-season grasses. If you're comparing two lawns side-by-side, it's useful to know that zoysia goes dormant later in the . Well-maintained Kentucky bluegrass develops into a thick, lush lawn. If the leaves are not too thick or wet, mulch the leaves with your mower into dime-sized pieces to recycle the nutrients back into your lawn. Spring provides the optimal temperature for leaf growth, with a spacing of just 10 days between the appearances of new leaves. Look for a mix that contains about 80% Kentucky Bluegrass, with the remaining 20% (or less) Perennial Ryegrass. 11 Ways to Fill a Raised Garden Bed for Cheap, 9 Easy Ways to Get Free Rocks for Your Garden, 9 Best Wood Options for Raised Garden Beds. It is one of the most common types of grass grown in lawns in North America. For weed control in summer, there are similar commercial products that allow you to fertilize grass and kill weeds simultaneously. Fall aerationhelps reduce soil compaction. As a result, youll need to cut the grass back and maintain your borders constantly. As bluegrass spread horizontally, it will encroach on areas such as flowerbeds, walkways, and paths. The best part about Kentucky bluegrass cultivars is that theyre easy to plant, grow, and manage. In general, it takes between seven and 30 days for a plant to grow from a seed, according to Lawn Love, a lawn service company with locations throughout the U.S. For example, if you're trying to plant fescue grass, expect a germination period of seven to 14 days. Plus, it is hard to not be enticed by that green, which is like no other. Check out my article on how to successfully water your lawn with a sprinkler system. Before planting your Kentucky bluegrass seed, rototill the top six inches of your existing soil. If thatch builds up more than a 1/2 inch, then youll need to dethatch. Set your first few mowings at a lower setting with a sharpened blade. Kentucky bluegrass gained early U.S. popularity as a pasture grass in Kentucky. Kentucky bluegrass germinates best when soil temperatures range between 50F and 65F. It will take Kentucky bluegrass seed at least two weeks (and up to a month) to germinate, whereas other cool-season grasses can do so in a little more than one week. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'greenthumbplanet_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_16',159,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');Although 2 inches is the ideal mowing height for Kentucky bluegrass, cultivars such as Touchdown, Ram1 and Flyking can be mowed down to 1 inch. KBG has relatively shallow roots compared to tall fescue and warm-season grasses. This plant disease appears as white patches on grass blades, significantly diminishing the lawn's visual appeal. Bluegrass requires more nitrogen than grasses like perennial ryegrass and fescues, but you can still use natural methods. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'greenthumbplanet_com-sky-3','ezslot_26',148,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-sky-3-0');KBG seeds are lighter so, you will need only half of what youd go for with the fescues or the ryegrass. Compare this with the mere 10 inches of additional/external irrigation required by other cool-season turfs. Bag the season's first lawn clippings to discourage winter-related lawn disease. Sevin is a registered trademark of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. 1. m.) should be adequate. In addition, it is an extremely resource-intensive grass and will out-compete trees and other landscaping for nutrients. Finally, follow it all up with some much-needed fertilizer. It grows from a very extensive system of rhizomes, underground stems that produce new plants. The light cover will absorb moisture and keep seeds moist longer than just leaving them on top of the soil. During extreme heat or extended drought, the grass will go dormant. This will give you a more balanced lawn. Roughstalk bluegrass grows upright to 3-1/3 feet (1 m) tall from a dense tuft of short stolons (aboveground creeping stems) at the base. When mowing, never take off more than one-third of the leaf length in a single session as this will stress the plant. "Usually only the top part of the grass blade will snap off and the rest of the grass will be fine," says Kiser. The highest quality turf grass for sunny areas is Kentucky Bluegrass (at least 6 hours of direct sun). It can be recognized quite easily because of its V shaped leaves. You can choose the grass that meets your needs. Pennington Smart Seed Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed and Fertilizer Mix's fertilizer-enhanced seed coat technology speeds establishment and promotes greener grass. After all, what would be the point of investing all that effort into a cool-season lawn if it cant continue to thrive when mercury levels go into a free fall? Like many common U.S. turf grasses, this versatile, widely used grass is native to Europe and northern Asia.1 Its first use in the U.S. came as a pasture grass in states like Kentucky, where it still covers the state's gently rolling hills. So a good time to mow lawns is when the grass is about 3 2/3 inches high. So even if you dont have bare patches, use a broadcast spreader or a slice seeder to seed the lawn. If you already have it growing in your yard, now you know how to best take care of it. Go for 3-4 inches to give those fine blades of Kentucky bluegrass better heat and drought tolerance in summer and in low rainfall/dry conditions.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'greenthumbplanet_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_17',158,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); For initial mowing: With young seedlings, wait till the blades reach a height of 2.5 inches to start mowing. But remember to not go below 2 inches. Stems are slightly compressed and leaves are rolled in the bud. The irrigation requirement goes up in summer for all grasses. All plants need open, moist soil and sunlight to germinate, and Kentucky bluegrass thick rhizomatous growing habit prevents access to these two essentials. 25-40 Days. of water per week to keep it healthy, growing, and green. . Email: But the other part of its name is a misnomer: It is native to Europe and northern Asia, not Kentucky. Read more articles about Kentucky Bluegrass. It germinates best between soil temperatures of 50F to 65F, or air temperatures of 60F to 75F. KBG has an underground rhizomatous stem system that allows it to form a thick, self-spreading mat that can quickly cover thinning and bald spots. Warm summers and cold winters work best with its natural growth cycle. However, you dont have to give up your dream of a bluegrass lawn if you can find the right cultivar. At maturity, Kentucky bluegrass is about 20-24 inches (51-61 cm.) Note that the more seedlings sprout, the faster the Kentucky bluegrass will spread. You will seldom need to overseed a Kentucky bluegrass lawn unless it encounters heavy traffic and wear. So, if you already have a gorgeous green swath of KBG growing outside of your home or intend to work with the widely used grass for your lawn goals, here is everything that you need to know to keep your Kentucky bluegrass lawn looking its best.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'greenthumbplanet_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',141,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Kentucky Bluegrass is one of the most popular and widely used cool-season grasses, not only is it known for its striking deep green color but also its superlative winter-hardiness. Hearty and highly palatable to homeowners and livestock alike, Kentucky bluegrass has a variety of uses. What Happens if Grass Gets too Much Nitrogen? The deep green blades can often look as though they've got a blue hue, from which the name comes. Root systems. Also, be sure to remove lawn furniture and debris from your lawn, as well as any spare logs from next to the fire pit. If the leaves are too thick, wet, or matted down, rake them up and remove them. Continue mowing until your grass stops growing. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'greenthumbplanet_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_3',144,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-greenthumbplanet_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');In fact, even without actually plucking out a blade to examine its physical characteristics, youd still be able to spot KBG by the way it stands out from the lighter green of other grasses. This helps prepare KBG for fast spring repairs. One application lasts up to three months. To keep your KBG at the peak of beauty and performance, time your lawn care tasks to complement its seasonal cycles. 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