Picking the Right Grass

A beautiful lawn usually contains a combination of distinct grass types, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. As you evaluate a grass mixture, look at the proportions of the varieties described below to evaluate which mixture will meet your needs and conditions best.

• Texture: Fine
• Germination time: Slow
• Shade tolerance: Fair
• Drought resistance: Fair
• Traffic resistance: Good
• Optimum height: 2 to 3-1/2 inches
• Comments: Goes dormant during drought and winter

• Texture: Medium-coarse
• Germination time: Fast
• Shade tolerance: Fair
• Drought resistance: Good
• Traffic resistance: Excellent
• Optimum height: 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches
• Comments: Poor tolerance of temperature extremes and extremely cold winters

• Texture: Fine
• Germination time: Medium-slow
• Shade tolerance: Good
• Drought resistance: Excellent
• Traffic resistance: Fair
• Optimum height: 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches
• Comments: Loses color in drought; may spread undesirably

• Texture: Medium coarse
• Germination time: Medium-slow
• Shade tolerance: Good
• Drought resistance: Good
• Traffic resistance: Excellent
• Optimum height: 2 to 3-1/2 inches
• Comments: May appear clumpy