Thinking of Redoing Your Lawn? Try These Typical Chicago Area Grasses

1. Thinking of Redoing Your Lawn? Try These Typical Chicago Area Grasses If you’re thinking of redoing your lawn with a different type of grass, you have several choices available to you. While your neighbors to the south may need to add lime to their lawns to support healthy growth, this is actually quite rare in the Chicago area. The grasses shown here can grow hearty and thick without much external intervention. Kentucky Bluegrass When it comes to popular lawn grasses in Chicago and the surrounding area, Kentucky bluegrass is by far the most popular option. It is incredibly hearty, which means it’s not prone to bare spots, and it recovers easily after long winters during which snow and ice remains on the ground for weeks at a time. Kentucky bluegrass is not prone to browning in the summer months, and it actually prefers full sun. If your lawn is mostly shaded, there are some varieties that can tolerate this, too. Keep in mind that Kentucky bluegrass grows best when purchased as sod; growing from seed can take quite a bit of time. Fine Fescue Second only to Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue is another popular lawn grass in the Chicago area. It requires less maintenance than bluegrass, and it comes in many varieties so you can get the exact look and feel you want. Some of the most popular fine fescue varieties include red, chewings, sheep, and hard fescue, just to name a few. One thing to keep in mind is that fescue does not recover as well after significant foot traffic or long winters during which snow covers the ground. However, fine fescue requires very little maintenance, and it may even pare itself back when mowed frequently, especially if it is in full sun. It should be used as part of a seed mixture rather than planted alone. Finally, if you’re interested in quick growth from seed along with high durability, even in foot traffic or under a foot of snow, perennial ryegrass is a great choice. It’s most common among homeowners with small children or grandchildren as it provides a nice cushion for play. It’s a bunch-type grass, which means it grows in small clusters that will eventually fill the lawn. Maintenance is quite high, much like Kentucky Bluegrass. Another consideration is your use of perennial ryegrass. Like fine fescue, this grass is not designed to be used as a full cover; rather, it should be mixed in seed to provide a solid mixture of grasses throughout the yard. Mixing Grass Seeds

2. While it’s possible to grow Kentucky bluegrass on its own, fine fescue and perennial ryegrass should be blended in a seed mixture to provide the best possible results. When making a seed blend, it’s important to consider each species and cultivar and whether it’s designed to grow well in your yard’s environment. For example, you’d want tall fescue blends in partially shaded areas, Kentucky bluegrass blends in full sun areas, and fine fescue blends (along with ferns and certain species of bluegrass) in totally shaded areas. Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass are the three most common grasses found in Chicago yards and lawns. They each offer their own unique set of benefits and drawbacks, so it’s best to consider your yard’s environment and your desire to provide the proper maintenance before you make your decision.