Cool-Season Grasses: How to Plant Cool-Season Grass

Cool-season grass is a type of grass that grows well in the cooler, high-humidity climates found in the northern states of the United States. Homeowners in these areas grow these lawn grasses either from scattering seeds or laying down rolls of sod.

Cool-season grass experiences a long growing season, beginning in the spring and remaining green into the late fall.

Cool-season grass can withstand frigid temperatures, while warm-season grass is able to withstand much hotter temperatures. Most cool-season grass types can tolerate temperatures up to eighty-degrees Fahrenheit, while warm-season grasses can withstand up to ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit.

Popular warm-season grasses—including centipede grass, zoysia grass, Bahia grass, St. Augustine grass, and Bermuda grass—are also called Southern grasses for their hardiness in the heat.

There are five main grass types of cool-season lawn grasses that you can use for your lawn if you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 1 through 8a. They vary in appearance, cold hardiness, and drought, shade, and heat tolerance. Choose the right grass for your specific climatic conditions and lawn care preferences. Here are the five types of cool-season grasses:

1. 1. Creeping bentgrass: This turf-type grass variety is a popular choice for golf courses and putting greens for its very fine shape and bright green color. This cool-season turfgrass has high cold tolerance, but it is costly to maintain and a nonoptimal choice for homeowners to grow.
2. 2. Fine fescue: Fine fescue grasses have many different varieties, including chewing fescue, sheep fescue, creeping red fescue, and hard fescue. All fine fescue varieties are very fine, thin, and greyish. They grow quickly, tolerate shade well, and tolerate moderate foot traffic.
3. 3. Kentucky bluegrass: Kentucky bluegrass—also known as KBG—is a popular choice for home lawns. It has wide, boat-shaped grass blades that grow in blue-green. This clumping grass grows very densely and spreads quickly to fill in any patches. However, this type of grass isn’t drought-tolerant and will require more watering than other varieties. It is not shade-tolerant and will need at least six hours of sun a day.
4. 4. Perennial ryegrass: Perennial ryegrass has glossy blades that grow much thinner than other cool-season grass varieties. It germinates very quickly and will naturally suppress other plants like crabgrass from cropping up. It also grows well in the shade and will tolerate low mowing height. It is a great choice for high foot traffic areas because it is resilient to compaction.
5. 5. Tall fescue: Tall fescue is a popular choice for yards and lawns for its thick appearance and uniform growth habit. It has dark-green leaf blades that can adapt to a wide variety of soil types and is disease-resistant.

Plant cool-season grasses from seed with just a few simple steps. You can purchase most cool-season grasses at garden centers, where they sell grass blends that combine the resilience and hardiness of the different grass types. Follow these steps to plant cool-season grass:

1. 1. Plant in early to mid-spring. The best time to plant your grass seed is in early to mid-spring, which allows the plant to establish its root system in the cool soil temperatures before the hot, dry summer months. Alternatively, plant the grass seeds at least one month before the first fall frost.
2. 2. Prepare the soil. Remove any debris, rocks, or existing grass from your planting site to prepare the soil for seeding. If your soil is compacted or dense, use a tiller to loosen it.
3. 3. Spread the seed. Fill up a broadcast spreader with your grass seeds, and consult the seeding package label for the seeding rate. Spread your grass seed in your prepared planting area on a dry, still day. Too much wind can cast the seed off to areas you don't want it in.
4. 4. Fertilize to expedite growth. Spread a quarter of an inch of a starter fertilizer or compost over the seeded area of your grass seed with a shovel or wheelbarrow to stimulate growth.
5. 5. Water consistently. Water your lawn twice a day for the first week; new seeds will require a lot of food to grow. In the second week, water in even greater quantities twice a day, and after that, water as needed and watch your new grass grow.

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