Which Kind of Grass Seed is Best for My Lawn?

Not sure which type of grass is best for your lawn?

The Northeast’s changing seasons can be tough on turf. It’s important to have a grass variety that can withstand the challenges of long winters and moderate summers. In the northeast, no one grass can do this alone - it takes a team of grass types to thrive. 

We will go over the pros and cons of Blue Grass, Fine Fescues and Rye Grass so you can see why they work best as a team. 

The benefit of having a grass blend is that it offers genetic diversity.  Where one grass type lacks, another excels -  allowing them to meet the challenges that Mother Nature throws at your turf. 

Related Articles:

• 5 Best Ways to Seed Thin and Bare Lawn 
• How To Care For A Newly Seeded Lawn
• Times of Year to Over Seed Your Lawn [Best to Worst]
• Fall vs Dormant Seeding
• Top 6 Benefits of Fall Seeding
• Overseeding Your Lawn - The Ultimate Guide

Benefits of Fine Fescues Grass:  

• Will perform well in shady areas of lawn. 

• Fine leaf texture. 

• Tolerant to cool temperatures. 

Benefits of Rye Grass: 

• Germinates quickly - comes out first to give other seeds coming behind it some shade and protection. This is good for New England's short growing season. 

• Quick to establish. 

• Quick to green up. 

• Can help “nurse” along (stabilize) other desirable grasses. 

• Great for areas that need repair and need to regenerate quickly. 

• Acts as a natural pre-emergent.

• Its ability to withstand cool spring and fall temps make it well suited to Northern climates. 

• Has a high tolerance for sun and disease. 

Benefits of Blue Grass:

• Performs well under heavy foot traffic because of its repair mechanism and density. 

• Repair mechanism - ability to heal itself. For this reason, it's commonly used on athletic fields. 

• Will perform well in sunny areas of lawn. 

• Ability to spread. 

• Forms attractive and dense turf. 

Fine Fescues (Cons): 

• Has a tendency to become thatch. 

Rye Grass (Cons):

• Most types of Rye grass do not produce dense lawns on their own. 

Blue Grass (Cons): 

• Needs water and maintenance due to a shallow root system.  
• Slower to germinate than Rye Grass. 

Since 2007, Green Meadow Lawn Care has provided homeowners throughout the greater Tolland, Connecticut area with premium fertilization programs, tick control, mosquito management, seeding & aeration and tree & shrub care.

Visit our Learning Center to find out more about how our services can help you or visit our Youtube Channel to view more in our Learning Center Series.

To speak to our Customer Service Manager, please call Dave (view Dave's video bio here) with any questions. Dave has been in the industry for 30 years and is always happy to help with his expert advice.  

860-870-5700