Have you been struggling to find the perfect grass for your lawn? With so many different types of grass to choose from, it can be a challenge to determine which one is right for you. That's why we've put together this guide to help you with your Kansas City lawn! Below, the Heartland team has detailed the attributes of the most popular grass types for our area to help you make an informed decision. Keep reading to help you decide which grass is right for your lawn!
The climate here in Kansas City does not quite make our area a tropical oasis. As such, many lawns benefit from utilizing cool-season grass types. Cool-season grasses are known for their more hardy and resilient nature, as well as the ability to resist extreme temperature changes, which comes in handy when winter arrives. Some of the most popular varieties of cool-season grasses for Kansas City lawns include ryegrass, fescues, and bluegrass. These varieties can handle the fluctuation between heat and cold better than their warm-season counterparts, making them ideal choices for our climate. Let's take a closer look at these grass types.
Tall fescue is a popular cool-season grass for Kansas City lawns. It has a deep root system that allows it to withstand drought and heat, and this means your grass will stay greener for longer! It is versatile, low-maintenance, and relatively disease-resistant. You can identify tall fescue by its coarse texture and wide blades of a light green color, as well as its bunch-type growth patterns. The optimal height for this grass is between 3.5 to 4 inches. This grass should be watered deeply and less frequently to promote deeper roots. Though tall fescue will require more frequent mowings and maintenance, it is the most resilient and long-lasting cool-season grass.
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Fine fescues are a family of cool-season grasses that are well-suited for shady areas. They are soft, fine-textured, and come in several varieties like red fescue or chewings fescue. Fine fescues are known for their narrow blades and needle-like appearance, hence the name. These varieties tend to be darker in color than tall fescue. They can thrive at a range of heights between 2.5 and 4 inches. Fine fescues germinate quickly, meaning they can produce a thick lawn in a short amount of time.
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Kentucky bluegrass is one of the most popular cool-season grasses for lawns across the country. Homeowners who love Kentucky bluegrass are drawn to its deep emerald color that may even appear to have shades of deep blue in certain lighting. However, this grass should only be used in cooler climates, and it is often mixed with tall fescue seed to optimize performance. Unlike bunch-type grasses, Kentucky bluegrass spreads by rhizomes, which allows it to recover well from wear and tear. This grass usually performs best around 3 inches in height. Though beautiful and lush, Kentucky bluegrass lawns are typically considered one of the most high-maintenance options for homeowners.
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Perennial ryegrass is another common grass type found in lawns across Kansas. It is a bunch-type grass, meaning it only grows upward in clumps instead of outward via underground rhizomes like Kentucky bluegrass. This makes perennial ryegrass a popular option for overseeding, especially when combined with bluegrass seed in order to optimize growth and coverage. This grass type is also commonly mixed with warm-season grasses in our area in order to survive the changing seasons. Ryegrass is most commonly identified by its shiny, pointed leaves that can be fine to medium in texture, and it should thrive between 2 and 3 inches.
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Though cool-season grass types are the best and most popular options for lawns in Kansas City, some homeowners still prefer the appearance and feel of warm-season grass for their lawns. Warm-season grasses are known for their lush, thick blades and their ability to tolerate heat better than cool-season grasses. Of course, warm-season varieties struggle during the cooler seasons and tend to perform poorly in shade, but there are a couple of types of warm-season grasses that have become popular in Kansas City lawns.
Bermudagrass is a favorite choice for many lawns in warmer parts of the country, as it is well-suited for hot and sunny areas. It has a deep root system and is able to withstand high levels of foot traffic. These roots also creep close to the surface and form new structures at the nodes, creating a denser lawn. Bermudagrass has slender, pointed leaf blades, and it must be kept at a height no taller than 1 to 2 inches. Bermudagrass seeds can come in a variety of types that are designed to acclimate to cooler temperatures more easily. Kansas City homeowners should look for Yukon or blackjack Bermudagrass for the best results.
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Zoysiagrass is the other most common warm-season grass for hot and sunny areas of Kansas. It has a fine texture and darker leaves than Bermudagrass, and it is viewed as one of the more lush and soft options for warm-season grasses. One of the biggest benefits of Zoysiagrass is its disease resistance as compared to other warm-season types, which comes in handy during the summer months! The optimal height for this grass is also around 1 to 2 inches, but it can handle heights up to 3 inches tall better than Bermudagrass or many other types of warm-season turfs.
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Choosing the right grass type for your Kansas City lawn can greatly improve the overall appearance and health of your turf. Each of the grasses discussed above has unique attributes that make them well-suited for different types of lawns and conditions. Consider the shade coverage of your lawn due to trees, buildings, etc., and make sure you follow watering and fertilizing instructions on any packaging for grass seed that you pick up. Kansas City has some beautiful lawns and landscapes, but they don't appear without dedication and hard work.
For the most dedicated landscapers in the area, call Heartland Turf & Landscape, and we will take care of all your lawn care needs!
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