More information on Kentucky Bluegrass!

Kentucky bluegrass is a cool season grass. Among the cool season grasses it is one of the hardiest. It needs heavy feedings of fertilizer twice a year in the early spring and late fall. This grass is so-so for drought hardiness, heat hardiness, and shade use. It is average for fertilizer needs and good for cold hardiness.

The ancient Greeks first cultivated Kentucky bluegrass. The grass seeds migrated throughout Europe and finally came to America during colonial times. This grass is actually not native to Kentucky.

Kentucky bluegrass has blue green blades, which are narrow and upright growing. This grass needs fertile soil and is an ideal choice for northern lawns that get lots of sun and water. It looks very nice when mowed, but can not handle a lot of traffic. Mowing height is 2 to 2 1/2 inches. It may need to be dethatched at times. Popular cultivars are Adelphi, Blacksburg, Challenger, Classic, Columbia, Eclipse, Glade, Julia, Midnight, and Newport. Merion is prone to rust and thatch and needs a lot of fertilizer feedings. The pH range for this grass is 6.0 - 7.5.

Kentucky bluegrass is prone to leaf spot if you live in a cool, wet climate. Leaf spot appears as circular brown spots and will eventually brown the entire blade of grass and lawn. To battle leaf spot raise the mowing height during spring, go easy with the nitrogen fertilizer, get rid of thatch, and aerate the lawn. Newer Kentucky bluegrasses are not bugged so much by leaf spot.

Another disease that likes to attack Kentucky bluegrass is rust. Rust usually occurs in midsummer to all in warm, moist weather. It can turn your entire lawn red. To fight rust you need to mow the lawn every 4 or 5 days and regularly feed your lawn with a balanced fertilizer. For stubborn rust you'll need to use a chlarothalonil fungicide in early spring, around the beginning of May, July and September. Also overseed with a rust resistant grass like Geronimo or Parade Kentucky bluegrass.

When seeding with Kentucky bluegrass use 2 - 4 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. It will take 14 to 30 days to germinate.

Kentucky bluegrass takes longer to green up than other grasses. Overseed the lawn with a perennial ryegrass to help the lawn green up faster in the spring.