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With a name like Kentucky Bluegrass, you would think this grass variety originated from the United States. But, Kentucky bluegrass seed comes from Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, where the climate is cool and sunny.
But it’s no surprise that this seed variety made it over here a century ago because its natural beauty surpasses most other grasses in the region.
Kentucky bluegrass has a rich green to blue-green color, with boat-shaped leaf tips. Its blades are narrow and smooth, growing close together like a thick carpet. This cool-season grass spreads easily and makes for a soft, lush lawn.
Yes, Kentucky Bluegrass (KBG) is a beautiful grass and can be the envy of your neighbors, but its beauty is well-earned. You’ll need to do your part to maintain a healthy and lush KBG lawn year-round.
Essential Facts About Kentucky Bluegrass
When deciding whether or not to plant KBG, there are a few things to pay attention to so that you can make an educated decision. Knowing the level of maintenance for a healthy Kentucky bluegrass lawn can help you decide whether or not Kentucky Bluegrass is a suitable grass for your yard or pasture grass.
- As its name states, KBG produces a greenish-blue leaf with a medium to fine texture.
- KBG dramatically benefits from regular mowing. The more you mow, the thicker and more uniform your lawn grows.
- KBG can handle high-trafficked areas. The durable leaf of the Kentucky Bluegrass is perfect for yards with children and pets or athletic fields.
- This seed variety is a cool-season grass, meaning it thrives in the country’s northern regions but doesn’t grow well in the south.
- Kentucky bluegrass prefers to grow in full sun but can handle some shade.
Tips for Planting and Maintenance
There is a specific method to follow with Kentucky bluegrass to ensure your grass takes root and lasts a long time. Follow these tips for planting and maintenance for the most success.
Ideal Conditions for Kentucky Bluegrass Growth
As you prepare your yard for new grass seed, it helps to know the best way to prep your lawn so that the seeds can germinate successfully. Here are some helpful tips to follow:
| Temperature | Kentucky bluegrass germinates between 60℉ and 75℉ (air temperature) which means you need to wait for winter to end and spring to warm up. Or, you can plant the seed in early fall. |
| Pre-seeding Cleaning | Before you can plant your grass seed, you need to clean your lawn. A thorough cleaning ensures your grass grows without obstruction. Remove all rocks and debris that can inhibit growth. After clearing the ground, till and aerate the soil to improve the germination process. |
| Planting and Fertilizing | When you’re ready to plant your KBG seed, prepare to feed it too. After laying your seed, spread fertilizer and water the ground to help the seeds take root. This initial feeding and water are essential for a strong start to the germination process. |
| Germination Process | Kentucky bluegrass germinates on the slower side, taking between 14-30 days. Continue watering the grass regularly throughout the germination process. Once the grass grows to a substantial height of a few inches, you can begin mowing. |
| Mowing | Mowing is an essential part of the planting and rooting procedure. Once Kentucky bluegrass takes root, it spreads quickly, and mowing the grass helps spread the grass further and increases the density of your lawn. Since the seed grows via rhizomes (lateral roots), KBG spreads faster than seeds that root deep into the ground, like tall fescue. |
After your KBG seed takes roots and spreads, follow these practices to maintain its health and color.
How to Maintain a Kentucky Bluegrass Lawn
One of the great things about Kentucky bluegrass lawns is how quickly the grass grows and spreads. However, this fast pace of growth also requires a consistent maintenance plan.
Watering
Kentucky bluegrass requires a minimum of an inch of water per week. Consistent and plentiful watering is the key to a healthy KBG lawn. Additionally, when you routinely water your lawn, you give the grass plenty of nutrients and water to grow back after dormancy or in high-traffic areas.
Mowing
Mowing is essential for maintaining your lawn, but it’s not a “set it and forget it” mowing height. You should pay attention to the weather and time of year before mowing your lawn and setting the mower to the appropriate height.
Use this mowing guide to help you:
- March through May–2” -2.5” height
- June through August (high heat and low rainfall)–3” -4” height
- September through November–2” -2.5”
- December through February–mowing not necessary
The changes in height directly correspond to the temperature and rainfall during the year. If you mow the cool-season lawn grass too short in the hot summer months, you risk burning the grass and killing it.
Although the grass won’t burn at 3” -4” height, it will brown because KBG is a cool-season grass. So, it doesn’t do well in hot temperatures and climates.
Overseeding
Overseeding involves spreading grass seed over an existing lawn to fill in bare spots and enhance its density. For warm-season grasses, overseeding with cool-season varieties can maintain a green lawn during cooler months when the warm-season grasses go dormant. Conversely, overseeding cool-season grasses in warmer months can rejuvenate and thicken lawns that thin out or get damaged. The choice and timing depend on the primary grass type and desired aesthetics throughout the year. Depending on your location, common cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and tall fescue.
Pest Control
Part of maintaining your lawn is dealing with pests, and Kentucky Bluegrass is susceptible to the exact infestations of other cool-season grasses.
Preventing an infestation is the first step to fighting it. To prevent insect infestation, use a consistent and robust remedy of regular fertilization and grazing to maintain a healthy lawn. Although Kentucky bluegrass is resilient and will fight back, your yard will be blotchy and thin if you don’t treat the infestation properly.
Dethatching
Before the winter season sets in, you should dethatch your lawn. Dethatching is a rigorous raking of your property to remove excess grass clippings and debris that might trap disease in your yard. When you remove this excess waste, you give your lawn the ability to aerate and rest over the winter and revive in the spring.
Transform Your Yard With Nature’s Seed Kentucky Bluegrass Blends
Kentucky bluegrass is famous for its beautiful color and consistent growth. Although it requires a decent amount of upkeep throughout the year, the results are worth it.
Whether you want to plant a blend of seed or only KBG this year, use Nature’s Seed for your lawn needs. We offer premier lawn grass seed to have a high-quality lawn.
