Choosing the Best Idaho Grass Seed for Cool Climates and Drought Resistance

What is the best type of grass seed to plant in Idaho? The best grass seed to plant in Idaho is a cool-season variety, as the state’s climate is highly favorable to them. Top choices include Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, and Perennial Ryegrass. These grasses are winter-hardy and maintain their color well through the growing season. Tall Fescue is particularly recommended for its excellent drought and heat tolerance once established, making it suitable for areas that experience hot, dry summers.

Idaho’s cooler climate means that your go-to variety of choices will be cool-season grasses. When planted, this type of seed is winter-hardy and demonstrates excellent revival once the heat peaks in the summer waves. This makes them ideal for the high-desert and mountainous regions across the state.

Let’s take a look at the more popular varieties of Idaho cool-season grass:

Fescue Seed Varieties for Idaho

Fescue is quick growing, tolerates heat well, and requires less inputs than other types of cool-season grasses. This makes it a highly desirable choice for homeowners looking for lower maintenance options.

There are two primary types of fescue seeds you can plant in Idaho: fine and tall.

Fine Fescue

Fine fescues excel in shady yards and adapt to well-drained, sandy soils. They also have low to moderate fertilization requirements. These varieties are often preferred for areas where turf quality is less critical and low maintenance is the priority.

Under the fine variety of fescues is the creeping red fescue. When planted, this type of fescue seed features spreading root systems that fill in bare areas and help prevent erosion. You can also choose hard fescue, which has extensive root systems and makes for excellent low-maintenance turf.

Tall Fescue

Tall fescue is used on playing fields and parks due to its toughness. This variety of fescue has a deep root system that allows it to be more heat tolerant and drought-resistant than most cool-season grasses. It can also adapt to a variety of soil conditions and has low to moderate fertility requirements, making it a great all-around choice for a durable Idaho lawn.

Perennial Ryegrass

Perennial ryegrass is one of the more widely used grasses in the United States. It’s known for its quick germination, easy establishment, and lush, long-lasting color. Many homeowners use it as both permanent or temporary options when trying to build their idyllic lawn.

This species is often included in lawn mixes with other species because it germinates so quickly. In these mixes, perennial ryegrass will “nurse” the slower establishing species, compete with common weeds, and slow topsoil erosion caused by wind and sprinkler irrigation. Perennial ryegrass can also be used to overseed existing lawns in need of a beautifying “touch-up.”

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass is a type of turf grass commonly used on golf courses, parks, and home lawns in cooler climates. It forms a durable sod with a dark green color and good drought tolerance. It is slow to germinate and requires higher inputs than other grasses.

Once established, this grass type can easily repair itself from damage due to its spreading rhizomes (underground stems), creating a dense, high-quality turf. Kentucky bluegrass can produce some of the highest quality lawns in Idaho when maintained properly, but requires more water and fertilizer than fescue varieties.

Warm-Season Grass Options for Idaho: The Exception

Warm-season grasses are adapted to warmer or tropical climates, but some can tolerate cooler temperatures. Their seeds germinate quickly in the spring and grow rapidly during the summer. However, the leaves turn brown early in the fall and are slow to green up in the spring.

For Idaho, only buffalograss is recommended as a unique warm-season option, generally suited for low-input areas where winter survival is still possible:

Buffalo Grass Seed

As a warm-season grass, buffalograss performs best when air temperatures are in the $80+ \text{degree}$ range. It’s extremely drought tolerant and very slow growing, meaning less irrigation and maintenance. Buffalograss can take up to two years to fully establish a dense sod.

Buffalograss is a great alternative lawn for use around homes, parks and campuses and exhibits a medium green, medium texture. Native to the Great Plains region, buffalograss is also the most cold hardy warm-season grass, making it a viable, low-water option for parts of Idaho, particularly those seeking a naturalized look. Consult the University of Idaho Extension for local planting guides.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Seed

The types of grass seeds you plant in Idaho depend on your growing conditions, goals, and needs. Knowing what these are before making a purchase will help you decide which type to buy and how to use them properly. Whether you prioritize low-maintenance (Fescue), rapid establishment (Ryegrass), or premium density (Bluegrass), there is an ideal cool-season option for your property.

Have you been planting for long enough? If you’re looking for guidance, we have a selection of different grass seeds to help you achieve the look and appearance you need for your lawn. When you’re ready to establish a beautiful lawn and revitalize your property or land with the right grass seed for your climate and soils, visit Nature’s Seed to browse our entire selection of lawn grass seeds.