Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass perform best in northern Utah’s hot summers and cold winters.
These grasses form beautiful lawns but vary in their ability to tolerate shade, foot traffic, and drought. It’s important to understand these differences to choose the right grass for your needs and preferences.
Kentucky bluegrass: Handles cold
From Ogden to Park City to Salt Lake City, Kentucky bluegrass performs well throughout northern Utah. This cool-season grass looks beautiful with its dense, dark green leaves and has a medium-fine texture that’s soft on bare feet. It grows vigorously in spring and fall.
Kentucky bluegrass withstands heavy foot traffic and can self-repair. This grass grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Water the grass regularly to prevent it from going dormant.
Check out our guide for more on growing Kentucky bluegrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| Looks beautiful Withstands foot traffic Excellent ability to self-repair Soft underfoot Spreads quickly | Requires frequent watering and fertilization Doesn’t tolerate shade Prone to thatch buildup, diseases, and pests Takes longer to germinate |
Grass Seed Options:
– Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed (3 lbs.)
– SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
Fine fescue: Best low-maintenance
Fine fescue is a group of five different fine-textured, medium-green grasses: Chewings fescue, hard fescue, slender creeping red fescue, strong creeping red fescue, and sheep fescue. These grasses look beautiful and perform well throughout northern Utah. Fine fescues are easy to maintain and grow vigorously in spring and fall.
Fine fescues, except creeping red fescue, don’t withstand high-foot traffic and can’t self-repair. These grasses are the softest of all cool-season grasses and can survive with just four hours of dappled sunlight. They are prone to diseases like red thread and leaf spot.
Check out our guide for more on growing fine fescue.
| Pros | Cons |
| Looks beautiful Germinates quickly Resists shade Withstands drought Soft underfoot Low fertilizer and maintenance needs | Poor ability to recover from damages Spreads slowly Susceptible to diseases and pests Not resilient to foot traffic |
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz Creeping Red Fine Fescue Seed (choose your size)
– Outsidepride Creeping Red Fine Fescue Grass Seed (25 lbs.)
Tall fescue: Best for hot areas
Tall fescue withstands heat better than other cool-season grasses and is an excellent choice for Syracuse, Price, and Provo because the summer temperatures here can cross 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This grass looks beautiful with medium to dark green leaves. Tall fescue grows vigorously in spring and fall.
This cool-season grass withstands heavy foot traffic but can’t self-repair because it’s bunch-forming. Tall fescue grows best in full sun but can handle partial shade. It also resists drought. This grass has a tendency to grow patchy, which you can fix by overseeding with Kentucky bluegrass at a 50:50 ratio.
Check out our guide for more about growing tall fescue.
| Pros | Cons |
| Germinates quickly Withstands foot traffic Resists thatch buildup Withstands drought Resists shade Resists diseases | Looks patchy Poor ability to recover from damages Requires frequent mowing Spreads slowly |
Grass Seed Options:
– Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend (5000 sq ft)
– Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed (choose your size)
– Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix (7 lb.)
Perennial ryegrass: Establishes quickly
Perennial ryegrass performs well in the hot summers and cold winters of northern Utah. It germinates quickly within seven days and has fine-textured, dark green leaves. We recommend overseeding this grass with Kentucky bluegrass at a 75:25 ratio to give your lawn a denser appearance. Perennial ryegrass grows vigorously in spring and fall.
This cool-season grass handles foot traffic well but doesn’t have rhizomes to self-repair. Perennial ryegrass grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Be sure to water the grass regularly during summer to prevent it from going dormant.
Check out our guide for more on growing perennial ryegrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| Germinates quickly Handles heavy foot traffic Resists thatch buildup Feels soft underfoot Low mowing requirements | Looks patchy Doesn’t tolerate shade Poor ability to recover from damages Prone to diseases and insects Spreads slowly |
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)
FAQs
What’s the best time to plant grass seed in northern Utah?
Cool-season grasses perform best in northern Utah. Early fall, when the temperature ranges from 60 to 70 degrees, is the best time to plant them. For more information, check out our guide on when to plant grass in Utah.
What planting zone is northern Utah?
Northern Utah is located in zones 5a to 6a, which means the lowest winter temperature can range from -28.9 to -26.1 degrees.
When to hire a professional
There’s much more to a lush lawn than choosing the right grass. If you need help with mowing, fertilization, or anything related to lawn care, get in touch with Lawn Love. Our seasoned pros can transform your yard from boring to beautiful.
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Main Image Credit: Royle house | NoeHill | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0
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