Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and tall fescue perform best in northern and central Utah. The southern part of the state is hot and dry, which is ideal for warm-season grasses like buffalograss, Bermudagrass, and Zoysiagrass.
While they all look great if maintained well, they vary in their ability to tolerate shade, foot traffic, and other stresses. Understanding these differences is important to choose the right grass for your needs and preferences.
Check out the links below to learn about the best grass for your specific region:
The Best Grass Seed for Northern Utah
The Best Grass Seed for Southern Utah
Kentucky bluegrass: Best for cold weather
Winters can get cold in northern and central Utah. Kentucky bluegrass performs exceptionally well here and looks beautiful with its dense, dark green leaves. It’s soft on bare feet and grows vigorously in spring and fall.
This cool-season grass spreads by rhizomes, so it withstands foot traffic exceptionally well and can self-repair. Kentucky bluegrass grows best in full sun but can handle partial shade. Be sure to water the grass regularly to prevent it from going dormant.
Grass Seed Options:
– Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed (3 lbs.)
– SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
Perennial ryegrass: Establishes quickly
Perennial ryegrass performs well throughout the state. This cool-season grass germinates quickly within seven days and has fine-textured, dark green leaves. It looks patchy, which you can fix by overseeding with Kentucky bluegrass at a 75:25 ratio. Perennial ryegrass grows vigorously in spring and fall.
This 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. Water the grass regularly during summer to prevent it from going dormant.
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)
Fine fescue: Good in shade
Fine fescue grasses include chewings fescue, hard fescue, sheep fescue, strong creeping red fescue, and slender creeping red fescue. These grasses perform well in the warm summers and cold winters of Utah. Fine fescues have fine-textured, medium-green leaves that look beautiful and can survive with just four hours of dappled sunlight. They grow vigorously in spring and fall.
Fine fescues don’t withstand high-foot traffic and can’t self-repair. Creeping red fescue is an exception because it spreads by rhizomes. These grasses are easy to maintain but are prone to diseases like leaf spot and red thread.
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: Handles heat
Tall fescue handles heat better than other cool-season grasses and is an excellent choice for central and southern Utah. This grass isn’t as dense as Kentucky bluegrass but still looks beautiful with medium to dark green leaves. Tall fescue grows rapidly in spring and fall.
This cool-season grass endures foot traffic well but can’t self-repair because it’s bunch-forming. Tall fescue grows best in full sun but can handle partial shade. It resists drought well thanks to its extensive root system. We recommend overseeding this grass with Kentucky bluegrass at a 50:50 ratio to give your lawn a denser appearance.
Grass Seed Options:
– Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend (5,000 sq. ft.)
– Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed (choose your size)
– Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix (7 lb.)
Buffalograss: Low-maintenance
Buffalograss requires only two inches of water every 2 to 4 weeks, making it an excellent choice for dry regions like southern Utah. This grass has gray-green, curly blades. Overseed it with Kentucky bluegrass at a 50:50 ratio to make your lawn more appealing. Buffalograss grows vigorously from late spring to early summer.
This warm-season grass spreads by stolons and can withstand regular lawn usage. However, if you plan to host frequent backyard parties, we recommend Bermudagrass or Zoysiagrass. This grass grows best in full sun.
Grass Seed Options:
– Everwilde Farms Buffalograss Seeds (1 lb. of seeds)
Bermudagrass: Most drought-tolerant
This warm-season grass withstands drought better than other grasses and is an excellent choice for southern Utah. Bermudagrass has medium-textured, medium-green grass blades that look gorgeous. It grows vigorously from late spring to early summer.
Bermudagrass handles heavy foot traffic exceptionally well and can self-repair because it spreads by rhizomes. You can even play soccer on this grass. This grass thrives in full sun and requires regular watering. We recommend fertilizing Bermudagrass in early fall to help it retain some of its thickness during the winter.
Grass Seed Options:
– Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass (10 lbs.)
– Hancock Seed Co. Bermudagrass (50 lbs.)
Zoysiagrass: Resists diseases well
If you’re in Blanding, Heber Valley, or Price, where the climate is on the cooler side, Zoysiagrass is an excellent choice because it withstands cold better than other warm-season grasses. It also resists common lawn diseases like brown patch, leaf spot, and dollar spot. This warm-season grass has gorgeous emerald-green blades and grows vigorously from late spring to summer.
Zoysiagrass withstands foot traffic relatively well but takes time to recover from damage. This grass grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. It requires regular watering.
Grass Plug and Seed Options:
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)
– Zenith Zenith Grass Seeds (1/8 lb. of seeds)
Trust the pros
Cool-season grasses perform best in northern and central Utah, while warm-season grasses are ideal for southern Utah. If you need help choosing the right grass or with anything related to lawn care, get in touch with Lawn Love. Our seasoned pros can transform your yard from boring to beautiful.
Lawn Love participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Lawn Love may earn revenue from products promoted in this article.
Main Image Credit: Tricia Simpson | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0
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