- Kentucky bluegrass: Best grass overall<\/a><\/li>
- Tall fescue: Best for difficult soils<\/a><\/li>
- Fine fescue: Best for shade mixes<\/a><\/li>
- Perennial ryegrass: Best for overseeding<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
Kentucky bluegrass: Best grass overall<\/span><\/h2>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/kentucky-grass-1.jpg\")
Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Kentucky bluegrass (KBG) is the best grass type for Detroit<\/a> and also the most common across the entire state of Michigan. Its popularity is due to its exceptional cold tolerance \u2014 the highest among cool-season grasses. It can also withstand moderate foot traffic and has a beautiful blue-green hue.<\/p>
However, KBG requires full sun to thrive and needs more maintenance than other grass types. This includes regular watering, especially during Southeast Michigan\u2019s hot summers. To learn more, check out our article on Kentucky Bluegrass: How to Grow and Care for It<\/a>.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed<\/a> (3 lbs.)
\u2013 SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed<\/a> (5 lbs.)<\/p>Tall fescue: Best for difficult soils<\/span><\/h2>
![\"tall](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Tall-fescue-1.jpg\")
Aaron Patton | Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Tall fescue has deep roots, which makes it an excellent choice for the high clay soil common in Southeast Michigan. While it\u2019s not as cold-tolerant as KBG, it is the most heat-tolerant of the cool-season grasses. This means tall fescue can handle Southeast Michigan\u2019s hot summers and is one of the last grasses to go dormant when temperatures rise. <\/p>
Tall fescue does need mowing often, but that\u2019s pretty much all it requires since it\u2019s a very low-maintenance grass. You can learn more about how to care for it in our guide: Tall Fescue: How to Grow and Care for It<\/a>.<\/p>
Tip:<\/strong> Clay soil tends to be compacted, which can hinder your grass\u2019s health and growth. Aeration removes soil plugs to allow more air, water, and nutrients to reach the grass roots. Check out our guide, When to Aerate Your Lawn in Michigan<\/a>, to learn more. Topdressing might also help your tall fescue lawn thrive.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend<\/a> (5000 sq ft)
\u2013 Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed<\/a> (choose your size)
\u2013 Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix<\/a> (7 lb.)<\/p>Fine fescue: Best for shade mixes<\/span><\/h2>
![\"fine](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Fine-fescue-1.jpg\")
Aaron Patton | Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Fine fescues comprise the varieties creeping red fescue, hard fescue, sheep fescue, and Chewings fescue, but the most common in Michigan is creeping red fescue. This variety is highly adapted to cool, moist climates, making it a great fit for the region.<\/p>
These grasses are usually added in seed mixes with KBG for added shade tolerance. Michigan State University recommends a proportion of 10 to 15 percent fine fescues in such mixes. Fine fescues are easy to care for and require minimal maintenance, but you can read more about them in Fine Fescue: How to Grow and Care for It<\/a>.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed<\/a> (5 lbs.)
\u2013 Eretz Creeping Red Fine Fescue Seed<\/a> (choose your size)
\u2013 Outsidepride Creeping Red Fine Fescue Grass Seed<\/a> (25 lbs.)<\/p>Perennial ryegrass: Best for overseeding<\/span><\/h2>
![\"perennial](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pyrennial-ryegrass-1-1.jpeg\")
Aaron Patton | Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Perennial ryegrass is one of the best grasses for overseeding because it grows quickly, filling up thinning or bare areas of your yard in no time. When used in seed mixes, perennial ryegrass can also provide cover for KBG against weeds, as it grows before them and crowds them out.<\/p>
However, perennial ryegrass will struggle during excessive cold or heat, as it prefers mild climates. You\u2019ll need to give extra attention to it during these times to keep it healthy. If the grass does get damaged, you can seed it again in early spring or late summer. Check out our guide, Perennial Ryegrass: How to Grow and Care for It<\/a>, to learn more.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed<\/a> (5 lbs.)
\u2013 Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed<\/a> (choose your size)<\/p>When to call a pro<\/span><\/h2>
Making your lawn look great is a year-long activity. If you\u2019d rather spend your time hiking along Lake Erie or watching a Tigers game, why not call a local lawn care professional<\/a>? They know what is best for your lawn and can provide expert care to keep it healthy. We have pros in Detroit<\/a>, Warren<\/a>, Ann Arbor<\/a>, and other Southeast Michigan cities just a call away.<\/p>
\t\t\t\t\t\tSources:<\/p> \t\t\t
<\/span><\/div> \t\t<\/div> \t\t\tBulletin E2910 – Michigan State University<\/a><\/p>
Bulletin E2912 – Michigan State University<\/a><\/p> <\/div> \t\t<\/div> <\/div>
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.<\/em><\/p>
Main Image Credit: Albert H. Pattengill House | Dwight Burdette<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Discover the best grass seeds for Southeast Michigan: Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescues, and perennial ryegrass. Find the best grass for your yard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":25569,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[203],"tags":[578],"class_list":["post-25523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan","tag-lawn-care-mi"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/house-in-Ann-Arbor-1.jpeg","author_info":{"display_name":"Maria Isabela Reis","author_link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/author\/maria-isabela-reis\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Tall fescue: Best for difficult soils<\/a><\/li>