- Tall fescue: Best grass for coastal areas<\/a><\/li>
- Fine fescue: Best grass for low-maintenance lawns<\/a><\/li>
- Perennial ryegrass: Best grass for repairing lawns<\/a><\/li>
- Kentucky bluegrass: Best grass for high-quality lawns<\/a><\/li>
- Zoysiagrass: Best grass for drought conditions<\/a><\/li>
- Other New York resources<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
Tall fescue: Best grass for coastal areas<\/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> Turf-type tall fescue is one of the most popular grasses for Long Island due to its adaptability and resilience. This grass can thrive in various soil conditions, including the sandy soils common in Long Island\u2019s coastal areas, but also the more clay-like soils found inland. In addition, this grass can withstand drought and heat due to its deep root structure.<\/p>
While tall fescue is considered a low-maintenance grass, it does require regular mowing to keep it looking its best. You can learn more about this grass\u2019s maintenance in our tall fescue guide<\/a>.<\/p>
Pro Tip:<\/strong> Cornell University does not recommend adding tall fescue to seed mixes, as it is not compatible with other grass types. Grow this grass as a monostand (100% tall fescue), or at least have it make up 90% of the seed mix.<\/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 grass for low-maintenance lawns<\/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 are one of the best grasses to plant if you\u2019re looking for a lawn that requires minimal effort and maintenance. Varieties like sheep and hard fescue, especially, grow slowly, meaning they won\u2019t need frequent mowing, and they require very little fertilizer.<\/p>
However, fine fescues are not very resistant to foot traffic and will suffer in heavily used areas. For more pros and cons, check out our guide: \u201cFine Fescue: How to Grow and Care for It<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>
Pro Tip:<\/strong> Fine fescues are also excellent for shaded lawns, making them ideal if you live in a highly urbanized area of Long Island with lots of buildings casting shade on your yard. Cornell recommends seeding a 100% fine fescue blend for shaded areas.<\/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 grass for repairing lawns<\/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 the best grass for overseeding and repairing bare spots in your lawn. It has a vibrant color, grows quickly (the fastest among all grasses), and has good wear tolerance. You can learn more about this grass in our perennial ryegrass guide<\/a>.<\/p>
However, it is not recommended to use more than 20% of this grass in seed mixes when seeding a lawn from scratch in New York, as it lacks high cold tolerance and may get damaged in winter. <\/p>
On a curious note:<\/strong> Cornell recommends choosing perennial ryegrass varieties with endophytic fungi. These fungi produce natural chemicals that deter some insects, such as chinch bugs and sod webworms, providing an added layer of protection for your lawn.<\/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>Kentucky bluegrass: Best grass for high-quality lawns<\/span><\/h2>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/kentucky-grass-1.jpg\")
Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Kentucky bluegrass, or KBG, is the best grass to plant if you\u2019re looking for a \u201chigh-quality\u201d lawn. KBG can give your lawn a highly manicured, lush, dense look like no other grass. It also has the amazing ability to self-repair via its rhizomes (underground stems), ensuring your lawn stays pristine even with some wear and tear.<\/p>
On the flip side, KBG needs to be planted in full sun to thrive, and achieving that high quality look means you\u2019ll need to dedicate some time to lawn maintenance. Luckily, we have just the article for that: \u201cKentucky Bluegrass: How to Grow and Care for It<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>
Seed recommendation for Long Island:<\/strong> Look for seed mixtures containing 65% KBG, 15% perennial ryegrass, and 20% fine fescues.<\/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>Zoysiagrass: Best grass for drought conditions<\/span><\/h2>
![\"Zoysiagrass](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/zoysiagrass.jpg\")
Forest & Kim Starr<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Zoysiagrass is the \u201codd man out\u201d on our list, being the only warm-season grass suitable for Long Island. This grass is soft to walk on, crows out weeds, and tolerates extreme heat. It\u2019s also drought-tolerant, though it will turn brown and go dormant during intense dry periods. You can read more about it in our Zoysiagrass guide<\/a>.<\/p>
Warm-season grasses like Zoysia have a different growing season than cool-season grasses, so they will go dormant when temperatures drop. In addition, while this grass can create a beautiful lawn, it can also invade flower beds and be difficult to remove if you decide to change your lawn.<\/p>
Recommended variety:<\/strong> Meyer Zoysia is the variety most readily available in Long Island, and also the most winter-hardy one.<\/p>
Grass Plug and Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
<\/a>\u2013 Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)<\/a>
\u2013 Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)<\/a>
\u2013 Zenith Zenith Grass Seeds<\/a> (1\/8 lb. of seeds)<\/p>Other New York resources<\/span><\/h2>
You can learn more about lawn care and landscaping in New York with the following articles:<\/p>
- Long Island Growing Zones<\/a><\/li>
- The Best Perennials for Long Island Landscapes<\/a><\/li>
- When to Plant Grass Seed in New York<\/a><\/li>
- Native Plants for New York City Metro Area Landscapes<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Call a professional<\/span><\/h2>
If you\u2019d rather spend your time enjoying Long Island\u2019s wineries than choosing the best grass and caring for it, call a lawn care professional<\/a>. We have pros in Suffolk<\/a> and Nassau<\/a> counties, Brooklyn<\/a>, and Queens Village<\/a> at your disposal, ready to help you achieve a beautiful lawn without the hassle.<\/p>
\t\t\t\t\t\tSources:<\/p> \t\t\t
<\/span><\/div> \t\t<\/div> \t\t\tCornell University: Basic Lawn Care<\/a><\/p>
Types of Lawn Grasses<\/a><\/p>
Zoysia – Love It or Leave It<\/a><\/p>
Healthy Lawns, Clean Water<\/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: Strathmore Village, Manhasset, Long Island | LINYperson615<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Discover the best grass for Long Island: cool-season tall fescue and fine fescues, plus Zoysia for warmer areas. Find out which is best for your yard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":29496,"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":[193],"tags":[813,745,814,744],"class_list":["post-29478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-york","tag-lawn-care-brooklyn-ny","tag-lawn-care-nassau-county-ny","tag-lawn-care-queens-village-ny","tag-lawn-care-suffolk-county-ny"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-in-long-island-1.jpg","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\/29478","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=29478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- The Best Perennials for Long Island Landscapes<\/a><\/li>
- Fine fescue: Best grass for low-maintenance lawns<\/a><\/li>