Kentucky bluegrass was a turf I found frequently throughout the sports fields of my youth. This versatile grass could handle heavy use and repair itself quickly, always appearing fresh and full. I also remember how much time some of my relatives would spend watering the Kentucky bluegrass lawn they had from May through August.
Kentucky bluegrass sure has a lot of pros and cons as far as cool-season grasses go. It’s cheap and easy to grow, that’s true, but it can cost a ton in water, fertilizer, and time to maintain. Read on below for more advantages and disadvantages of Kentucky bluegrass.
An Overview of Kentucky Bluegrass Pros and Cons
The most common cool-season grass throughout the US, Kentucky bluegrass is cheap and easy to find. It has a high tolerance to cold and will go dormant rather than die during droughts. The grass cuts cleanly, leaving desirable lines throughout the lawn. Kentucky bluegrass also benefits from quick healing and spreads rapidly.
Once established, Kentucky bluegrass has some drawbacks. It is a high-maintenance grass that needs to be mowed, aerated, dethatched, and treated regularly. Kentucky bluegrass requires heavy fertilizing and needs frequent treatments to stay green. During the summer, Kentucky blue grass needs constant watering to keep it from browning and going dormant. It is best used seeded with other cool-season grasses and not as a solo turf.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Low cost of seed | Needs heavy fertilizer |
| High cold tolerance | High maintenance |
| Cuts cleanly | Needs to be mixed with other grasses |
| Repairs quickly from wear and tear | High water requirements |
Advantages of Kentucky Bluegrass
The low cost and aggressive spreading of Kentucky bluegrass make it one of my favorite cool-season turfs. It can spread and grow with other turfs, as well as heal quickly. These are some serious advantages Kentucky bluegrass can boast. Check out even more advantages below!
Low Cost of Seed
Cool-season grasses can be pricey, but Kentucky bluegrass is extremely affordable. Costing between 33 to 55 cents per sqft of sod or $20 for 3lbs of seed, this is a turf you can easily get started with. It is the most common cool-season grass grown throughout the US, making it easy to source and install.
High Cold Tolerance
This is a tough turf to have when the temperatures drop. Even among cool-season grasses, Kentucky bluegrass is unique. It can handle temperatures that would cause fescues and rye grasses some serious damage. It is best suited for cold climates that receive heavy rainfall throughout the summer.
Cuts Cleanly
Although it can be cut as low as 1.5” in the cold months, this grass prefers to be left higher between 3” and 4”. This extra height for each blade can protect against drought and enables resistance to foot traffic. When cutting, the blades of this turf are softer and don’t dull the mower blade as quickly. Frequent cuts help reduce the build-up of thatch and provide supplemental nitrogen throughout the year.
Repairs Quickly from Wear and Tear
Kentucky bluegrass spreads by rhizome. When the grass is damaged above and an area is exposed, new growth will shoot up and fill in the gap. This quick regrowth makes it a great grass for sports fields and areas of heavy use.
This regrowth also helps Kentucky bluegrass survive prolonged droughts. When the grass goes dormant and browns, the rhizomes continue to absorb all available moisture and store it patiently. Once the conditions are right, new green growth replaces the dormant brown almost immediately as your lawn appears to undergo an almost miraculous recovery.
Disadvantages of Kentucky Bluegrass
Some of the cons of Kentucky bluegrass may make it unsuitable for your turf. One of the biggest issues is that it is a cool-season grass. If you live in the southern US, it will be a nightmare and cost a fortune to keep your Kentucky bluegrass green and alive. Even in favorable climates, this turf requires a lot of maintenance, water, and fertilizer to get optimal results. Read the disadvantages below to see if this grass is wrong for you!
Needs Heavy Fertilizer
Kentucky bluegrass is affordable to start and spreads quickly but to maintain its lush appearance you will need to be loose with the fert. Most cool-season grasses require around 2lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 sqft, but not Kentucky bluegrass. This turf needs 4 to 5lbs of nitrogen per 1,00 sqft or more than double other grasses!
If routinely fertilizing isn’t your thing, then this is not the grass for you.
High Maintenance
This turf has very shallow roots, which makes it susceptible to pests and drought. In order to stimulate longer root growth, especially in the summer, it is recommended to only take 1.5” off the top of the grass each time you mow.
This high cut and recut cycle helps produce healthy roots that can better survive drought. If you do not like mowing weekly, then this grass could cause some hassle.
Needs to be Mixed with Other Grasses
Many of the other grasses common for turf, both warm and cool-season, are best sown or sodded as the only grass for your lawn. Kentucky blue’s cons are restrictive in such a way that it really benefits from being sowed with another turf type.
Usually, fescues, rye, and some warm-season grasses are sown together with Kentucky bluegrass to make a self-healing, evergreen lawn.
High Water Requirements
During the summer months, this grass can really run up your water bill. Hopefully, you live somewhere where you get adequate summer showers. If not, you will need to constantly supply at least ½ “ of water to the shallow roots during high temperatures.
Even a slight drought can result in Kentucky bluegrass going dormant. The good news is a little water will bring the green right back again.
Weighing Up Whether Kentucky Bluegrass is Right for Your Yard
Cool-season grasses that can survive a drought are hard to come by. Kentucky bluegrass’ pros and cons should give you an idea of whether this is the grass you need on your turf.
If you live in a climate with cold winters, that also has a summer drought, you might need transitional grass like Kentucky bluegrass. It can be sowed or sodded cheaply and is widely available. Kentucky bluegrass is a fast healer and can stay green longer and turn green faster than other similar turfs.
If the summers are dry and hot and you cannot irrigate, Kentucky bluegrass may not be very green on your lawn. This grass requires manual work such as mowing, fertilizing, dethatching, and watering. It can cost a substantial amount of money to maintain at a high level and may be a bad choice for the thrifty lawn owner.
Kentucky bluegrass finds its best quality in being able to incorporate seamlessly with other grasses and help heal bare spots in less maintenance-heavy turfs. This cooperation shows that while not necessarily the best solo turf, it could find a place on almost any lawn across the country.
If some of the pros of Kentucky bluegrass are attractive but the cons make it a no-go, check out some of the turf alternatives below:
Perennial Rye: If you need a drought-resistant, warm-season grass that can handle heavy foot traffic and still keep its shape and color, this is the turf for you! Perennial rye can handle cold and shade, and is well suited for lawns across the country. It makes a good turf when mixed with bluegrass.
Tall Fescue: This turf can handle drought and traffic. It deals with moderate shade and has a deep root system to aid in growth and heat resistance. Tall fescue is an excellent grass for fields and is often mixed with bluegrass to properly cover sports areas.
Buffalo Grass: A warm-season grass that can handle cool weather, Buffalo grass is a great transition turf. It can handle some foot traffic and thrives in full sun. The best aspect of buffalo grass is it very rarely needs to be mown and has small water and fertilizer needs. It is a low-maintenance substitute for the labor-intensive bluegrass.
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