The right grass in the proper location can reduce water use and maintenance. Consider the following when deciding on what type of grass to plant:
Lawn options for sunny areas with heavy foot traffic:
- The amount of sun and shade in the location you intend to plant grass or install sod
- The type of use for your new lawn (a children’s play area or a decorative landscape with little foot traffic, for example)
Bluegrass is a good choice for sunny, high-traffic areas. Bluegrasses are drought tolerant and capable of going dormant under drought stress and reviving when water is available again. Some Texas hybrid bluegrass varieties are more heat and drought tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass and will continue growing during hot weather.
Lawn options for shady areas with heavy foot traffic:
Fine fescue requires nearly 20 percent less water than Kentucky bluegrass. It is drought tolerant, germinates quickly and tolerates poor (rocky, sandy, clay) soil conditions.
Lawn options for sunny and shady areas with light foot traffic:
Buffalo and blue grama are native, warm season grasses that tolerate drought and infrequent irrigation. Both are good choices for low traffic areas. Tall fescue grass is less drought tolerant than bluegrass and lacks the capability of going dormant under drought stress. It relies more on its deep rooting to avoid drought conditions by accessing soil moisture deep in the soil profile. Tall fescue grows well in shady areas with low or moderate traffic.
See all of these grasses in the Conservation Gardens at Northern Water. In the Conservation Gardens illustration on this page, roll your cursor over these areas to learn more about these grasses, soils and soil amendments:
- Soil Revitalization Demonstration
- Soil Preparation Study
- Alternative Grass Mixes
- Line Source Irrigation
- Native Grasses
- Bluegrass Review
- Small Turf Lysimeters
- Tall Fescue Review