If you’ve ever purchased grass seed before, you’ve probably been faced with these kinds of questions: Sun or shade mixture? Dense shade or full sun? Perennial ryegrass or Kentucky bluegrass? And what percentage of each? The short answer is, it depends. As a general rule, light conditions, along with the eventual purpose of the lawn (sports field or simply something green to look at?) will all determine what type of grass seed, and what mixture you will need. Here is a breakdown of some of the common grass types that do well in Philadelphia’s climate, along with other relevant information such as their respective levels of drought resistance and preferred light conditions.
Kentucky Bluegrass
Drought Resistance: medium
Water Needs: medium to high
Texture: fine to medium
Traffic Tolerance: medium
Sunlight: full sun to partial shade
Other Attributes: cold resistant, fairly resistant to insects and disease
Mowing Height: no less than 2 ½ inches in height (once per week minimum during the growing season)
Recommended: Scotts Turf Builder Kentucky Bluegrass Mix Grass Seed
Perennial Ryegrass
Drought Resistance: low
Water Needs: high
Texture: medium to course
TrafficTolerance: medium to high
Sunlight: full sun to partial shade
Other Attributes: Does not require as much fertilizer or water as Kentucky bluegrass
Mowing Height: keep at about 2 ½ inches high (mow once per week)
Recommended: Scotts Turf Builder Perennial Ryegrass Mix Grass Seed
Tall Fescue
Drought Resistance: High
Need For Water: Low
Texture: Course
TrafficTolerance: medium
Sunlight: full sun to partial shade
Other Attributes: many varieties to choose from, thrives in mild winters and warm summers
Mowing Height: for an extra textured look, mow at 3 to 3½ inches; an average height of 2 to 3 inches works well.
Recommended: Pennington Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed
Feature image source: Oregon State University, CC by SA 2.0
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