The 6 best types of grass to plant in your Cincinnati lawn

Cincinatti skyline and bridge

If you love to be creative with your landscape, you must know how strenuous and complicated things can get when it comes to planting and taking care of the grass. As the whole point of having a great looking lawn is to enhance aesthetic appeal of your house, the right type of grass becomes the most important factor. Selecting the best and most suitable grass for your front lawn is a decision that requires you to have more than basic gardening knowledge.

If you plan to plant grass in your lawn, you need to choose the right kind that suits both the soil and climate of the region. If you reside in Cincinnati, Ohio and are looking for the best of grass types to plant in your lawn, look no further as we have screened out some of the best classes you can go for.

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1. Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky Bluegrass Blades Close Up
Photo Credit: Joshua Boman / Shutterstock / License

Kentucky Bluegrass is the most commonly used grass seed in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is, in fact, used in more than 2/3 of the North of the state. This type of grass is probably the best choice if you are looking for a smooth and fine textured lawn. Compared to various other species, Bluegrass grows much better and rapidly even in winters and is much more resistant to diseases. Depending on the condition of the soil, Bluegrass usually takes 1-3 months to fully grow. Moreover, this type of grass seed also covers areas with damaged and deprived soil, therefore making it easier for you to make your lawn look even more beautiful. Also the lush green color makes it more eye-catching.

Lawn mowing height: Kentucky bluegrass should be maintained at 2 1/2 inches and mowed at least once per week during peak growing season.

Grass Seed Options:

Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed (3 lbs.)
SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed (5 lbs.)

2. Fine Fescues

fine fescue
Photo Credit: Bat / Flickr / CC0

This is narrow-leaved grass that has a reddish ting and is a bit hard. If you are considering to plant grass in your lawn in Ohio then this is the species you must consider. You can plant them alone as well as blend them with various other types of grass-types including Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue. It is also quite convenient to seed as it does not require very high grade soil, but can easily adjust with everyday soil. Moreover, its texture is considered the best turf type as it is perfect for areas that are aren’t exposed to sunlight.

Lawn mowing height: Fine fescues should be maintained at 3 to 3 1/2 inches and mowed at least once every nine days during peak growing season.

Grass Seed Options:

Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed (5 lbs.)
Eretz Creeping Red Fine Fescue Seed (choose your size)
Outsidepride Creeping Red Fine Fescue Grass Seed (25 lbs.)
Outsidepride Hard Fine Fescue Grass Seed (10 lbs.)

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3. Perennial Ryegrass

perennial ryegrass
Photo Credit: arousa / Canva Pro / License

With some genes shared with Kentucky Bluegrass, the Perennial Ryegrass is another grass type suitable Cincinnati, Ohio lawn. This type has a great tolerance for droughts and can maintain its beauty and firmness for a long period of time. When compared with Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass takes less time to fully mature but isn’t as durable in winters as Bluegrass.

Lawn mowing height: Perennial Ryegrass should be maintained at 2 1/2 to 3 inches and mowed at least once per week during peak growing season.

Grass Seed Options:

Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)

4. Tall Fescue

tall fescue
Photo Credit: Matt Lavin / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

This grass features a rougher, more broader blade shape with leaves that can grow as wide as ¼ of an inch. Tall Fescue is highly heat resistant and can stay lush green in color even during days with scorching sunlight. Moreover, the species also will also survive a drought. Tall Fescue is can be seen in all parts of Ohio, especially in the lower parts of the state.

Lawn mowing height: Tall Fescue should be maintained at 3 to 3 1/2 inches and mowed at least once per week during peak growing season.

Grass Seed Options:

Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend (5000 sq ft)
Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed (choose your size)
Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix (7 lb.)

5. Bentgrass

image of colonial bentgrass
Photo Credit: Rasbak / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Bentgrass is the most high quality and premium grass type you can go for. It is mostly used in places such as golf courses. This type of grass requires regular maintenance including timely mowing, proper irrigation, fertilization and protection against pests and diseases. Since it is expensive and difficult to maintain, it is not recommended to plant in average homes. However, if you wish you to add this type of grass to your lawn, you can go for its sub-type, PenncrossCreeping, which is a bit less strenuous to maintain.

Lawn mowing height: Bentgrass should be maintained at less than 1/2 of an inch and mowed a couple times per week during peak growing season.

Recommended: Highland BentGrass Seeds

6. Buffalograss

close-up of buffalograss
Photo Credit: Luxure / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 AU

Dull green in color and a bit rough and edgy in texture, Buffalograss is low quality grass that is commonly found in the state of Ohio. However, this low maintenance grass is still a good option for those who wish to dedicate a small piece of their landscape to planting some grass. It is compatible with Ohio’s climate and does not require any extra care or high quality soil.

Lawn mowing height: Buffalograss should be maintained at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches and mowed a couple times per week during peak growing season.

Grass Seed Options:

Everwilde Farms Buffalograss Seeds (1 lb. of seeds)
Buffalograss seed (primed) (5-lb. bag)

Depending on your budget and level of dedication toward the task, you must choose the most suitable grass type to plant in your lawn. Once you have chosen a grass type, visit your nearest box store and make an informed decision.

Have additional questions about grass or lawn care? Go to our Cincinnati lawn care page for more ways to contact us.

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Top Photo: dreamyguy1 / Canva Pro / License

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Jake Hill

Jake Hill grew up working for his dad's landscaping company, and spent over 6 years covering the lawn care industry for LawnStarter. His expertise has been featured in The Huffington Post, Realtor.com, Homecity.com and more. Now he is founder and Editor in Chief of DebtHammer.org.