4 Grass Types for Salt Lake City, UT

The best grass for your city depends on its climate and location. Salt Lake City sits in the USDA Hardiness zone of 6b, which means cool-season grasses are preferred over warm-season ones. The grass-type list below will show you the best recommendations for your Salt Lake City lawn.

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky Bluegrass may be the best dark green cool-season grass option for lawns that receive anywhere from 4 to 8 hours of direct daily sunlight. They’re also very popular around most of the United States. This turfgrass looks great and grows in very quickly, germinating within 4 to 6 weeks.

However, this grass does tend to brown if exposed to too much sunlight or too much heat, so it’s best planted in areas with partial shade. Remember to water this grass early in the morning, allowing it to absorb as much water as possible before the sun reaches its peak. Kentucky Bluegrass is best used in a blend with other grass types, making it more resistant to foot traffic. Many areas recommend a blend of 75% Kentucky Bluegrass, and 25% Tall or Fine Fescue.

Mowing Height: 2 to 2.5 inches

Tall Fescue

Tall Fescues are incredibly resilient grasses and can be found thriving in most areas around the country. While these grasses do best when receiving 4 to 8 hours of direct daily sunlight, they do have more shade tolerance than most common bluegrasses.

This dark green grass with narrow blades can be resistant to cold, heat, drought, and foot traffic as well. This turfgrass also germinates fairly quickly, within 21 to 30 days. Tall Fescues should be cut higher than most grasses, so they grow more resilient to diseases and pests.

Mowing Height: 2 to 3 inches

Fine Fescue

Fine Fescues are a category of cool-season grasses with narrow, dark green blades. These grasses grow best under shady conditions, requiring only 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. These grasses are also well known for their resistance to cold and heat and only take 7 to 21 days to germinate.

Fine Fescues are fairly resistant to foot traffic, so blending them in with other preferred grass types can help bolster your lawn as a whole. This blend is best used with Kentucky Bluegrass.

Mowing Height: 3 to 3.5 inches

Perennial Ryegrass

This last type of recommended grass is actually popular in both hot and cold climates. Perennial Ryegrass is used often for overseeding in lawns to fill in dirt patches because germination occurs in only 14 to 21 days. It also is very resistant to foot traffic. The tall narrow blades of this grass works well in almost any environment—as long as it receives 6 to 8 hours of direct daily sunlight.

Mowing Height: 1.5 to 2.5 inches

Need further help with your lawn? Visit our Salt Lake City lawn care page to get in touch with a professional! In addition to Salt Lake City, we provide lawn care services to other Utah cities, including Provo and Ogden.