What types of grass are considered cool season?
Valley Green specializes in cool season grasses. They do their best in spring and fall when there is a plentiful supply of water. The most common types of cool season grasses are listed below. If you have any questions on seeding with the grass types below, please reach out to one of our sales or location managers. They can provide the tools needed and the seed to have a healthy and flourishing spring lawn.
โข Perennial Ryegrass
โข Annual Ryegrass
โข Tall Fescue
โข Creeping Fescue
โข Kentucky Bluegrass
โข Bluegrass
โข Bentgrass
There are also some cool season grasses that are considered ornamental. These include Fescues, Moor Grass, and Tufted Hairgrass. Cool season grass grows the best in spring and then may go dormant and brown in very hot and dry summers. Valley Greenโs Fescue mix is one of our most popular grass seed blends. Since winter solstice is two weeks away, we are going to go over what happens to cool season Fescue Grass in winter.
What happens to cool season Fescue grass in winter?
Fescues tend to have an easier time surviving extreme winter weather than they do in summer. Fescues will slow down their growth rates in the middle of fall and then enter a natural dormant state in winter. As winter arrives, Fescue turf drives a high amount of development in its roots as well as strengthening its cell walls. It is a good idea to fertilize Fescue at the beginning of fall and then at the end. This is especially important if your lawn has low nutrient levels in its soil. Fertilizing with nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium aid in Fescueโs cell and root development.
Should I be worried if my Fescue lawn turns brown in winter?
Fescues should not turn brown during the winter if they are healthy. The most common sign of a healthy winter Fescue lawn is that it keeps its dark green coloring throughout the winter. If the lawn is improperly fertilized, the grass may take on a yellowish color. This color means the grass is lacking in access to nutrients like nitrogen. Frost or heavy snow can cause Fescue to also turn brown. When Fescue is coated in frost, its cells can become brittle, and the turf can get easily damaged if any pressure is put on the lawn. Therefore, it is imperative for foot traffic and lawnmowers to stay off the lawn until it can thaw out.
