Are you planning on reseeding or overseeding your lawn this spring in Camas, Washougal, or Vancouver, Washington? Sometimes, it can be difficult to figure out where to begin. Perhaps the best place to start is by determining which type of grass you would like to plant. Here, we will discuss the most common lawn grasses in Washington State.
4 Main Types of Lawn Grasses in Washington
There are many grasses that serve various purposes and have different benefits and drawbacks. There are 4 main types of cool-season grasses that are most commonly used in Washington landscapes: Perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fine-leaved fescue, and turf-type tall fescue.
Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is well-qualified for both eastern and western Washington. While this type of grass does well in colder climates with higher humidity, it does prefer direct sunlight, so it shouldn’t be planted under large trees. Perennial ryegrass handles foot traffic well and can be mixed with Kentucky bluegrass to further improve this quality. It can be kept mowed from a minimal height of .25 inches up to 2.5 inches.
Kentucky Bluegrass
Kentucky bluegrass is the most commonly used lawn grass throughout the United States. This type of grass also does well in colder climates with high humidity and prefers direct sunlight as well. In western Washington, this grass should never be planted as a monostand (by itself) and should make up less than 50% of any seed mixture. In eastern Washington, Kentucky bluegrass is much more adapted to this climate and can be planted in monostands. Wherever you plant this grass it should be kept at a mowing height of 2-3 inches.
Fine-Leaved Fescue
Fine-leaved fescues are incredibly popular for lawns as they have an earlier growing season and blend well with many different grass types. On top of the fact that they do well in colder climates, they also have a moderate tolerance for shade, although they have a lower tolerance for foot traffic. Of all of the grasses listed here, fine-leaved fescues require the least maintenance and stand up well to drought. This grass should be kept at a mowing height of 1-3 inches.
Turf-Type Tall Fescue
Turf-type tall fescues were bred from forageable grasses; grasses that are commonly foraged by animals. This type of grass does well in cool climates with low nutrient soil as well as soil with poor drainage. It also has a rather high shade tolerance but does not tolerate heavy foot traffic very well. The mowing height for this type of grass should be kept between 3-4 inches.
There are several varieties of these types of grasses, and Urban Eden Landscaping would love to help figure out which one is best for you! If you are looking to reseed or overseed your lawn, contact us today or fill out our FREE estimate request form now.