Can I Mix Kentucky Bluegrass With Tall Fescue?

Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue are great turfgrass choices to include on your lawn. They give you different results, especially with the final look. Kentucky Bluegrass tends to be more beautiful, maintaining a green, healthy look throughout fall and winter.

Additionally, Kentucky Bluegrass results in an even lawn improving the overall look and appearance. On the other hand, Tall Fescue is denser and features a rich green color that allows you to enhance your lawn’s look. However, Tall Fescue grows in clumps leaving gaps in your yard.

Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue are cool-season grass varieties that thrive during fall and winter. These turfgrasses work well together, and you can mix them to improve your lawn and benefit from both options.

However, before mixing Kentucky Bluegrass with Tall Fescue, there are a few tips you need to keep in mind. Some of these tips include;

Invest in the Right Seed Blend

The Kentucky Bluegrass seeds are smaller and lighter compared to Tall Fescue seeds. Therefore, you’ll need to invest in a seed blend that factors in the weight of these seeds. The best practice is to invest in a mix that features 10% Bluegrass and 90% Fescue.

This blend gives a 50/50 mix of seeds that you can introduce to your lawn to ensure that you get the desired results. When choosing your seed blend, consider consulting a professional to ensure that your lawn is well prepared to support the growth of these turfgrasses.

Additionally, consulting with professionals will help you ensure that you are investing in suitable turfgrass varieties. However, consider avoiding the K-31 Fescue variety when choosing your seed blend as a rule of thumb. This is because the K-31 type tends to grow in clumps which may ruin the look you are aiming for.

If you want to invest in a turfgrass lawn without relying on seeds, you can look into turfgrasses grown indoors in growth units employing vertical farming methods. These options feature a suitable blend of desired turfgrasses, making it easier to incorporate them into your lawn.

The development of AI in agriculture gives you access to a turfgrass mat in just over a week that you can add to your lawn. This is an excellent option if you want a lawn that features well-arranged and curated turfgrasses.

Pay Attention to the Quantity and Time When Seeding

When it comes to the seeding process, you have different options that you should consider. These options include overseeding and seeding bare grounds. In addition, these options will feature different seed blend quantities to ensure that you stay on track.

Overseeding means adding seeds to an already thick lawn or a patchy and struggling lawn. You’ll be working with two to four pounds of seed per 1000 square feet for a thick lawn while adding double to a struggling and patchy lawn.

On the other hand, seeding bare grounds will require at least eight to twelve pounds of seed per 1000 square feet. Paying attention to the quantity you need for the seeding process will ensure that the results are pleasant.

When it comes to finding the perfect time to start the seeding process remember that these turf grasses thrive in cool seasons. This makes it a great idea to begin seeding in late summer, going into early fall. 

Choose Your Location Wisely

Tall Fescue thrives under shade and when exposed to the sun, while the Kentucky Bluegrass thrives under shade, especially when cooler seasons are over. Therefore, you need to factor this in to ensure that you give your Bluegrass a better environment to thrive when summer sets in.

Additionally, your location determines whether growing a mix of these turfgrasses is what is best for you. For example, if you live in an area not prone to long, cooler seasons, then this blend of turfgrasses is not the best choice for you. Consider investing in other turfgrass options suitable for the weather conditions in your area.

Benefits of Mixing Kentucky Bluegrass With Tall Fescue

Mixing these two turfgrasses comes with various benefits that make them stronger together than alone. Here are some of the benefits you can expect.

Easy Maintenance

Tall fescue grows well with little lawn fertilizer and less water. This allows this turfgrass to grow and thrive during cool and hot seasons. On the other hand, Kentucky Bluegrass only thrives during cool seasons since it requires a lot of water to grow and stay healthy.

However, mixing these two turfgrasses make it easier to maintain since Fescue will provide support to the Kentucky Bluegrass during hot seasons. This allows them to grow and thrive together throughout the seasons.

Repair of Damaged Parts in the Lawn

Kentucky Bluegrass does a great job when it comes to repairing patchy and struggling lawns. If you have damaged areas in your lawn, this turfgrass option will work great to improve and ensure that your lawn looks excellent. Additionally, mixing Fescue with Bluegrass allows you to fill in the spaces left by Fescue allowing for a fuller and more beautiful look.

Increase Resilience

A blend of different turfgrasses increases their resilience to attacks by pests and diseases. As a result, you’ll often find that diseases that may attack Fescue will not hinder the growth of Bluegrass. Instead, your lawn will keep thriving as you treat your Fescue to avoid further attacks.

Last update on 2024-09-10 / Affiliate links / Somes Images and Data from Amazon Product Advertising API