What is the best grass seed for Northern Illinois?

The Best Grass Types for Chicagoland Residents

Kentucky Bluegrass. One of the most popular grasses for northern Illinois is Kentucky bluegrass.
Tall Fescue. Tall fescue is ideal for low-maintenance areas.
Fine Fescue. Another choice for Chicago area residents is fine fescues.
Perennial Ryegrass.

Keeping this in consideration, what is the best grass to grow in Illinois?

Grasses used in Illinois are typically cool season grasses. Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass are the most common with turf type fescue being used at the more southern portion of Illinois. Some people are using warm season grasses such as zoysia grass in Southern Illinois as well.

Furthermore, what is the best all around grass seed? Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Barenbrug Advantage Pinnacle III Perennial Ryegrass Seed at Amazon.
Best for Sunny Spaces: Scotts Turf Builder Sunny Mix Grass Seed at Amazon.
Best for Dogs & Pets: Scotts EZ Seed Sun & Shade Dog Spot Repair at Amazon.
Best for Cool Season: Nature's Seed Fine Fescue Grass Seeds Blend at Amazon.

Beside above, when should I plant grass seed in Illinois?

Planting grass seed in Illinois should be done between August 15 and October 1. Seeding in late summer/early fall provides warm soils, cool temperatures, and autumn rains that create a good environment for seed germination.

When Should I aerate my lawn in northern Illinois?

The best times to aerate are spring and fall, when cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass that are common in Chicago-area lawns are actively growing. I prefer to schedule aeration in April or May, but it also can be done in September or October. For most residential lawns, it is adequate to aerate once a year.

38 Related Question Answers Found

When Should I aerate my lawn in Illinois?

When should I aerate? In Illinois, the best time to aerate cool season lawns of tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass is in late August to late September or in the spring. This is when these lawns are coming out of dormancy and beginning a period of vigorous growth. Lawns will recover quickly from aeration at this time.

What kind grass do I have?

Despite the ability to tolerate the heat, Tall fescue is typically considered a cool- season grass. In some lawns, patches of tall fescue may stick out and appear as a grassy weed. It also has the widest leaf blade and grows in bunches, so you won't see it used very often in seed mixes.

Can you mix grass types?

Most grasses are a mix of more than one type, and each type serves a different function. This way, if one of the grasses performs poorly in a section of the yard, the other grasses will keep the area covered. When mixing grass seeds, it's best to incorporate all cool-season or all warm-season grasses.

What is the best looking grass?

The Best Grass Types for Your Most Luscious Lawn Ever

North: Kentucky Bluegrass. Cool season grasses do best in more moderate temperatures, and this grass is ideal.
North: Perennial Ryegrass.
North: Fine Fescue.
North/Transition: Tall Fescue.
Transition: Zoysia Grass.
Transition: Bermuda Grass.
South: Centipede Grass.

What seed is used for sod?

The primary cool-season turfgrass species used by sod growers are Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, so they are the most commonly available Sod Quality seeds. Sod quality seed is not readily available to homeowners through retail outlets.

What is the softest type of grass?

Rye grasses are the softest I've experienced. Perennial or annual. Annual is cheaper to buy. People usually plant in the fall, let it germinate, then it grows very slowly over the winter, keeping the lawn a brilliant green.

What kind of grass do I have in Chicago?

The Best Grass Types for Chicagoland Residents

Kentucky Bluegrass. One of the most popular grasses for northern Illinois is Kentucky bluegrass.
Tall Fescue. Tall fescue is ideal for low-maintenance areas.
Fine Fescue. Another choice for Chicago area residents is fine fescues.
Perennial Ryegrass.

What kind of sod should I use?

Cool-season grasses (fescue, bluegrass) do best in Northern climates, while warm-season grasses (St. Augustine, zoysia) fare better in Southern climates. A grass variety recommended for one area of the country may be discouraged for use in another area.

Do you need to dethatch if you aerate?

A half-inch or more of thatch can weaken your lawn. You have 2 ways to remove it: dethatching and aerating. If your lawn's failure to thrive is due to compaction, you will want to aerate it. If thick thatch is the problem, you will instead need to dethatch your lawn.

How much grass seed do I need for 1000 square feet?

For example, if you wish to plant a new Kentucky bluegrass lawn, the seeding rate is 2 to 3 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. If you are planting a tall fescue lawn, the recommended rate is 8 to 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

What is the best grass seed for Central Illinois?

Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall and fine fescues are good turf grasses for Central Illinois lawns. These cool-season grasses tolerate cold winter temperatures and warm summers.

How many pounds of grass seed do I need for new grass?

How much seed you'll need depends on what kind you're getting. For example, a “sun & shade” mix takes about 6 pounds for a new 1,000 square foot lawn, 3 pounds for seeding over an existing lawn. Ryegrass takes about 10 pounds for a new lawn and 5 pounds for an existing lawn.

When should I apply fall fertilizer in Illinois?

Early fall (September 1-15) is a key time for fertilizing lawns in northern Illinois. The schedule below outlines when to apply based on how many applications are to be made annually and desired lawn quality. Use controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers in May and September and a fast-release source in late fall.

When should you dethatch your lawn in Illinois?

The best time in most areas is late spring or early summer, when these grasses are growing and producing new runners. Cool season grasses such as bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass are less likely to need dethatching, but if they do, the best time tends to be early fall. Reseeding may be necessary after dethatching.

When should you stop cutting grass in Chicago?

The general rule is to keep mowing the lawn as long as it is growing, which will depend on the weather. Blue grass generally stops growing when daytime high temperatures are consistently below 50 degrees. My lawn is still growing; slowly, but enough to require mowing.

How late can you lay sod in Chicago?

Late summer and early fall is the best time to plant sod for several reasons. With two or three months of cooler temperatures remaining within the growing season, sod is given a less stressful rooting and growth window, which is of premier importance while it is rooting in your Chicago-area (zone 5b) landscape.

Do you really need to aerate your lawn?

No, it's not necessary to aerate your lawn every year, especially if your grass is healthy and thriving. Aeration is good if you've got compacted, poor or clay-heavy soil that's been impacted by heavy equipment or lots of foot traffic. Always do "core aeration," which involves a machine that removes plugs of soil.