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Recommended Grass For Illinois Lawns
The primary varieties of Turfgrasses
recommended
(this is an Ohio State site but applies to Illinois) for Illinois lawns Include the following species
listed below. Perennial Ryegrass & Fine Fescue is often used
in blends of Bluegrass or Tall Fescue.
Do NOT plant Tall Fescue into a Bluegrass lawn. Bluegrass is the #1
choice in a turf grass for Illinois lawns. Growing season in the
Northern 1/3 is about 150 days and in the South about 200 days.
This results in the Southern part of Illinois being more adaptable
to Tall Fescue, and occasionally Bermuda or Zoysia. Lime is
often needed on Illinois lawns, especially in the Southern areas.
When To Plant Grass Seed In Illinois
The cool season grasses listed above are best
planted when temperatures are in the 60 to 75 degree range.
In the fall plant as temperatures approach 75. In the spring
plant as they rise above 60 degrees. Fall is best time to
plant as it allows for two growing seasons for maturity of the
grass before facing the harsh temperatures and drought of summers.
Warm season grasses (Bermuda / Zoysia) should be planted in late
spring /early summer.
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Grass Varieties
(Cultivars) To Consider For Illinois Lawns
Kentucky Bluegrass: The primary
grass planted in Illinois, especially in the Northern 2/3 of the state
is Kentucky Bluegrass. It is considered the best quality turfgrass and makes a fine textured lawn. It has the ability to fill-in damaged areas without reseeding. Bluegrass is
also more winter-hardy than the rest of the lawn species used in
Illinois. Newer varieties are more resistant to diseases.
It performs best in full sun, but can be mixed with a fine fescue
for use in shady areas. Bluegrass can take 1 to 3 months to
germinate and establish depending on site conditions. It
makes an excellent athletic field. Bluegrass can be seeded
or sodded for establishment. Read more
Bluegrass information.
Perennial
Ryegrass: Most of the perennial ryegrass used in
lawns is in a mix of Kentucky Bluegrass. Its fast
establishment time works well with the slower establishment time
of Bluegrass. It is also a fine textured grass similar
to Bluegrass with good drought tolerance. It is not as cold
tolerant as Bluegrass but is suitable for Illinois lawns. Read more
Ryegrass information.
Fine Fescues:
Red, hard and chewings fescues are all used in the
state of Illinois. Their primary use is in blends with either
Tall Fescue or Kentucky Bluegrass on shady lawns. While they
can be planted alone, usually they are a part of a mixed variety
lawn. Creeping Red is the most popular of the varieties
because its texture is considered the best turf type. Hard & chewings are used in blends for areas in which increased shade or inadequate soil types are more of an issue. - Read more Fescue information.
Tall Fescue:
Tall Fescue is a cool season grass with
a coarser, wider blade texture. Leaves usually range as wide
as 1/4 inch, though some newer varieties are finer leaved.
It has increased in popularity in Illinois due to its good drought and
heat tolerant allowing the lawn to remain green in hot
summers that usually stress Bluegrass. It is often used on
home lawns, roadsides, parks and playgrounds, and athletic fields
where the wider blade width is acceptable. Read more
Tall Fescue information. Tall
Fescue is more suited to the lower 1/3 of the state because of
summer & winter temperatures. It can be found being used
as far North as Chicago, but is more susceptible to winter
temperatures than Bluegrass, especially if no snow cover occurs.
Bentgrass:
Bentgrass will grow in Illinois, but are
predominately limited to high maintenance locations such as Golf
Courses. This is because the cultural issues involved in
keeping Bentgrasses healthy (disease / mowing / fertilization /
irrigation) are much more involved and require more frequent
attention than other lawn varieties. It is NOT recommended
for the average homeowners use.
Penncross
Creeping Bentgrass is considered the best choice in variety for a
homeowner who "must" have a grass green in their back lawn. Read
more Bentgrass
information.
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Other Grass Types (Warm Season) For Lawns In
Illinois
ZOYSIA: Zoysiagrass is planted to a lesser degree in
Southern Illinois, than in the other Southern located states. This is because
of the long dormant period in which
Zoysiagrass is a brown color
from fall to mid spring. While it is not really compatible
with the cool season grasses above, it has still maintained some
popularity because of its drought / heat tolerance vs the cool
season grasses in Illinois's summers. - Annual Ryegrass is not
generally planted because it does not survive the high and low
temperatures of Illinois very well. Perennial Ryegrass is the
preferred ryegrass.
BERMUDA GRASS: Bermudagrass has seen some interest in Illinois, but the varieties available to date do NOT have the cold tolerance and special
management needed to survive Illinois winters.
Buffalograss is occasionally planted in Illinois for use as a low
maintenance grass.
ILLINOIS - Illinois is predominately a cool season grass state for lawns. Some warm
season grasses are planted in the lower 1/3 of the state. Ryegrasses, Bluegrasses, Fescues and Bentgrass are the main cool season grasses utilized for lawns.
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COOL SEASON GRASSES FOR ILLINOIS LAWNS
Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue & Fine Fescue are
the main grasses planted in Illinois. Some Perennial
ryegrass is also used, mainly in mixes with either Bluegrass or
Fescue. The newer turf-type Tall Fescues are improved for
better drought, disease tolerance along with lower mowing heights
for a good looking lawn. Blends of Kentucky Bluegrass lawns
with fine fescue or perennial ryegrass are planted.
Predominately Tall Fescue lawns also have
small amounts of fine Fescue and/or Kentucky Bluegrass added to
improve the look and performance. --- Tall Fescue is
considered a troublesome weed in lawns composed mainly of Kentucky
Bluegrass. Pure lawns of fine fescue are also planted in
high shade areas as this is the most shade tolerant of the cool
season grasses listed above.
WARM SEASON GRASSES FOR
ILLINOIS LAWNS
In the southern areas some warm season grasses such
as Zoysia and Bermudagrass
and even Buffalograss
are planted. In fact, Zoysia is planted as far north as Chicago.
Bermudagrass will not generally survive the harsher winter cold
conditions of Chicago. Only cold tolerant Bermudas such as
the seeded variety Mohawk
or other vegetative cold tolerant varieties... should be planted
in southern areas only, and even then expect the possibility of
some winter kill each winter season. The warm season grasses
will turn brown and become dormant with the first frost. They are
mainly drought tolerant "hot weather - summer" grasses.
BEST PLANTING TIMES: - COOL SEASON GRASSES
(1) FALL IS BEST TIME - Middle
of August through the end of September is ideal to plant cool
season Grasses. --- When soil temps range between 50- 65 degrees
and air temps range between 60-75 degrees.
(2) SPRING IS SECOND BEST - Same temps apply.
For cool season grasses the next best establishment
time is from the middle of March to the middle of April is an
ideal time to plant cool season grasses. -- Keep in mind that
depending on the summer conditions some of your plants might not
survive to fall. You may need to reseed (overseed) in the
fall to fully establish your cool season lawn.
BEST PLANTING TIMES: WARM SEASON GRASSES IN ILLINOIS
Warm season grasses should be planted
starting in the spring to mid/early summer after the soil / air
temperatures are 70 degrees or higher (under 95). Generally
this is around May-June. Do NOT try to plant these once you
have reached 90 days before first frost to avoid winter kill of
small immaturely established seedlings. Warm season grasses
need heat and moisture in order to best germinate and grow.
SOD: - Fastest way to get an instant lawn.
Cool season sod can be planted just about year
around (except during stress period of dry weather in the
summers.) -- Warm season grass sods are best established in spring
to mid summer, so that their root systems will have time to
establish before frost / freezes turn the grasses dormant.
Illinois Lawns - Some Recommended Mixes & Varieties
COOL SEASON: Mid America
Super Shade; Seedland Bluemix;
Chateau
KBG;
Midnight KBG; Creeping Red Fescue;Tall Fescue;
Professional Select Perennial Ryegrass;
Superstar
Perennial Ryegrass. ---
WARM SEASON:
Mohawk Bermuda Grass; Zenith Zoysia Grass Seed;
Compadre Zoysia Grass . NOTE: These are only a few of the
most popular seed blends and varieties available at
Seedland.com
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Online Resources About Grass Lawns In Illinois
LAWN TALK - Illinois! GOOD SITE!
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lawntalk/
ILLINOIS EXTENSION SERVICES
Lawn Care for Illinois Lawns:
Illinois Extension:
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/index.html
University of Illinois Turfgrass:
http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/
(Click on Extension).
Purdue University Lawn Publications: Excellent list of
Indiana Turf articles that apply to Illinois:
http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/publicat.htm
Variety comparisons: www.ntep.org
Climate Zone Map And Link To Grass Selection Chart
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ILLINOIS
CLIMATE ZONES
7 & 8
Grass
Zone Selection
Chart |
Northern 2/3 area of Illinois - Zone 7
Southern 1/3 area of Illinois - Zone 8
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University of
Illinois - Turfgrass Information
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