Know Your Lawn Grass
Suggested Mixes & Blends for Northern Illinois
When choosing lawn seed and sod products, there are two important combinations to consider.
Seed mixtures are combinations of two or more species of grass, such as Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass.
Tall fescue has a bunch-type growth habit, so it may not recover well
from damage.
Blends are combinations of two or more cultivars/varieties of a single lawn species. Cultivars (or varieties) are considered selections of a species, and may offer a variety of traits that set them apart from others in the species, including resistance to diseases or other stress, or perhaps improved color or hardiness. When combined, each cultivar offers a variety of features to contribute to a diverse stand of lawn grasses able to withstand a number of stresses and problems better than one cultivar by itself.
Combining grass species and cultivars together helps create a uniform yet diverse stand of grasses in a lawn. Suggestions for northern Illinois, based on site conditions and use factors, are outlined in the following table.
Suggested Lawn Mixtures & Blends for Northern Illinois
Full Sun Areas- Kentucky bluegrass blend (3-5 cultivars)
- Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass
- Tall fescue * (high traffic areas or hot, dry sites)
- Fine fescue (low maintenance lawn - infrequent mowing)
- Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass/fine fescue
Sun/Shade Areas
- Kentucky bluegrass/fine(red)fescue
- Fine fescue
- Tall fescue*
(in order of need for light)
- Fine (red) fescue
- Rough bluegrass (wet shade) - low quality lawn
- Full shade tolerant ground cover
- Woodland natives (ferns, wildflowers)
- Mulch to cover soil
*Tall fescue may not be completely winter hardy in northern Illinois, and may require overseeding on a regular basis to maintain acceptable quality
**Shade-tolerant grasses have a limit on how much shade they can tolerate
