What kind of grass is in my lawn? | Olympia & DuPont Lawn Care Company

Most of the lawns in our area start out as a 3-way blend of Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) (PRG).  Perennial ryegrass is a cool season grass that thrives in our moist and cool climate.  PRG has a rapid germination rate and vigorous seedling growth.  It prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade.  It grows best in non-compacted, well drained soil.  The fine leaf texture, dark green color and excellent wear tolerance makes for a beautiful lawn.

Over time Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) (Poa) starts to establish.  Poa is a cool season grass that is adaptable to moist, cool and shaded areas.  It can grow in all soil textures including compacted soil.  Poa has a fine leaf texture, lighter green color with shallow root depth resulting in poor wear tolerance.  Poa withstands close and frequent mowing and is able to produce seed heads even at 1/8” mowing heights.  Individual plants can produce between 1,000 and 2,500 seeds in a season.

Here are some things you can do to encourage Perennial ryegrass and discourage Poa annua encroachment:

-Aerate, De-thatch, Lime and Over-seed with 3-way Perennial ryegrass in the Spring or Fall to relieve compaction and increase turf density.

-Irrigate deep and infrequent to encourage root development in PRG.  Overwatering in shady areas encourages Poa.

-Avoid mowing too low or scalping the lawn.  Poa can tolerate low mowing heights.

-Remove clippings when Poa is producing seed heads.