Sustainable grass

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have been given a 2.1 million dollar grant from the US Department of Agriculture to develop draught resistant grass that needs less maintenance and requires less water. 

Silverwood Park, MN Sept. 2012 - Dry grass - photo N. Carlson

They will attempt to replace Kentucky Blue grass with fine fescue grass.  The grass grows slower and is more draught resistant.  Unfortunately it does not do as well in high temperatures and there will be a need to breed high temperature tolerance into the grass.

It makes sense to incorporate several kinds of grass seed into a lawn if you can get them to grow at a similar rates.  It will reduce the chance of a disease wiping out the lawn.  There is also a move to a more diverse plant mix in the lawn or redefine the lawn with more native plant species.

Park in Minnesota - N. Carlson