{"id":10309,"date":"2020-12-10T09:01:16","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T14:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/?p=10309"},"modified":"2021-05-13T01:42:53","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T05:42:53","slug":"poa-pratensis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/poa-pratensis\/","title":{"rendered":"Poa Pratensis: Properties And Use Of The Kentucky Bluegrass"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Poa pratensis (The Kentucky bluegrass) is a common ingredient in turf seed mixtures. Here you can learn all about the properties and use of the grass.<\/p>\n<p>The Kentucky bluegrass&#8217;s spiky inflorescences are probably familiar to you, even if you&#8217;re not at all interested in botany. When the tall stems with seeds sway in the wind in midsummer, it is hard to imagine that seeds of meadowgrass enrich almost every home lawn.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Poa_pratensis_origin_and_description\"><\/span>Poa pratensis: origin and description<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6616a37dad40b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6616a37dad40b\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/poa-pratensis\/#Poa_pratensis_origin_and_description\" title=\"Poa pratensis: origin and description\">Poa pratensis: origin and description<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/poa-pratensis\/#Properties_and_use_of_The_Kentucky_bluegrass\" title=\"Properties and use of The Kentucky bluegrass\">Properties and use of The Kentucky bluegrass<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/poa-pratensis\/#What_are_the_characteristics_of_Poa_pratensis\" title=\"What are the characteristics of Poa pratensis?\">What are the characteristics of Poa pratensis?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/poa-pratensis\/#How_is_Poa_pratensis_used\" title=\"How is Poa pratensis used?\">How is Poa pratensis used?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/poa-pratensis\/#Different_varieties_of_Poa_pratensis\" title=\"Different varieties of Poa pratensis\">Different varieties of Poa pratensis<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>Poa pratensis, like most lawn grasses, belongs to the sweet grasses (Poaceae). It grows throughout the northern hemisphere of the earth, but meadow bluegrass can also be found in Africa, Australia, and even Antarctica. The Latin species name pratensis means nothing more than &#8220;growing in meadows.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In its natural habitat, The Kentucky bluegrass grows in a turf-like manner by forming vigorous underground stolons, so it tends to grow in large, gapless associations. It can grow up to 20 to 60 centimeters tall and blooms between May and July in panicles that hold new seeds of Poa pratensis. The leaf is dark green to blue-green and can vary in width and pubescence.<\/p>\n<p>Incidentally, in addition to meadow bluegrass, there are other species of bluegrass that can also be found in home lawns. For example, our Gardender Shade Lawn also contains common bluegrass (Poa trivialis), grove bluegrass (Poa nemoralis), and the extremely shade-tolerant slough grass (Poa supina).<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10311\" src=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/poa-pratensis-grassland.jpg\" alt=\"poa pratensis grassland\" width=\"750\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/poa-pratensis-grassland.jpg 750w, https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/poa-pratensis-grassland-300x180.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Properties_and_use_of_The_Kentucky_bluegrass\"><\/span>Properties and use of The Kentucky bluegrass<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Kentucky bluegrass has all the important properties at a glance, so we have created an overview table for you. Afterward, you will learn everything about the use of Poa pratensis.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_characteristics_of_Poa_pratensis\"><\/span>What are the characteristics of Poa pratensis?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Kentucky bluegrass in brief<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Characteristics<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Dense and solid grass scar due to strong foothills, leaf strong dark green, drought-tolerant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Claims<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Medium to high nutrient supply, normal soil without waterlogging<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Durability<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>High to very high due to very durable, extremely tread-resistant, and dense grass scar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Use<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Sports and playground lawns, dry grass, shade grass, sports field grass<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Germ duration and development<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Slow germination and initial development, later completion of scarring; after the establishment of competitive growth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Minimum cutting height<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Depending on the variety 30 to 40 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Specifics<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Winter hardy, some varieties susceptible to leaf spot disease, unsuitable for wet sites<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The Kentucky bluegrass has a long germination period and slow initial development. Once Poa pratensis has established itself, however, it is a valuable mixing partner &#8211; its drought tolerance, low susceptibility to most turf diseases, dense, firm grain, and associated durability are used on heavily used sports fields, for example.<\/p>\n<p>Added to this is the beautiful, dark green color, which in many varieties remains for a long time, even in winter. However, The Kentucky bluegrass is not at all suitable for heavy deep cutting and wet sites: It then grows weak and light and is easily crowded out by other grasses.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10312\" src=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/blaetter-The-Kentucky-bluegrass-waterdrops.jpg\" alt=\"blaetter The Kentucky bluegrass waterdrops\" width=\"750\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/blaetter-The-Kentucky-bluegrass-waterdrops.jpg 750w, https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/blaetter-The-Kentucky-bluegrass-waterdrops-300x180.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#e4e4c5;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#fefedf;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Expert tip: Are you unsure whether Poa pratensis will feel comfortable in your garden because you often observe standing water on the surface? Then a deep loosening of the subsoil is highly recommended. If you have very clay-rich soil, however, the compaction will arise anew in a short time. You can counteract this by working in four to five cubic meters of sand, expanded clay, or lava chippings per 100 square meters. Encouraging humus through mulch mowing and fertilizing with an organic lawn fertilizer will maintain and improve soil loosening and vitality over the long term, allowing the lawn to grow healthy and strong.<\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_is_Poa_pratensis_used\"><\/span>How is Poa pratensis used?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"su-pullquote su-pullquote-align-left\"><strong>Read more<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/red-fescue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Red Fescue: Properties &amp; Use Of The Festuca Rubra<\/a><\/div>Poa pratensis is highly valued as a perennial forage grass in pasture management. In-home gardening, it is present in almost all mixtures because of its high resilience and drought tolerance. Its frequent use on sports fields proves its high resistance even under extreme use.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10313\" src=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/poa-pratensis-single-blue-flower.jpg\" alt=\"poa-pratensis-single-blue-flower\" width=\"750\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/poa-pratensis-single-blue-flower.jpg 750w, https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/poa-pratensis-single-blue-flower-300x180.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Different_varieties_of_Poa_pratensis\"><\/span>Different varieties of Poa pratensis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Breeding has already tremendously mitigated some undesirable traits such as susceptibility to leaf spot disease. Positive traits such as resistance to treading and wintergreen, on the other hand, have been further improved.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Poa pratensis \u2032Joker&#8217;<\/strong>:<br \/>\nSlow growing, relatively green even in winter, rather coarse and broadleaf, extremely high scar density, very competitive with weeds. Very hardy and high resistance to rot. Very good suitability for sports and play turf as well as hardwearing turf, less suitable for ornamental turf.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Poa pratensis \u2032Sombrero&#8217;<\/strong>:<br \/>\nSlow growing, relatively green even in winter, rather coarse and broadleaf, high scar density, and good competitive ability against weeds. Medium to high hardiness. Slight susceptibility to some turf diseases. Good suitability for sports and play turf, medium suitability for hard-wearing turf, poor suitability for ornamental turf.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Poa pratensis \u2032Barhelene\u2032<\/strong>:<br \/>\nRapid growing, still relatively green in winter, rather coarse and broadleaf, extremely high scar density, competitive with weeds. Medium hardiness. Low susceptibility to turf diseases. Good suitability for sports and play turf, lower suitability for hard-wearing turf or ornamental turf.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Poa pratensis \u2032Greenplay\u2032<\/strong>:<br \/>\nVery slow-growing, still relatively green in winter, rather coarse and broadleaf, extremely high scar density, competitive with weeds. Good hardiness. Low susceptibility to turf diseases. Best suitability for sports and play lawns, suitability for hard-wearing lawns, hardly suitable for ornamental lawns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Poa pratensis (The Kentucky bluegrass) is a common ingredient in turf seed mixtures. Here you can learn all about the properties and use of the grass. The Kentucky bluegrass&#8217;s spiky inflorescences are probably familiar to you, even if you&#8217;re not at all interested in botany. When the tall stems with seeds sway in the wind&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10309"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10309"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10309\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}