The first step to having a low maintenance lawn is to select the correct grass species for the environment in which it is to be planted. The amount of use and level of care is also a consideration when selecting the correct grass.mixture for the lawn. Selecting cultivars that are disease, insect and drought resistant is also important. The four major cool-season grasses for home lawns in Connecticut include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine leaf fescues and tall fescue. Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass require high maintenance such as regular fertilizing and adequate water.
Fine fescues are a group of fescues including chewings, creeping red and hard fescues.
Fine leaf fescues perform well under low maintenance situations and should be considered for use when looking for a low maintenance lawn grass. Tall fescue is another lower maintenance grass but does not perform as well as the fine fescues under very low maintenance. The soil should be tested to determine limestone and nutrient recommendations. Soil testing information ran be obtained from any University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Center. Maintaining a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 makes nutrients most available to the grass plants.