A properly hardened Kentucky bluegrass turf can survive drought by initiating new growth from crown tissues and nodes located on rhizomes when growing conditions become favorable. If the crown or nodes dehydrate, the stand will be severely thinned. It prefers full sunlight, but can stand partial shade. Low temperature hardiness, fall color retention, and spring green-up rate are all good. Its wear tolerance is medium to good with good recuperative potential.
Kentucky bluegrass requires a medium to high intensity of culture.
The preferred cutting height is 1.5 to 2 inches during periods of optimum growth. This height should be raised to 2.5 to 3 inches during periods of high temperature stress to help insulate crown tissues and minimize stress on the turfgrass growing point. A cutting height of more than 3.5 inches for Kentucky bluegrass results in poor turfgrass quality, increased disease incidence, and increased water use. Kentucky bluegrasses require 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week in Nebraska. This can be supplied by rainfall or supplemental irrigation.