Utah is ranked as the fourth driest state in the U.S. Much of the state is classed as “abnormally dry” or “moderate drought” and the extreme southwest of the state is experiencing severe drought.
This makes drought-tolerant grass a necessity for most Utah homeowners, who must also keep a constant eye out for water usage and watering regulations in the local area.
Several Utah lawn grasses handle drought better than others, also helping you maintain a yard that looks fantastic without the need for much maintenance.
Let’s take a look—and also consider a grass alternative that requires no water at all!
WHAT’S THE BEST DROUGHT-TOLERANT GRASS FOR UTAH?
The best drought-tolerant grass for Utah is cool-season grass like Tall Fescue, Fine Fescue, Buffalo grass, Kentucky Bluegrass or Perennial Ryegrass. Mixes of grasses are often available in Utah sod farms, with a Bluegrass-Fine Fescue mix one of the most popular options.
These grass types are naturally suited to the dry, semi-arid climate in Utah as well as the cold winters that affect most of the state.
The best shade-tolerant grass types are covered in detail below but first, let’s look at a grass alternative that requires no irrigation at all…
HOW ABOUT A GRASS TYPE THAT NEEDS NO WATER?
Want a lawn as green as the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium without using any water for irrigation? Then you need artificial grass.
The field turf on which the Utes have played home games since 2002 saves millions of gallons of water per year. It’s also much lower maintenance than a real grass field, which is why so many NFL and college football teams around the country have switched to artificial grass.
Did you know that you can get comparable-quality lawn grass for your backyard right here in Utah too? High-quality, low-maintenance turf that looks pristine all year with no effort—and practically no upkeep costs.
We’ve helped thousands of homeowners make the switch in the past two decades. Read more about the benefits of artificial grass later but, for now, let’s get back to the best real grass options for drought areas.
GET A FREE ARTIFICIAL GRASS ESTIMATE IN UTAH
If you’re in Salt Lake City or the surrounding areas, the experienced team at Rocky Mountain Turf will break down the costs for you in a free estimate. Contact us here.
BEST DROUGHT-TOLERANT GRASS FOR UTAH: DEEPER DIVE
Choosing a drought-tolerant grass for your Utah backyard starts with several cool-season grass options. Most likely, you’ll end up with a mix of a couple of grasses if you’re buying sod…
Fine Fescue
Fine Fescue is a versatile and highly drought-tolerant grass with a soft texture and thin, needle-like blades. Its weak structure means that the blades fold easily, making it unsuitable for high-traffic lawns.
Some homeowners find the lighter green color of Fine Fescue less attractive than, say, Kentucky Bluegrass. However, it fares better in the shade or part sun, making it a better choice for some yards with high foliage or tall buildings blocking the sunlight. It also establishes and grows well without fertilizer even in relatively poor soil. Its slow growth means maintenance needs are generally kept low with Fine Fescue.
You’ll often find Fine Fescue in combination with Kentucky Bluegrass or another grass type in Utah.
| Best for: | Drought, shade, and poor soil |
| Not suitable for: | High traffic |
Kentucky Bluegrass
We include Kentucky Bluegrass because it’s one of the most popular (and available) lawn grass types in Utah with a rich green color and a lush, velvety feel—despite not being the most drought-tolerant grass.
Most sod farms in Utah predominantly grow Kentucky Bluegrass-based sod. Often used in combination with more drought-tolerant grasses, like Fine Fescue or Ryegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass has the advantage of being able to handle foot traffic, recovering well once flattened, and looking fine for most of the year if well-tended.
Full shade is not ideal for this type of grass but it will grow with partial shade or full sun. Bear in mind that Kentucky Bluegrass is susceptible to pests and needs more maintenance to remain healthy than some other options, especially in the drier and hotter months of the year when it needs considerable irrigation.
| Best for: | High-traffic lawns and good sunlight |
| Not suitable for: | Heavy shade, extreme drought or low maintenance |
Tall Fescue
Tall Fescue is another hardy grass type with good drought tolerance, a strong root system, and excellent pest resistance. It has broader leaves and even better heat tolerance than Fine Fescue—but performs less well in the shade (though still better than Kentucky Bluegrass).
Because of its broader leaves, Tall Fescue handles foot traffic better than its cousin and it is considered generally low maintenance compared to most other turfgrass options.
A mix of Tall Fescue with Fine Fescue may work for some Utah homeowners but take note that it may have a coarser appearance than your typical Kentucky Bluegrass lawn and it tends to grow with a bunched pattern. This type of grass is mainly grown from scratch from seed and is not readily available at sod farms.
| Best for: | Drought and high foot traffic |
| Not suitable for: | Heavily shaded areas or overseeding |
Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial Ryegrass is often paired with other types of grass sod in Utah, particularly Kentucky Bluegrass. You can also over-seed a Bluegrass lawn using a Ryegrass-Bluegrass blend.
This type of grass has a dark green coloration, which works well with Bluegrass. It is disease-resistant, moderately drought-tolerant (more so than Bluegrass but less than Tall Fescue), and fast-growing, meaning that it does require frequent mowing.
Perennial Ryegrass is relatively easy to establish in most yard conditions in Utah and fares reasonably well in shade or part-sun. It also stands up to heavy foot traffic quite well.
Don’t confuse this grass type with Annual Ryegrass, which is taller, lankier, and less suitable as lawn grass.
| Best for: | Overseeding a Bluegrass lawn, moderately high traffic |
| Not suitable for: | Extreme heat, extreme drought or low-maintenance requirements |
BEST WARM-SEASON GRASS FOR DROUGHT IN UTAH
Buffalo Grass
The best warm-season grass for drought tolerance in Utah is Buffalo Grass. This type of grass is native to the Great Plains region and requires much less water to remain green during summer than most warm-season grasses—only 1-2 inches of water every 2-4 weeks.
Because Buffalo Grass can provide a beautiful, soft, green summer lawn in much of Utah if well-tended, some homeowners here prefer it to the cool-season grass options outlined above. It will go dormant (tan or lavender) in the early spring and for much of the fall but it should remain healthy.
| Best for: | Drought and low-maintenance |
| Not suitable for: | Shaded areas |
CAN BERMUDA GRASS BE USED FOR LAWNS IN UTAH?
Traditionally, popular warm-season grasses like Bermuda Grass are not recommended for Utah lawns—but that’s changing slightly.
Common Bermuda Grass is highly invasive and banned in Utah but Hybrid Bermuda Grass is increasingly found throughout the state, especially in the south where winters are milder.
Hybrid Bermuda Grass has a higher drought tolerance than its predecessors. It can also handle colder weather better, turning dormant to survive freezing temperatures in winter. Bermuda Grass lawns are brown and dormant through cool spring temperatures and turn green in summer.
Overseeding with Perennial Ryegrass will help your lawn remain green in spring too. These lawns typically handle heavy foot traffic well (Bermuda Grass is used on many sports fields) but require regular watering, fertilizing, and mowing in summer to flourish. Also, watch out for problems with fungal growth if there is too much water and not enough sunlight.
| Best for: | High foot traffic, drought, and heat |
| Not suitable for: | Shaded or low-maintenance areas |
WHAT FACTORS BESIDES DROUGHT TOLERANCE AFFECT GRASS CHOICE IN UTAH?
The best grass for Utah homes depends heavily on how drought-tolerant it is—but other factors must be considered before you start ordering your pallets of sod.
Here are a few other factors to bear in mind…
- The purpose of the grass: a lawn may not be just for curb appeal or to make the neighbors envious. It can become a kids’ play area, a backyard sports field or an entertainment area around a swimming pool, for instance. Some lawn turfs like Kentucky Bluegrass will handle the extra foot traffic better than others.
- Shade and soil conditions: how much sunlight and the soil quality in your yard will also affect grass choice in Utah. Unless your yard sees plenty of sunshine, which it needs for healthy growth, you’ll need a shade-tolerant variety like Fine Fescue.
- Maintenance level: the amount of work you’re prepared to put into your lawn also affects the type of grass to choose. Many grass types need regular mowing, fertilizing, aerating, overseeing, pest control, etc. This not only adds to the high cost of maintaining a lawn compared with alternative ground coverings but also the time required to tend it—and the potential environmental impact. Fine Fescue, Tall Fescue, and Buffalo Grass are known for their low maintenance.
ALTERNATIVES TO GRASS IN UTAH
Drought, shade, poor soil quality, high maintenance, high upkeep costs, and other challenges with grass may get you thinking about whether all the hassle is worth it.
You can reduce the work and the costs by choosing the right grass—but an alternative ground covering like artificial grass, stone, pea gravel, mulch or native plants can remove all worries.
What’s more, Utah Water Savers even provides an incentive program with rebates for residents who remove grass and replace it with certain low-water landscaping ideas.
Artificial grass
An artificial grass lawn looks just like the real thing but removes any worries about drought in Utah, providing an evergreen, low-maintenance lawn for your yard all year round.
The main pros of artificial grass include:
- Artificial grass is very low maintenance, freeing up time for homeowners
- An investment in artificial turf provides significant cost savings over time, paying for itself within 5-6 years with virtually zero lawn maintenance costs
- Synthetic turf is drought-tolerant and requires next to no water (also heat and sun-tolerant)
- Artificial turf is hard-wearing enough for pets, children, and sports
- Excellent drainage if high-quality turf is installed professionally
- Synthetic grass is versatile enough to be used in many different landscaping ideas in Utah backyards
- No mud, grass clippings or mess to deal with in the yard
The main downsides of artificial grass are that it costs more to install than real grass and gets hotter than natural grass.
Other hardscaping options for Utah backyards are gravel, crushed rock or pavers, as well as organic options like white clover and mulch. Most of these can be used in combination with real or artificial grass for a stunning back or front yard landscape.
FAQs
What are drought-friendly native Utah plants for landscaping?
Drought-friendly native plants in Utah include barberry, boxwoods, Miss Kim Lilacs, viburnums, cherry laurels, yews, juniper shrubs, munstead lavender, yellow tickseed coreopsis, John Cabot rose, and September charm windflower.
When should I overseed my thinning grass lawn in Utah?
The best time to overseed a thinning grass lawn in Utah is usually in late August or September when the soil is not too cold. If there is an early winter frost, you can also overseed in April or May.
What are the watering regulations in Salt Lake City?
There are no restrictions on homeowners and businesses at present but Public Utilities ask that all water customers avoid watering more than twice a week. The latest information can be found here.
What are the main differences between real grass and artificial grass?
They may look almost identical these days, but real grass and synthetic grass have many differences. To help decide which is the best option for your home, check out this post that compares artificial grass vs natural grass.
How long does artificial grass last?
Your artificial grass should last a minimum of 10 years and if properly installed and maintained, up to 15 or 20 years.
CONSIDERING SWITCHING TO ARTIFICIAL GRASS?
If you’re considering different backyard landscaping ideas for your Austin home, discuss your options with an artificial grass professional.
