Types of Grasses for Lawns
If the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, your neighbor may have a different type of grass than you do. There are many types of grass that can be planted in your lawn. Selecting the correct grass for your yard means that you need to consider your desires, your yard's features, the climate of your area and how you wish to plant your grass. In addition, some types of grass are higher maintenance than others. Once you know the various grasses to choose from, planting your dream lawn will be a breeze. Does this Spark an idea?
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Creeping Grass
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Creeping grasses get their name from their creeping growth habit. New shoots develop from rhizomes or stolons. Rhizomes are nodes on underground stems and stolons are horizontally growing stems above the ground. Some creeping grasses are spread by rhizomes, stolons or both. Kentucky bluegrass and red fescue are two varieties of creeping grass that are spread by rhizomes. Buffalo grass, creeping bentgrass, rough bluegrass and St. Augustine grass are all spread by stolons. Both stolons and rhizomes spread Bermuda grass, colonial bentgrass, kikuyugrass, seashore paspalu and zoysia grass.
Bunch Grass
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Bunchgrass is a perennial grass species that grows in distinctive clumps. These clumps have deep roots that are able to obtain moisture from deep in the soil. Bunchgrass does not grow in sod-like carpets. It is ideal for hotter and dryer climates. Because bunchgrass grows in clumps, it is not as popular a choice for lawn.
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Cool Season Grass
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Those living in areas that extend from the far north border of the continental United States down to a line that extends from middle California to Pennsylvania need to plant cool season grass in their yards. A transition area that goes from middle California down to southern California and across to North Carolina can sometimes get away with a mixture of both warm and cool season grass. Cool season grass typically does better in the transition period than warm varieties.
If there is a lot of foot traffic in a particular yard, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue grass should be chosen. Both of these grass types tolerate most types of soil. Perennial ryegrass requires full sun, while tall fescue will thrive in partial sun and shade.
Bentgrass, bluegrass, and fine fescue are all suitable cool season grasses that tolerate light traffic. Fine fescue tolerates most types of soil, and will tolerate both sun and shade. Bentgrass tolerates acidic soil, and bluegrass requires neutral soil to grow. Both bentgrass and bluegrass need full sun.
Warm Season Grass
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Residents in southern states generally need to plant warm season grass. Bahia, Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and zoysia are all popular warm season grasses. Bahia grass tolerates most types of soil and needs full to moderate sun to survive. Bermuda grass needs light textured soil and full sun. Centipede grass will grow in acidic soil in full to partial sunlight. St. Augustine grass prefers sandy soil and full or partial sunlight. Zoysia grass does best in soil that is slightly acidic and needs full to partial sunlight. Bermuda, centipede, and St. Augustine grass all tolerate high traffic. Bahia grass tolerates moderate traffic, and centipede grass does best in low traffic areas.
Sod or Seed?
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There are two ways to plant grass: sod or seed. Sod is a blanket of grass that was grown in a field, then harvested and rolled up. Seeds are spread over the soil and then watered. Sod is best for those individuals who want the instant gratification of a lawn. Even though sod provides an instantly green lawn, it requires care. Poor soil and drainage can cause sod to mold or even die. The determining factor for most people when they decide between sod and seed is cost. According to the Albright Seed Company, the cost to sod an acre runs about $15,000 for sod and $225 for seed.
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