Seven Green Grasses, Three Climate Zones and a Lawn Mower - What More Could You Want?
The first spring mowing of our lawn represents the end of the winter months.
The grass gives off the scent of spring; as it enjoys its first clipping of the season.
It is that aroma, that lets us know winter time is fading in the rear view mirror.
A lot goes into planting a lawn; but when completed correctly, you are rewarded with great satisfaction and long term enjoyment.
Before one piece of dirt is disturbed, you need to research the grass that is right for your design; which means you need to determine the climate zone you live in, the intended use for your lawn, the type of grass you desire and how much time and money you want to spend on creating and maintaining your new lawn.
There are three climate zones; Cool, Transitional and Warm.
At the bottom of this article you are given an address where you can locate your state on a climate map.
You probably already know though, by simply looking out your window.
If you see a frozen pond, just assume you need to go no further than the cool zone.
A palm tree and blue water, means look no higher than the warm zone.
Everyone else go check out the map.
Following are examples of the more popular grasses in each zone; there are sub categories to these grasses and the other grasses in each zone.
For the sake of limiting the length of this article we will focus solely on the seven I have listed.
1) Cool Season Zone: Blue Grass, Bent Grass, Fescue Grasses: Blue grass has an emerald green color year round, a germination rate of 21-27 days, moderately drought resistant and high traffic tolerance.
Planting techniques are seed and turf.
All these qualities make it a home owner favorite and an excellent "barefoot" lawn.
Bent grass has a deep green color, a germination rate of 7-15 days, fine textured, dense and low growing traits are part of the reason it is considered a high end or luxury grass.
High lawn care and high maintenance are requirements of a Bent grass lawn.
Due to its ability to grow close to the ground in a tight pattern and to be mown close to the ground coupled with its tolerance to traffic, it is used largely on golf courses and athletic fields, such as lawn bowling courts.
This is one of the more expensive lawns to upkeep.
Fescue Grass has many varieties.
Tall Fescue is dark green in color, a germination rate of 7-21 days and spreads by seed or underground stolons*.
Dense in nature with a course texture and wide blades with a good tolerance to traffic, it is a favorite of homeowners.
Dwarf Fescue is varied in texture and blade shape.
Dark green in color, it is usually blended with other seed types to promote lawn health and hardiness in a wide range of growing conditions, with good traffic tolerance.
This is also a popular choice for many homeowners.
2) Transitional:Ryegrasses-Perennial and Annual: Usually a mixture of both cool and warm season grasses, with the cool season varieties being more prevalent.
Ryegrasses a favored blend, due to their quick growth rate and ability to retain their green color, with either cool or warm season grasses and therefore are widely considered transitional grasses.
Ryegrasses: Perennial Ryegrass is dark green, quick sprouting with a germination rate of 7-21 days, used to overseed winter lawns in the warm season zone.
Moderate tolerance to traffic and drought, it is used as a blend due to its quick growth rate and color.
Usually planted by spreading seeds.
Annual Ryegrass is medium green in color; a germination rate of 6-10 days, planting method is by spreading seed.
It has a low tolerance to drought, but a high tolerance to traffic.
Its ability to grow quickly makes it an ideal choice for a temporary lawn and as a fill-in grass on slower growing permanent lawns.
It is used to overseed warm season grasses in winter and provides nutrients for the permanent lawn when it is left on the lawn after being clipped or when it dies off.
3) Warm Season Zone: Texas- Bermuda, St.
Augustine, Zoysiagrass: Bermuda grass is dark green in color, has a germination rate of 14-17 days, a high tolerance to drought and traffic, with the ability to quickly repair itself when damaged and has a high tolerance to disease.
It is a very aggressive grass that can over dominate flower beds and border areas.
Bermuda is big in the southern coastal areas of the United States.
St.
Augustine is dark green, fast growing with deep roots, has a coarse texture with wide blades.
Its soft nature makes it popular with home owners.
It is a high maintenance type of grass with a low tolerance to traffic.
Planted via sprigs, plugs or sod; this is a major, if not the major, grass of the South.
Zoysia grass is medium to bright green, has a germination rate of 7-21 days with a good tolerance to drought and excellent tolerance to traffic.
Due to its slow growth rate, it is planted by sod.
It grows low to the ground and is a wiry grass that can be uncomfortable to the barefoot.
To view a climate zone map go to: lawngrasses.
com Be creative when you do your web research and you will find a lot of very good content heavy resources that will able you in making your decision.
There is so much information provided for every aspect of grass selection, lawn site preparation and lawn maintenance.
Lawns are such an important part of our home design plans and come with varying price tags.
Get as much knowledge as you can, so that you may create a landscape design you will enjoy for years.
As with all home improvement and landscaping projects it is wise to hire the right contractor for the job.
Remember the right contractor is one who not only works for you, but also works with you.
* Stolon-Horizontal runners that spread out and sprout new growth.
The grass gives off the scent of spring; as it enjoys its first clipping of the season.
It is that aroma, that lets us know winter time is fading in the rear view mirror.
A lot goes into planting a lawn; but when completed correctly, you are rewarded with great satisfaction and long term enjoyment.
Before one piece of dirt is disturbed, you need to research the grass that is right for your design; which means you need to determine the climate zone you live in, the intended use for your lawn, the type of grass you desire and how much time and money you want to spend on creating and maintaining your new lawn.
There are three climate zones; Cool, Transitional and Warm.
At the bottom of this article you are given an address where you can locate your state on a climate map.
You probably already know though, by simply looking out your window.
If you see a frozen pond, just assume you need to go no further than the cool zone.
A palm tree and blue water, means look no higher than the warm zone.
Everyone else go check out the map.
Following are examples of the more popular grasses in each zone; there are sub categories to these grasses and the other grasses in each zone.
For the sake of limiting the length of this article we will focus solely on the seven I have listed.
1) Cool Season Zone: Blue Grass, Bent Grass, Fescue Grasses: Blue grass has an emerald green color year round, a germination rate of 21-27 days, moderately drought resistant and high traffic tolerance.
Planting techniques are seed and turf.
All these qualities make it a home owner favorite and an excellent "barefoot" lawn.
Bent grass has a deep green color, a germination rate of 7-15 days, fine textured, dense and low growing traits are part of the reason it is considered a high end or luxury grass.
High lawn care and high maintenance are requirements of a Bent grass lawn.
Due to its ability to grow close to the ground in a tight pattern and to be mown close to the ground coupled with its tolerance to traffic, it is used largely on golf courses and athletic fields, such as lawn bowling courts.
This is one of the more expensive lawns to upkeep.
Fescue Grass has many varieties.
Tall Fescue is dark green in color, a germination rate of 7-21 days and spreads by seed or underground stolons*.
Dense in nature with a course texture and wide blades with a good tolerance to traffic, it is a favorite of homeowners.
Dwarf Fescue is varied in texture and blade shape.
Dark green in color, it is usually blended with other seed types to promote lawn health and hardiness in a wide range of growing conditions, with good traffic tolerance.
This is also a popular choice for many homeowners.
2) Transitional:Ryegrasses-Perennial and Annual: Usually a mixture of both cool and warm season grasses, with the cool season varieties being more prevalent.
Ryegrasses a favored blend, due to their quick growth rate and ability to retain their green color, with either cool or warm season grasses and therefore are widely considered transitional grasses.
Ryegrasses: Perennial Ryegrass is dark green, quick sprouting with a germination rate of 7-21 days, used to overseed winter lawns in the warm season zone.
Moderate tolerance to traffic and drought, it is used as a blend due to its quick growth rate and color.
Usually planted by spreading seeds.
Annual Ryegrass is medium green in color; a germination rate of 6-10 days, planting method is by spreading seed.
It has a low tolerance to drought, but a high tolerance to traffic.
Its ability to grow quickly makes it an ideal choice for a temporary lawn and as a fill-in grass on slower growing permanent lawns.
It is used to overseed warm season grasses in winter and provides nutrients for the permanent lawn when it is left on the lawn after being clipped or when it dies off.
3) Warm Season Zone: Texas- Bermuda, St.
Augustine, Zoysiagrass: Bermuda grass is dark green in color, has a germination rate of 14-17 days, a high tolerance to drought and traffic, with the ability to quickly repair itself when damaged and has a high tolerance to disease.
It is a very aggressive grass that can over dominate flower beds and border areas.
Bermuda is big in the southern coastal areas of the United States.
St.
Augustine is dark green, fast growing with deep roots, has a coarse texture with wide blades.
Its soft nature makes it popular with home owners.
It is a high maintenance type of grass with a low tolerance to traffic.
Planted via sprigs, plugs or sod; this is a major, if not the major, grass of the South.
Zoysia grass is medium to bright green, has a germination rate of 7-21 days with a good tolerance to drought and excellent tolerance to traffic.
Due to its slow growth rate, it is planted by sod.
It grows low to the ground and is a wiry grass that can be uncomfortable to the barefoot.
To view a climate zone map go to: lawngrasses.
com Be creative when you do your web research and you will find a lot of very good content heavy resources that will able you in making your decision.
There is so much information provided for every aspect of grass selection, lawn site preparation and lawn maintenance.
Lawns are such an important part of our home design plans and come with varying price tags.
Get as much knowledge as you can, so that you may create a landscape design you will enjoy for years.
As with all home improvement and landscaping projects it is wise to hire the right contractor for the job.
Remember the right contractor is one who not only works for you, but also works with you.
* Stolon-Horizontal runners that spread out and sprout new growth.
