Grass: What You Need To Know

A lush, velvety green lawn is the dream of every homeowner, and this dream can usually be achieved if the owner gives a thought to what kind of grass will work the best in his climate and soil conditions.

It doesn't matter how attractive your flowerbeds, vegetable garden, trees and statuary are. If the green grass between these items isn't green, if there are dead spots, then your whole landscape will be affected.

So you must select your lawn grass carefully. Items you must consider are your climate, how you intend to use the lawn, the amount of time and money you want to spend on maintaining it, and which parts of your lawn are sunny, which shady, and which a combination of each. The pH balance of your soil is also a consideration.

Plant breeders have been working with grass for a hundred years to develop new strains to meet a wide range of lawn needs - you just need to find out what your needs are. And sometimes, lawns need more than one type of grass. Lawns in northern climates are more likely to need a mix of grasses than those in the south, just because of the colder weather and snow.

Some grasses grow in different seasons than do others. For example, the famous Kentucky bluegrass likes the weather to be cool and moist, and so grows quickly during spring and autumn. In the summer months, it's practically dormant. Bermuda grass, on the other hand, grows well in the summertime but cannot deal with freezing temperatures.

Experts suggest that heavy traffic areas - where your kids play kickball or catch - need such hardy types as perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, or Bermuda grass. If you don't want to be watering your grass on a regular basis, prairie grass, buffalo grass or blue grama grass is the choice to make.

Ornamental lawns, which will have no children to damage them, do quite well with Kentucky bluegrass. If you live near the coast with its salt water, fescue and St. Augustine grass are good choices as they tolerate salt well. These are also a good idea in those states where salt is used to cover the roads during winter.

Finally, if your lawn gets a mixture of sunshine and shade, the best thing to do is use a mixture of grasses suitable for each type. That way, if one grass fails, the other will still keep the lawn looking nice and attractive.

It's important to read the labels when buying grass seed, so you know exactly what you're getting. Keep an eye on germination rates, and make sure the seed is dated for use in the current year. If your garden center is offering bags of grass seed on discount because they're over a year old...don't risk it!