All About Grass

Taking care of your lawn and grass is no easy task. There are several things you have to consider when maintaining the environment of your home landscape such as how to ensure proper irrigation, how and how often to mow it, and how to repair or replace grass that is not doing so well. A first step to developing a green thumb (and by extension having that lawn on the block that your neighbors envy) is to understand the basic fundamentals about grass: what kinds of grasses there are and what conditions are most conducive to their growth.

Cool-Season vs. Warm-season Grasses

The first thing to understand about grass is that there are different types of grass that tend to grow better in different climates. Understanding the distinction between what are classified as cool-season grasses and warm warm-season grasses will help you understand what climates your grass grows best in and what would be a good grass to replace your lawn with, if you choose to do so.

Cool-season grasses are the ones that thrive in the spring and fall and slowdown in the summer. Generally, cool season grasses grow best in cool and humid climates such as the Northeast and the Pacific Northwest. In addition to these areas, they can also grow in cool, arid zones such as the Midwest provided there is enough irrigation for them. Some examples of cool-season grasses are Kentucky bluegrass, Perennial ryegrass, and Tall Fescue.

Warm-season grasses, on the other hand, grow best between late spring and early fall. These grasses can thrive in both warm, arid reasons and warm, humid regions and especially do well in the summer months. Typically, once temperature goes down below 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the cold winter months, these grasses lie dormant. Therefore it can be a good idea to overseed the areas where they are with cold-season grasses to keep the landscape green all year. Warm-season grasses include Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass, and kikuyu grass.

Different climates within your own yard space

While it is safe to say that generally speaking, cool-season grasses grow better in cooler climates and warm-season grasses grow better in warmer climates, it is also important to look at the various microclimates (or smaller climates) within your own backyard. There are certain areas, for instance, that receive the most sunlight, dry out faster, and therefore require more water. Other areas are in the shade and receive far less sunlight. These areas are very susceptible to disease and other kinds of damage, so it is important to have grasses more resistant to lack of sunlight such as St. Augustine grass of the warm-season grasses and a fescue of the cool-season grasses.

Other aspects of certain parts of your lawn make a huge difference as well. Surfaces such as pavements and driveways store heat, making it easier for nearby lawn areas to dry out faster without sufficient water. Areas on an incline too require more water because the water drains from them faster.


----------------------------------------------------
River Mifsud is a subject matter expert on of growing grass. Read more at http://returf.com.au/buffalo-grass/ for more information about buffalo grass.