Lawn Care Advice Selecting a Grass Type
Posted: Sunday, August 16, 2009
by Symeon Vlassis
http://homeandgardenpricecheck.co.uk
Choosing a lawn grass can be difficult due to the variety of options available and new types being developed yearly. The latest lawn grasses usually cost more than standard varieties, but have enhanced qualities such as better tolerance to disease or insects, improved growing speeds and dense growth that needs less cutting. Before you begin to establish your new lawn it makes sense to seek the advice of an expert. This could be your a local gardening service, landscape architect or a well-informed member of staff at your nearby gardening centre.
Fine bladed grasses have blades that are less than a quarter inch in width and are used to make lawns with a carpet-like appearance. Bent grass, Kentucky bluegrass and zoysia are common types of fine grasses. Coarse bladed grasses tend to grow wilder and can have a weedy appearance, but they are extremely durable and grow easily in shady conditions without much water.
Sod forming grasses are spread by stolons which are horizontal stems that creep above ground or by rhizomes which are underground stems. Sod forming grasses are best used for filling in bare patches on your lawn, out competing weeds, and for producing thick, luscious growth. The most common types of sod forming grass are bent grass, Bermuda grass and zoysia grass. Bunching grasses differ from sod forming grasses in that they grow in clusters and spread by the expansion of their basal growth. Bunching grasses grow quickly and are damage resistant. Types of bunching grass include perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and blue gramma grass. Sod forming grasses and bunching grasses can be mixed together to take advantage of the characteristics of each type.
Warm season grasses like Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grow quickly in hot conditions, but change to brown and go dormant when the weather becomes cool. Cool season grasses behave in the opposite manner. In dry areas many gardeners use native warm season grasses such as buffalo grass and blue gramma grass because they will survive without water for long periods.
Deciding which grass is best for your lawn is a matter of understanding your local climate and choosing a strain of grass suited to those conditions. Remember that you can consult a local expert if you are having trouble selecting the appropriate type. Making the correct choice of lawn grass will ensure you enjoy your lawn for years to come.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Great article. Well done.Do you have a lawn type that does not need cut? I hate fake grass (astroturf) but at times hate cutting it.Anyway, welcome to SearchWarp.
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