Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
A beautiful and well-kept lawn usually has a combination of various, unique, grass types with each one having its unique weaknesses and strengths. When you pick the right grass for your lawn, it may save you a lot of stress and headaches later on. Planting the wrong kind of grass will lead to it struggling to survive in your field. This means that you’d have to sacrifice enough time and effort to feed it and maintain it constantly. But when you purchase the correct kind of grass, it will ensure that your lawn grows with almost no effort from you and maintain a beautiful appearance all year with barely any input from you.
Most lawn grasses are categorized as the warm season or cool season. Warm-season means that they survive better in Southern gardens, while cool-season means that they thrive better in the North. Picking the correct grass for your lawn is essential, and this article will explain further and give you an insight on how to choose the right grass for your lawn. We’ll guide you through the basics and fundamental parts of picking the right grass for your lawn, and things to be considered when picking the grass for your lawn from if you’ll need grass sod or seeds to where you live for excellent results.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PICKING THE RIGHT GRASS
Grass consists of a variety of species and not just a single plant. In each of these species, there are unique types/varieties. All of these varieties may offer different advantages. Most grasses are different and also have very different properties and may sometimes even look different. Some of these grass species are suitable for dry climates and have a higher chance of survival in this weather, but others are their best when grown in wet and rainy environments. Picking the correct grass is fully dependent on some factors like the environment you reside in and then choosing the right species that are suitable enough for the environment.
When you’ve selected the correct species, you will need to pick a variety. Although varieties of a particular species may be similar in appearance and looks, they may proffer unique advantages. For example, some species or variety can withstand and survive extreme climate conditions(this type of grass should be taken into consideration, especially because of climate change, extreme weather conditions are more rampant). In contrast, some varieties can be resistant to pests or diseases.
Generally, it is advisable to purchase a good mixture of the varieties and make sure that some of these grasses can withstand each unique and customary hazard that may cause damage to your lawn. This way, no matter the condition, at least some varieties of grass in your lawn will be able to survive in fair condition.
SODS, SPRINGS, SEEDS, AND PLUGS
The two major ways to set up a new lawn is through seeds and sods. However, plugs and springs can also be used for this purpose if sods and seeds are unavailable. Every option for setting up a lawn comes with its disadvantages and advantages, so it is important that you study and understand the pros and cons before you purchase the grass for your lawn.
Sod is quite expensive and costs more than many other options but it is one of the fastest options for creating and setting up a new lawn. However, it can be quite limiting to the particular species and varieties that the local sod farmers/growers have readily available. Sods can be quite tasking because they are not easy to transport or mix into sod form. After all, they are in the form of seeds.
A major scenario that surely requires sod to create and produce a new lawn is when you intend to plant a lawn on a steep slope. A sloping surface is more susceptible to erosion, or rain on the slope may wash the seeds away. However, the sod is strong/solid enough and heavy to maintain its position while it grows, mostly if you pin it down a specific place.
On the other hand, plugs and springs are not as common, but they are usually the only option that is available for the warm season grass species. These are small clusters of grass, and they can be planted in your garden soil and later spread out slowly while growing and covering up your whole lawn
Seeds are the cheapest option if you intend on establishing a lawn. Seeds are also easily accessible and have a wider range of varieties in their form. However, the establishment of a new lawn using seeds is a slower process because the seeds don’t produce fast, compared to sods, which are very fast. Another disadvantage of seeds is that they can grow to be very patchy, which means you’ll have to constantly reseed the patches that haven’t fully produced or grown. Seeded grass is also susceptible to weed, even at the early stage of the establishment, so it will require more attention as it grows.
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF YOUR SITE
Almost all lawns in fair/normal conditions can obtain good results from any recommended grass for your specific region. Still, some yards may bring up some special difficulties that’ll slow down the grasses’ successful growth.
If you’re the place you reside in is far from a reliable water supply or the closest town, it’ll make supplying your yard with water and fertilizers a problem. If this is your issue, you may want to go for low-maintenance/ low budget grasses. For common areas like this across the U.S.A, the buffalograss is a famous choice. In contrast, people living in areas like this around the southern-eastern region usually opt for the centipede grass.
Yards that are not exposed to enough sunlight(shady) can also pose a problem for the grasses because they need a sufficient level of sunlight to survive, especially at their growing stage. In Southern zones, the best choice is the St. Augustine grass. Fine leaf fescue grass is also a great choice for shady sites.
If you reside close to the coast and have a high rate of salty water or salt spray for irrigation, you have to plant various species of grass with high tolerance or resistance to salt. An example of this kind of grass is the seashore paspalum. Any other grass that may be found around the coast will work just fine. If your lawn is walked upon and trampled frequently like people playing sports on it and walking all over your lawn, you have to go for a type of grass that can withstand being trampled on and recover fast from this. Grass-like Kentucky bluegrass and ryegrasses are suitable for the North, while Bermuda grass is an excellent choice in the South.
WHAT REGION DO YOU RESIDE IN?
The particular region you reside in will have a notable effect on the kind of grass you should purchase and which grass is most suitable for your region. There are three regions in the USA. Every region has unique and significant conditions. Weather and environmental or climate conditions and these conditions have their effect on the growth of grass in that region. So you need to take these effects into consideration before deciding on which grass you want to establish.
The Southern Zone is the coziest and warm region in the USA. In the Southern zone, the summer season can get dry and hot, and the winter isn’t as cold as it is in the Northern region. The best grasses suitable for this region are St Augustine grass, centipede, and Bermuda grass.
In contrast to the Southern region, the Northern region is the coolest in the US, including the northern states and Canada. Summer in this region isn’t super hot and is quite bearable, and the winter is extremely cold. For this region, the best grasses suitable for this are grasses like perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass.
The third region is known as the transition zone, and it can be quite difficult for grass to survive in this region because it is a combination of the Northern and Southern regions. The summer in this region is usually hot and dry, while the winter in this zone is quite chilly. It may be difficult to find grass that’s suitable for this region.
Warm-season grasses may find it difficult to survive the cold and may get badly damaged by it. The cool-season grasses may also struggle to pull through the summer’s heat and dryness, but the most famous selection for grass/lawns in the transitional region/zone is the tall fescue because it is quite resistant cold and heat too.
CONCLUSION
There are several types of grass and many types of each species of grass. However, the ones written above are one of the most common and suitable ones. There are still other types and species of grasses that may be suitable, but they are more famous and are great choices.
The foundation of picking the right grass is the weather/climate condition in that area, zone, or region, so you must consider these before purchasing grass.
laying a new lawn step by step‘
different types of grass and how to care for them‘