Which Is The Best Grass For Your Lawn?

There are hundreds of different types of grass available for lawns today, many of them bred specifically for certain conditions. Today, there are over a hundred different variations of Kentucky Bluegrass, and that’s just one grass. While breaking the nation up into three zones when it comes to lawns, each area in each zone has its own individual factors that will affect how well a grass grows. Rather than point to a specific grass for your lawn, check first for factors that may affect how well a particular grass will grow in your area. Some of these factors include:

• Climate conditions: grasses generally prefer specific climates such as humid, coastal, dry, cool.
• Temperature: some grasses grow well in hot weather while others turn brown. The reverse is also true with some grasses growing well in cooler weather. It is hard to find a grass that grows well throughout all temperature ranges.
• Water: some grass species perform very well with little water, often recovering quickly after a drought. Other grasses are less tolerant of droughts, often preferring moist conditions.
• Sunlight: some grasses need full sun while others will grow well with only partial sun. There are even a few grasses that will grow in full shade.
• Traffic: there are many grasses that are not very tolerant of foot traffic. These grasses require constant repair work. Other grasses survive very well with high levels of traffic, not just traffic, but full day use on sports fields.
• Maintenance: while not a growing condition, you need to assess the level of maintenance you are prepared to give your lawn. Some lawns are low maintenance and only require a mow every week. Other grasses are high maintenance requiring regular applications of fertilizer, water and perhaps even weed or insect protection.

Once you have determined the environmental factors affecting your lawn, you can then make a selection of the most appropriate grass for your lawn. If you make the wrong selection, you will find that you are spending a lot of time repairing your lawn rather than enjoying it. Many gardeners prefer grass mixes as these provide a range of different growing strengths.