An excellent way to choose grass for your lawn is to consult with a local forester or agricultural extension office in your state. These agencies often maintain lists of grasses suitable for different areas in the U.S. For example, here is a list of recommended Kentucky bluegrass varieties. Other states maintain similar lists, although they may go by slightly different names.
Grasses will vary in their tolerances for acidity, alkalinity, sunlight, and shade. Also important to consider is whether you want a lawn that can spread quickly to cover bare soil or needs more patience to fill in the space between plants over time. The best way to determine how fast a species of grass spreads is to consult the local forester or agricultural extension office. These agencies often maintain lists of grasses that increase, slowly, or not in different areas of the U.S.
No matter what type of grass you choose for your lawn, it will need regular maintenance, including watering during dry periods, mowing at least twice a month, fertilizing in the spring and autumn, and weed control.
What is my lawn’s pH level?
The pH level of the soil is an indication of whether it is acidic or alkaline. Most plants prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil between 5.5 and 7. There are exceptions, such as blueberries that prefer slightly alkaline soil with a pH of 4 to 5.
If you want to test your soil’s pH level, there are several options. Many local agricultural extension offices will perform a simple pH test on your lawn for no charge; most large hardware stores sell pH test kits for a relatively small price, or you can purchase a soil pH testing kit online. In any case, these tests are usually easy to perform and accurate enough to give you an idea of whether your lawn has the preferred acidic or alkaline pH level.
What is the average height of my grass at different times of the year?
It isn’t easy to give a universal average height for grass at different times of the year. It depends on several factors, including the species of grass you have planted, how much sunlight it gets, and its health relative to the other plants in your lawn. This article provides good guidelines for the evaluation of your grass’s height.
Some types of Kentucky bluegrass, for example, grow in clumps (known as stolons) that spread horizontally. If these grasses are not mowed regularly, they can form a thick green mat on the ground, preventing other plants from growing and suppressing weeds. Other types of Kentucky bluegrass have a bunch-type growth pattern, meaning that each plant grows straight up. This type of Kentucky bluegrass must be mowed regularly to keep it at the height you want.
What is overseeding?
Overseeding is how new grass seeds are sown over existing grass to thicken and strengthen an existing turf. It can be done for many different reasons, such as to repair a lawn that has been damaged, to prevent weeds from filling in bare patches, or to introduce new grass species. Overseeding is done using a particular machine known as a “seeder” but can also be done by hand.
