Grass Seed

One of the most imperative gardening and landscaping decisions you'll need to make annually, concerns your lawn and which type of grass seed would be best to sow. The choice need not be confusing, costly or stressful. It is however important to keep in mind that your decision will directly impact what your view of either or both your front lawn or back garden will be for the next year.

A couple sure-fire factors have been identified as causes of awful laws. These factors include but are definitely not limited to sowing too late or too early during the season, using wrong or too much fertilizer and sowing the incorrect type of grass seed, can all potentially result in long-term problems. A little know-how and advice on the most popular types of grass seed will go a long way in helping you choose the perfect seed for your lawn.

Three major factors will influence your choice of grass seed, namely local climate, amount of sunlight, as well as amount of shade, and lawn needs. Cool-season grass types prefer cold winters and hot summers with lots of shade. High levels of rainfall are also a must for the survival of the grass during summer months. Cool season grasses are Kentucky Blue grass, Bentgrass, Fescue, Ryegrass Perennial and Ryegrass Annual. Warm-season grasses love lots of sun and heat. The grass also has a tendency to turn brown when cooler temperatures arrive. Examples of Warm season grasses are Bahia, Bermuda, Buffalo, Carpet, Centipede, St. Augustine, and Zoysia. Grass seed mixtures and blends are also available, which consist of various species of different strength seeds and different varieties of same grass type, respectively. It is important to keep in mind that seed blends are a lot fussier than mixtures but are definitely more attractive due to the illusion of uniformity.

What are Transition Zone Grasses? Transitional Zone Grasses are used between northern and southern turf grass areas which follow lower elevations, where neither Warm nor Cool Season grass types grow very successfully. Examples of Transition Zone Grasses include Fescue Tall, Ryegrass Perennial, Bluegrass, Thermal Blue and Zoysia.

What is Winter Overseeding exactly? Winter Overseeding is also very popular activity undertaken by gardeners all over the world especially in Southern areas of United States, whereby existing lawns are covered with ryegrass seeds during autumn to ensure grass maintains its green appearance during winter months.

The majority of grass species require direct sunlight for several hours a day to grow and thrive, you can however sow hearty grass seed which loves plenty of shade. Its recommended that you rather opt for a short ground cover should your lawn be entirely covered in shade. Check and re-check your grass seed choices' water requirements to ensure that the specific specie does well with the amount of water in your area. Grass species with high water requirement will whither and die in drought-prone regions while some grasses will develop all kinds of fungal disease in wet regions.

Seeding is regarded as the cheapest and most preferred method of planting grass. Its advised that when planting new seed, that you look for high-quality seed. Steer clear from the low quality seed options as its result may be equally cheap-looking. Ask your local garden centre what the best time is to seed lawn in your area. First things first, to seed- mix topsoil, compost or fertiliser into your existing soil using preferably a rotary tiller. Use a rake to level the soil and minimizes bumps and holes, which will make mowing difficult in the long haul. Scatter seed of your choice either by hand or with a mechanical spreader. The seed bag will give you an exact indication of how many seeds need to be used per square foot. Use a lawn roller to compact the seeds. Gently rake seeded areas as to lightly cover half the seeds with soil. Use a little mulch to cover the lawn. Soak the seeded area with water just after sowing and regularly until grass seed starts to sprout.

Considering alternatives to grass seeding? Sodding and grass sprigs may be just what the doctor ordered. Sodding is a lot more costly when compared to seeding, the instant result obtained is, however, a major attraction to the option. The sodded grass is delivered in rolled-up, rectangular form, ready to be rolled onto prepared soil. Proper soil preparation is absolute key to growth success. Dry, spotty lawn can be turned into lush fields of green within a couple of hours, whereas it may take anything from months to years for seeds to grow to their full potential. Grass sprigs and plugs can be ordered via mail-order. Again sprigs and plugs give faster results than seeding, with disadvantage of expense and labour intensity. The same soil preparation process should be followed during sprig and plug planting, as with seeding and sodding. Space holes approximately 3 to 7 inches apart, fill with water and insert sprig or plug. Fill with loose soil around roots and press firmly. Frequent water is recommended during root establishment.

After planting the correct grass, in the correct manner all that's left is lawn maintenance, which comprises of eight major components namely watering, fertilizing, mowing, aerating, de-thatching, weed elimination, pest elimination, as well as disease prevention and treatment. The general rule to watering, is to water as soon as grass appears dry, preferably in the early morning to cool lawn and avoid easy evaporation. Your lawn will show you by mere color change if its needs any water or even fertilizer. Soak grass in deep water to encourage deep root growth. Its recommended that grass be mowed frequently during growth season. Avoid cutting the grass to short as it will loose its photosynthesizing ability. Sharpen mower blades regularly to ensure clean cut and vary mowing patterns every week.