No matter if you’ve just moved into a new home that has terrible curb appeal and you want to boost it with a better lawn or are someone who’s been struggling to take care of their lawn for ages, you have to understand the importance of choosing the right kind of grass for the lawn to be successful. Perhaps the issue you’re dealing with is simple as you’re trying to grow the wrong type of grass for your region. With that in mind, we’ve made a simple guide that should help you make all the right choices and sow the right seeds.
Learn more about warm vs. cool-season grasses
For starters, you want to learn more about the region you live in and which type of grass suits it best. Keep in mind that there are warm-season grasses and cold-season grasses. Warm-season grasses thrive in hot or warm weather and typically go dormant once cooler temperatures arrive. They require plenty of suns and should be planted in late spring. Some varieties you can choose from include zoysia, Bahia, Bermuda, and buffalograss. On the other hand, cool-season grasses grow quickly in the spring and fall but turn brown and patchy in the peak of summer. You want to plant these in early fall or spring. Varieties like tall fescue, fine fescue, perennial ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass are typically tolerant of drought and shade.
Estimate how much foot traffic you’ll be seeing
Once you’re sure you have the right type of grass for your region, you also want to estimate how much wear and tear you expect your lawn to handle. The hardiness of grass is also important if you expect plenty of foot traffic. If you organize neighborhood BBQ parties or let your kids play on the lawn, you want a sturdier type of grass such as Kentucky bluegrass. On the other hand, if the lawn will serve a purely aesthetic purpose, varieties such as fine fescue will do just nicely.
Decide between seed and ready-roll grass
Depending on how quickly you want to turn around the look of your lawn, you also have two choices. For one, you can opt for ready-roll sod grass and have a new lawn in no time. However, you also want to keep in mind that this approach can be quite expensive and might not root as well as natural grass. Moreover, your options are limited and they are mostly not shade-tolerant. A quality lawn is safe for pets, but some fertilizers can cause an allergic reaction, use generic vetmedin. Then, you can also opt for seeds. This approach will not cost as much and you can choose from a wider array of types. However, it will take some time for the grass to grow and you will need to ensure it gets watered properly.
See how much moisture the type you choose requires
In order for your lawn to be luscious, you also need to learn proper watering techniques. With that in mind, you should know that most grass types require about an inch of water during the growing season. That includes both rainfall and irrigation. So, if your region doesn’t see much rain, you need equipment such as a retractable garden hose, sprinklers, and a timer that will make watering easier. Furthermore, a recommended practice you should follow is watering in the morning to prevent diseases and evaporation.
Understand how much sun it tolerates
Something else you want to think about is how much sun the grass variety you’re thinking about tolerates. All types need sunlight to be healthy and thick and develop deep roots, which means that they should get at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Even those that are marketed as shade-tolerant need at least four. In case your lawn doesn’t get much sunlight during the day, you can look into alternative ground covers that like shade or some low-growing perennials.
Take the size and slope of the site into account as well
Finally, you also want to take the size of your lawn into account as well. See how much it would cost to have it all covered with sod grass and if it would be much more affordable to sow seeds instead. Then, consider the quality of the seeds as well and ask around if you can get a quantity discount. What is more, you also need to be aware of the slope that your site comes with. You can ask the local professionals which varieties can help you avoid soil erosion.
If you’re looking to boost your home’s curb appeal by creating a healthy lawn, keep these tips in mind to get the best type of grass for your needs.