Planting a Care-Free Lawn
As with other plants, the various grass species differ in their growth habits and hardiness. The specific preferences of nine lawn grasses are given on the following pages. Simply find the types that are likely to do well in your climate, and you'll be on the way to growing a care-free lawn, whether you are nurturing an established lawn or planting a new one. Also check with local garden centers for varieties they recommended for your area.
Selecting Grasses
Grasses are divided into two groups--cool season and warm season--based on the type of weather they prefer. Cool-season grasses, such as bluegrass and fine fescues, grow best in temperatures of 60-75°F (15-24°C) and often go dormant or semi-dormant in hot weather. Warm-season grasses, including St. Augustine and Bermuda grass, grow in temperatures of 80-95*F (26-35 °C) and always go dormant in winter. Areas where both types of grasses can be grown, such as parts of Zones 6 and 7, are transitional zones, and choosing the right grass depends on the growing conditions in your yard.
Grasses are also classified by appearance. Fine-bladed grasses, such as cool-season bentgrass and warm-season zoysia, have blades less than 1 /4 in (65 mm) wide.These usually can't tolerate heavy traffic and are used to create a display lawn as velvety as a putting green. Grasses that can stand more traffic have blades ranging from medium to coarse and are best suited to children's play spaces, garden paths, and other heavily used lawn areas.
Growing Habits of Grasses
Different species of lawn grass vary in their growth habits. Spreading, or sod-forming, grasses send out stems called rhizomes that creep either slightly above or below ground level, forming a new plant wherever they root.These grasses, including cool-season bluegrass and warm-season zoysia, eventually knit together tightly into a thick turf.
Bunch grasses grow only from the crown and form upright tufts, yet the individual plants grow so close together that they appear to be joined even though they are not. Common tuft-forming grasses include tall fescue, which is the leading shade-tolerant grass in the transition zone. Cool-season perennial ryegrass and transition-zone buffalo grass are primarily tuft-forming grasses, although they do spread modestly after becoming established.
Sod-forming grasses can be planted by installing individual sprigs or small plantlets called plugs. These require time and patience and are less popular, but less expensive, than laying sod, which is rolled-up sheets of ready-to-plant grass with roots intact, which is harvested fresh from special local sod farms. Tuft-forming grasses are usually planted from seed, although they are also often available as sod.
Starting from Scratch
When you're planting a new lawn area or replacing a section of damaged lawn, it pays to prepare the soil well. Dig up samples of soil from various parts of the proposed lawn area and test it with an over-the-counter kit from a garden center or send soil samples to a local agricultural college or independent soil-testing laboratory (look in the yellow pages of your telephone directory under "laboratories").
If your soil is infertile, spread a commercial balanced granular fertilizer designed for starting lawns, such as a 7-21-7 formulation. If the test shows that the soil is too acid or alkaline, you'll need to adjust the pH, or the level of acidity or alkalinity as measured on the recognized pH scale. Grass prefers a pH around 7.0, or neutral, the level at which it can take up nutrients most efficiently.To decrease acidity, indicated by a number below 7.0, add garden lime; to decrease alkalinity, indicated by a number above 7.0, add garden sulfur. Apply the amendments according to package directions and work them into the soil before planting.
This is also the time to correct soil structure to create a loose, well-drained home for grass roots. In soils that are more than 60-70 percent clay or sand, spread a 2-3 in (5.1-7.6 cm) thick layer of compost or well-rotted manure over the soil and work it in to a depth of 6 in (15.2 cm). Adding compost will also improve fertility and help neutralize the pH of soil. For large areas, you should rent a heavy-duty rototiller to prepare the bed, then rake the surface smooth with the back of an iron rake and tamp it down moderately with your feet or a board.
Planting Options
Sod is the fastest way to start a lawn, but it requires careful handling and precision, so if you are covering a large area, it's best left to professionals. Many warm-climate grasses must be planted from sprigs or plugs, which require digging a furrow or individual holes in prepared soil and setting in little plants at the spacing recommended for the species.
Sowing seed is the easiest and least expensive way to start a patch of grass or an entire lawn. In warm climates, sow seed in late spring. In cold climates, seeds sown in early fall is most successful, because warm soil, cool nights, and usually plentiful moisture create ideal growing conditions. You can also plant in early spring, although plants will start more slowly in the cold soil, and you may have to water the young, shallow-rooted plants in summer to keep them strong.
Select a grass species that fits your yard and the kind of traffic it receives, and then purchase fresh, weed-free seed suited for your climate from a reputable garden center. Rough up prepared soil by drawing a sturdy metal rake lightly over the surface and sow the seeds evenly by hand or in a drop spreader according to the rate listed on the package. Rake the surface gently with a flexible leaf rake so that the seeds make good contact with the soil, then water lightly. Mist the soil daily as needed to keep the soil moist, which is very important for germination. You should see a covering of fine-bladed grass seedlings in 7-14 days. Once the grass reaches 2-3 in (5.1-7.6 cm)tall, mow it to 1 in (2.5 cm).
Repairing and Refreshing Turf
Sooner or later you will have to patch a section of lawn, whether it was dug up accidentally by a car tire, was overtaken by weeds, or worn out from excess foot traffic. The lawn may also grow thin with age or because of increased shade as nearby trees grow larger. To restore its vigor, you can overseed, which means spreading seed on an established lawn.
Mow the existing grass in the area to 1 in (2.5 cm) and rake vigorously with a flexible spring rake to remove as much of the dippings, old grass, and thatch as possible. Also make sure you pull out any weeds. Rough up the soil with an iron rake and sprinkle a 1/2 in (1.3 cm) deep layer of topsoil or compost over the spot. Level the surface with the back of a sturdy metal rake, if needed, then rough it lightly with a flexible spring rake to accept seed.
Broadcast the seed over the area by hand or with a drop spreader, water lightly, and keep the soil moist by misting it as often as needed with a hose fitted with a spray nozzle until the seeds germinate. You can mow the new grass after it reaches 2-3 in (5.1-7.6 cm) in height.