American Grass

Every house owner would love to have a beautiful lawn, with green grass and great flowers. However, even if you think that it’s just grass, things are not as easy as it seems. There are different types of grasses that you can have for your lawn, and you’ll need to select and choose the one that fits the architecture in a perfect way.

We say that it needs to fit the architecture and the landscape because the grass for the lawn is made of different species of grass, some more resistant than others to direct sunshine. For example, those that need direct sunshine won’t last in a place where you have a lot of shadows.

A Sunny Yard
If you have a grass lawn in Hawaii, it means that the place is mostly sunny during the day, so you’ll need a type of grass that is adequate to resist. You can have flowers on it, but make sure you use it only in those places that have a lot of sun – about eight hours per day. The Festuca Arundinaceea is the type of grass that needs to be a majority in your grass, about 60%, combined with something else, like Poa, Zeon Zoysia, or Lolium. These are also types that are resistant to the sun.  Also, one things to consider is in this strong sunny Hawaii is sprinkler system installation.  This combined with hearty grass variety that can hold up on the sun, you’ll have a winning combo.

A Small Yard 
If you have a small yard, then it’s possible to have different types of areas. For example, in the front of the house, you may have a lot of sunshine, while the corners of the garden and the back of the house might be in shadow. You’ll need to get the right type of grass for each area, as not all of them can survive in shadow or in direct sunshine.

If you get special help from a company that sells different types of grass for the lawn, you’ll also be able to get professional advice regarding what to choose. It would be a pity to plant grass for sunshine in a shadowy area, so make sure you know what you choose.

For Flowers
There’s not a special type of grass for the areas where you have flowers, but you can get a combination of different types of grass. You’ll have to plant it before planting the flowers, and also let it grow. Once the grass reaches about 30 cm in height, you can trim it and it would be perfect for creating a beautiful flower bed.

Planting grass seed is more complicated than it sounds at first. First-time gardeners and landscapers usually have a lot of questions about grass seed – when to plant it, what type to use, which weather circumstances influence the timing, and much more. Below, we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about grass seed that professionals answer all of the time.

We Answer 8 Burning Questions About Grass Seed

Planting grass seed sounds like it should be simple, but it isn’t. While it certainly isn’t the most complex landscaping endeavor you could ever take on, there is a certain expertise and finesse that must go into it to plant your grass right.

I Planted My Seeds and They Didn’t Grow! What’s Going On?

There is a multitude of circumstances that can impede grass seed growth. Poor weather conditions, inadequate hydration, over hydration, weed-killing chemicals, and much more can keep your seeds from growing. If you don’t know what affected your seed growth, it is in your best interest to talk with a local landscaper who is schooled on the matter and is familiar with the local weather patterns (and how they relate to grass growth).

What are Cool Season and Warm Season Grasses?

Whether you have cool season or warm season grasses depends mostly on where you live. Cool season grasses are indigenous to the northern areas of the world, whereas warm season grasses are native to the southern parts of the globe.

What is Over Seeding?

“Over seeding” might sound like a problematic thing at first, but it is a common practice that many use to thicken up their existing turf. This is a great solution for those dealing with sparse and patchy grass areas. Drought, for example, can severely damage grasses and make a lawn look less than appealing. Over seeding is a solution to such issues, rather than a problem.

How Do I Over Seed My Lawn?

• Mow your lawn shorter than usual. Make sure to bag the trimmings.
• Rake the lawn. This turns the soil and helps to expose debris that could impact the growth of new grass seed. Raking will make sure that the new grass seed has ample opportunity to thrive.
• If you live in a climate with warm season grasses, use a spreader to lay down a seed product designed specifically for thickening lawns. If your climate is cool season, use a regular grass seed.

How Does Over Seeding Differ from Reseeding?

Over seeding, as we said above, thickens the existing landscape. Reseeding, on the other hand, is a total overhaul of the lawn. Reseeding is appropriate when there are more sparse patches and weeds in your yard than there is grass. If you’re only dealing with a few sparse spots, over seeding is an effective and more cost-efficient method of restoring your lawn. Reseeding essentially entails the installation of an entirely new yard.

How Should I Seed a Sparse Spot in My Lawn?

You can fill a single sparse or thin spot in your yard without going through the trouble of over seeding. There are many seeding “patch and repair” options available on the market today, and we recommend making use of one of these powerful seeding agents. This seed is super fast-growing and fashioned from fast-growing material.

• Remove any dead grass.
• Use a rake to loosen up the soil.
• Apply the seed evenly to the affected area. Do not apply it so densely that the ground beneath cannot show through but do apply it with a heavy hand.
• Water the product until it will no longer absorb any more water.
• Water again when the seed appears to turn brown.

After seeding, you should make sure to keep children and pets away from the area until the new grass is about three inches in height. This helps to ensure that the grass has had adequate time to lay down roots and grow strong.

When Does Grass Seed Expire?

If you store your grass seed in a cool, dry area (and preferably in an airtight container), the seed can be good for as long as three years. However, seed stored even in the best of circumstances can become reduced in their germination rates. If you allow seed to sit for 2-3 years, you might see less than ideal results when you actually plant it.

Can I Plant Grass Right After Using a Weed Killing Agent?

It is considered bad practice to plant seed after using a weed preventer/weed killer. Grass grows much like weeds do, so the use of weed killer can severely hinder the growth of new grass seed. It is not recommended to use grass seed in the four months following the application of a weed killer. However, there are some products on the market that are designed to be used while seeding. Make sure to read the instructions on the weed killer and seed thoroughly and plant accordingly.

We know that this is nowhere near an exhaustive list of questions that you might have. Don’t be afraid to ask a local landscaper or other gardening expert if you need further outside input!

6 Lawncare Tips for Beginners
Taking care of your lawn is important. A healthy, verdant yard makes a great impression on visitors and enhances a home’s curb appeal. If you’re looking to sell your home, or you simply want its exterior to look as excellent as possible, you need to know how to care for this prominent feature. If this is the first time in your life that you’ve had to make this a conscious effort, the ins and outs of lawncare can be perplexing. You need some tips to help you get started – and that is exactly what we are going to do today. Continue reading to learn 6 helpful tips to get your yard into its best possible shape (and how to keep it that way).

How You Can Best Care for Your Growing Lawn

It can be intimidating to tackle lawncare on your own, without the aid of professional landscapers. But you don’t have to be an expert to have a lush and beautiful lawn! With the advice that we’re about to give you in mind, you can easily maintain your yard.

Understand the Condition of Your Soil

Just like your home has a foundation, your lawn has a foundation of its own, and it’s called soil. Healthy soil translates into a healthy lawn. You should go to your local agricultural office or county extension office to get information about soil testing equipment. There are soil laboratories that sell do-it-yourself soil testing kits. These kits are straightforward and easy to use. They’ll detect important traits in the soil, such as present nutrients and its pH level.

With these results now in your hands, you can act to fix the problem. Contact an expert to determine what the results mean and what can be done to rectify the issue.

Fix Current Problems

Unfortunately, your lawn might have existing issues. Before you can work to create the luscious lawn of your dreams, you need to address and fix these issues. Bare or tough spots in the lawn are commonplace problems that will make it difficult to cultivate a yard the way you want it. If there are pH or nutrient concerns that you’re not sure how to address yourself, or if you want to inquire about the use of seed, fertilizer or mulch, don’t hesitate to get some help from local professionals who know the soil of the area.

Seed Your Lawn Properly

To get the best results, you should seed your lawn in sync with local seasonal grass growth. You should also become acquainted with the company that sells the seed you’ve chosen. The seed you’ve chosen should come with no surprises. Open-sourced seeds (which are commonly found in gardening supply stores, for instance) can contain surprise components that won’t do your lawn any favors. Understand how to read a seed tag. This is where you’ll find all of the information you’ll need.

Combat Weeds

You might feel compelled to use a pre-emptive weed preventative. But these products can actually cause harm to grass. Weeds compete with grass for nutrients and sunlight. They can become an eyesore and populate your yard seemingly overnight. Instead of preventative maintenance, be reactive when you see weeds flourishing in particular places. Use a safe and effective spot treatment to kill weeds where they grow. This will keep them away in the future by killing their seeds.

Mow in Accordance to Your Grass Type

It might be tempting to create a schedule that you rigidly stick to when it comes to mowing your lawn. This is an effective strategy for most chores, but not for mowing. Instead, mow according to what works best for the yard. Some grass types are best maintained at a short length, while others thrive when longer. If you are experiencing a heat wave and/or drought, longer grass is going to be preferred for all grass types.

Cool season grasses, for example, do best at up to three and a half inches in height. Warm season grasses, on the other hand, do well at one to two inches. Never cut off more than 1/3rd of the grass’ length at a time. And always make sure to mow when the grass is dry. Wet mowing results in wet, heavy grass lumps all over the lawn.

Mowing in alternating patterns is another good practice. This prevents the formation of ruts, which are caused by repeated movement of the mower over the same, exact tracks.

Nurture Your Grass Well

There are certain nutrients that grass needs to grow healthy and vibrant in color. Nitrogen is one essential nutrient that no well-manicured lawn can do without. How much nitrogen your lawn needs, however, will depend entirely on the results of your soil testing. Soil testing will reveal how many pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet are required. There are many considerations that will go into this calculation, as much can affect the composition of your soil.

Your soil tests will also reveal how much of other nutrients are contained within your soil. Clearly, soil testing is an essential part of having a healthy, beautiful lawn. Additionally, the lawn should be fed at least four times per year, not just once during the spring season. When, exactly, to feed your lawn will be heavily dependent on the region of the world you’re living in.

Keep Your Lawn Hydrated

Many homeowners think that it’s best to water grass in small amounts and often, but this isn’t the case. Grass should be watered deeply and less frequently – but not dripping wet. A deep watering helps to encourage root growth and adequate hydration all at once. This is really helpful if you live in a drought-vulnerable area.

How can you tell when to water the lawn? It’s time to break out the hose or sprinkler system when the grass is less vibrant in color and the springs don’t bounce back when walked on like they usually do. During the colder seasons you will have to water less frequently, as little as once per week. During the summer, however, you might find yourself having to water three times a week.

Having a house means that you have to take care of it, not just on the inside, but also on the outside. It takes a great deal of dedication to make sure that the lawn is not overseen, so choosing the right type of grass for your lawn will make a big difference for its aspect.

There are different types of grasses for your lawn, so you’ll need to know which one to choose when you want your yard looking beautiful and maintained.

The Grass for Shadow
This type of grass only needs two hours of sunshine during the day. It can survive without direct sunshine, but you won’t have a very thick grass. Usually, the places with no sunshine are behind the house or in the corners of your yard, where there’s also a lot of humidity and moss. These areas are the most difficult to cover with grass, as the type of grass for these areas is thin, with a lower resistance to intense traffic. The resistance of this type of grass is given by a species of grass called Festuca Tricopylla, ideal for less sunshine.

The Grass for Sunshine 
There’s a big difference between the grass for shadow and the grass for sunshine, as the last one will need at least 8 hours of sunshine each day. When it reaches maturity, it will be very resistant to drought, as it needs a small quantity of water to survive. The species of grass that gives this resistance is Festuca Arundinaceea, and it should represent between 40% and 60% of the total seeds.

The rest of the species in the combination can be varieties of Lollium and Poa, but you need to keep in mind that the resistance to drought of this grass will appear at its maturity, not when it just started growing. Because of this, you need to take care of your lawn, as usual, watering it every day.

The Universal Grass
This type of grass can be used almost anywhere, as you can place it wherever you have at least four hours of sunshine per day. For example, if you have places where there are trees that give plenty of shadow during the day, you can put it there without problems. It’s different from the shadows made from walls or buildings because the branches of the trees let the sunshine pass through. This type of grass is made from a combination of three species of grass, the Festuca, the Poa and the Lolium. The grass from any lawn should be combined in such a way that it contains grass with resistance to sunshine in the sunny areas, and grass with resistance to shadows, in shadowy areas. If you have a playground, you can use grass that’s ideal for sport or with a high traffic resistance.