Posts Tagged ‘Grass’

How to Install a Multi-Species Native Lawn for Less Mowing, Less Watering, Less Weeding and, Yes, Less Guilt.

Grass species. From our on-going research here at the Wildflower Center, we have found that a mix of ‘buffalograss’ (Bouteloua dactyloides (formerly Buchloe dactyloides)), ‘blue grama’ (Bouteloua gracilis) and ‘curly mesquite’ (Hilaria belangeri) needs less mowing, watering and weeding and simulates nature’s shortgrass prairies. Although different species, these grasses have almost identically shaped leaves and color and produce a great-looking, even-textured, dense lawn. They are available from native seed suppliers such as Native American Seeds (www.seedsource.com) , King Seeds (www.dkseeds.com) and other seed suppliers. For every 1000 square feet you will need 2lb of buffalograss, 1½ lb of bluegrama and at least 4 oz of curly mesquite.

Soil.
A well-textured, well-drained soil is essential for long term lawn success. Normally, developers spread a couple of inches of imported soil over a layer compacted by heavy construction machinery. But a sustainable lawn needs deep roots, so rip, rotovate or disk your soil to at least 8″ – the deeper the better. Then incorporate a ½” of living compost with a low nitrogen and low phosphorus content into the top 3″ of your prepared soil. Ask your local plant nursery for recommendations. DO NOT use mulch (e.g. shredded tree bark or wood shavings) grass won’t grow in this. The soil surface should be finished to a fine granular texture and free from large stones. Note: if you are on undisturbed, uncompacted native soils then till lightly and add ¼” compost into the top 1″ or alternatively add a compost tea.

Sow.
Sow the seed (the small, hand-cranked seed broadcasters are great), and rake and press (garden roller or feet) it into soil for good soil-seed contact. Early spring is the best sowing time once soil temperatures pick-up. Later in the growing season will work but takes more water. Avoid mid-summer and winter.

Irrigation.
The lawn area should be irrigated every day for the first 10 days to prevent soil drying out. Thereafter, two soil-wetting (top 4″ of soil) events per week for the next month, then two soil-wetting (top 6″ of soil minimum) events per month for the next two months of the growing season (March – November). As they appear remove weeds before they go to seed or become too established. Once the lawn is established, say, four months, you may opt to stop irrigating to save water and allow the lawn to go ‘drought dormant’. The native grasses will go brown and temporarily stop growing, but, adapted to drought, will green-up once rain returns.

Mowing.
This depends on how you want your lawn to look. We suggest a 3-4″ high cut for a great-looking, dense turf, resistant to foot traffic (within reason) and weeds. Mow once every 3-5 weeks when growing and not at all when drought or cold dormant. Mowing shorter (below 2″) will decrease your lawn’s health. Conversely, not mowing at all through the growing season will prevent new shoot growth which reduces the turf density. However, allowing the grass to seed-out once a year (e.g. when you go on vacation) guarantees a good seed bank – insurance against drought, heavy foot traffic and weeds.

Feeding.
By returning the grass cuttings directly to the soil, annual feeding should not be necessary. A healthy, living soil (because you added live compost), plus the natural ‘rain’ of airborne nutrients will be sufficient to keep your lawn at ecological equilibrium just like a natural prairie. But for high-use lawns with children and/or pets, or on freely-draining soils, a fall dressing with a low-nutrient, living-compost or compost tea plus an aeration (with a garden fork or similar tool) will certainly help.

Warning.

If you do not prepare the soil adequately, your lawn will suffer and you will get weeds
If you mow too often and too short, you will get weeds
If you over-water, you will get weeds
If you over-fertilizer, you will get big weeds

Less is more.
Simulating the natural conditions in a native grassland — low-nutrient soils, native grasses, occasional rainfall, occasional grazing – can help us achieve a sustainable, healthy native lawn. So:

Prepare the soil (prairie soil takes thousands of years to form, you will need to kick-start yours)
Use appropriate native species (if they can’t take the heat they wouldn’t be here)
Mow less (natives grow much slower than over-fed St. Augustine and bermudagrass)
Irrigate with occasional deep water events and rainfall, and maybe let it go dormant in summer
Minimize nutrient inputs (native prairies aren’t synthetically fertilized)

Watering Your Lawn

 Water composition of healthy grass is between 70 and 85%. Water is essential to grass, just as it is to humans. It promotes the manufacture of food, seed germination, nutrient transport and absorption, cooling and the formation of tissue. Grass loses water when temperatures are high, humidity is low, when there is a brisk wind and with sun intensity. If grass doesn’t have the proper amount of water, it cannot cool and is susceptible to browning, disease, wilting and death.

The amount of water your lawn requires depends on the type of grass it consists of. Usually, one inch of water per week is sufficient, even in drought conditions. The amount of water your lawn receives can be easily measured by placing a shallow tin in your lawn and marking the side of it. If nature provides adequate rainfall, watering is not necessary.

If you water your lawn too much, it will lead to fungal disease, excessive growth and very frequent mowing. It also wastes water and power resources and causes pesticides and fertilizers become ineffective. These can get into the sewer system and cause water treatment problems.

Q: How often should I cut my lawn?
A: As part of quality lawn care, regular cutting with a mower should be observed and the grass should be cut to an even height. Cutting your lawn once per week should be sufficient.

Q: What is the purpose of raking my lawn?
A: This is commonly done in order to remove dead grass. Many people only rake their lawn in the fall as the leaves begin to cover their yard, but a part of effective lawn care requires that lawns by raked during other seasons as well.

Q: Does lawn care require that I water my lawn?
A: Not everyone does this, but it is recommended that lawns be watered in order to avoid having the grass to dry up and turn brown. If this happens, you could be left with brown spots in your yard.

Q: I have a dog and he is reeking havoc on the yard. How can I replant my lawn with success?
A: Dogs and lawn care are not the best match, but they can work together. When you replant your lawn, consider using seeds that are specifically designed for high traffic areas. Other factors that may worsen the effect that your dog is having on the lawn may include a chain dragging the grass and exposing the dirt surface below or if your dog is prone to digging.

Q: Should I use harsh chemicals on my lawn in order to rid it of pests and insects?
A: Many experts agree that this is a bad idea for several reasons. If you have children who play in the yard, this may be unhealthy for them. The same is true of pets, who make it a habit of digging or even eating grass at times. In addition, harsh chemicals often do more harm than good to your lawn and are certainly no friend of the environment. Instead, try a bug light or other means of ridding your lawn of insects and other pests.

Lawn care is a very big industry, which services millions of people every year. Whether you do not have the time to care for the lawn yourself or simply aren’t up to the task, there are a number of landscaping experts that are readily available to help with lawn care needs. These are commonly found in the yellow pages under ‘Landscaping’ and most businesses can provide you with an instant quote over the telephone if you have detailed information regarding your specific lawn care needs.