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GREEN WITH ENVY - What's The Best Lawn Grass For You?
from:This is a big planet we live on. Man has been here for a very short time compared to nature. Nature is what built this planet in the first place. Lush green vegetation has flourished throughout this green Earth for billions of years. Species that can't tolerate their environment or adapt to change in the weather wither and die, but then new species evolve and grow and tolerate until they thrive. The evolution of mankind has ultimately enabled man to thrive as well.
This led to the emergence of the "status symbol" - mine is better than yours. One of the status symbols adapted by many homeowners throughout Canada and the United States is their landscaping endeavours. The competive nature in many of us is to have a nicer looking yard than any of your neighbors. Size wize, having a nice looking lawn will be noticed by everyone. The trick is to get there first. Having the perfect lawn can be a lifelong persuit and many factors can be involved. This is just one factor.
Lawn care can not only involve a lot of hard work, it can also have very different requirements depending on your location, causing confusion among many people. If you live in the suburbs, mounting pressure to have a better looking lawn than your neighbor may require varying degrees of nutrients and other elements for that "perfect lawn".
The higher your requirements for that perfect lawn, the more labor on your part will you undertake. There is a lot of information for you to keep track of in the process. You have to know when to fertilize, which fertilizer to use for the time of year, and the decision of which grass type to use for your lawn. There are many factors that may determine what type of grass you want to seed your lawn with, but the first will likely be the climate in which you live.
For instance, if you live in the southern United States, where the weather is warm almost year around, you will likely want to plant what is called a warm season grass. Warm season grasses do their active growing roughly between the months of April and October. Warm season grasses, as you may have already guessed, prefer warmer locations with warmer climate. For proper growth of warm season grasses, your area needs soil temperatures to be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). Be careful not to make the mistake of trying to plant a warm season grass if you live too far north. The grasses are genetically bred to grow in warm climates and will not be able to survive a Midwestern or northern winter. Bermuda grass is an example of warm season grasses.
If, however, you live in the Midwest or northern part of the country, then you will want to think about planting what is called a cool season grass. Cool season grasses do most of their growing in late spring and early fall. Most of Canada would probably use cool season grasses. Because these grasses are bred for cooler weather, their growth usually slows down considerably during the heat of summer.
The best time to plant your cool season grass is early in the autumn. If, however, you feel you want to plant at a different time of the year, be careful to do so when soil temperatures are no less than around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). If you get a lot of snow during the winter, like I do, 50 degrees Fahrenheit is definite spring weather. Kentucky bluegrass is cool season grass for example.
A third option, and the best option for beginners in my opion, is to plant a grass seed mixture. The mixture will contain a number of different grass species in it. Planting a mixture will help you to avoid the diseases your lawn may aquire. Most fungi that attack lawns are specific to certain species of grass.
If there are various species growing in your yard, it's more difficult for fungi or other diseases to spread from one plant to another. Having various species of grasses growing in your front yard creates a buffer or rather protection from one another. There actually is strenth in diversity. Mixed lawns have a greater tendancy to adjust themselves to differences in the soil makeup or to excessive sun exposure on different parts of the lawn. All in all, a mixture of different grass seeds can mean lower maintenance for a lawn care beginner.
Another kind of grass you will want to think about for your lawn is not one you would use as your main base grass, but can be a big part of the overall look of your landscaping. The type of grass I'm talking about here is called ornamental grass. As the name suggests, ornamental grass can be used not to replace your base seed, but rather to compliment your lawn. Ornamental grasses are becoming an increasingly popular way to improve the look of lawns and landscaping all over the nation.
While ornamental grasses can be grown from seed, the most popular way of raising it is to buy pots of the grass. Each pot can be divided up to essentially give you more grass. If you are savvy with your grass and do your proper planning, you too will be able to grow all the ornamental grass you could ever want.
Growing and maintaining a lawn can actually be stressful if you don't know what you are doing. On the otherhand, having a beautifully maintained lawn that you can enjoy and be proud of can actually reduce your stress. What can be stressful is, when it comes to seeding your lawn, the number of species and options in the grass seed aisle of your local home and garden store can be quite intimidating.
However, through a little education and some thorough research, you can make good decisions about the grass to plant in your yard, so you too can have a beautiful lawn. Go to your local nursery or garden variety store and ask questions so you can determine what's best for your. If you decide to go with a seed mixture, that same stores clerk or representative can help you select the mixture that will work best for you as well as your budget.
The climate in North America can be quite harsh at times and very pleasant at other times. Weather is never constant, but rather a dynamic constantly changing fact of life that all humans must get used to. We have no choice. There are defenses that we can utilize to battle the elements.
Lawn seed that is tolerant to the environment where they grow may not be able to survive at all in completely different surroundings. By knowing the harshness of the weather in your location, you will make better decisions in the care of your lawn.
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