You may already be aware that certain types of plants are best suited to certain climates, but grasses? Are grasses only suited to certain climates? Isn’t grass just grass? What does it matter where I live?

It is in fact true that different types of grasses can only grow in certain climates. Because different varieties of grass require different things, not all types of grass will thrive or even survive in all climates. Just like shrubs and flowers, different grasses have different needs and your climate may not be able to provide what certain varieties need. When choosing a grass mix for your lawn you need to keep many things in mind, including your climate, moisture level, soil mix and amount of sunlight.

The first thing you need to consider is whether you in a warm, cool or moderate grass growing regions. Places lie in the north are classed as cool growing zones, whereas as southern regions are warm growing zones. There is also the area in the United States known as the transitional zone which has warmer summers than cool growing zones, but cooler winters than those common in the warm growing zone. Bahia and Centipede are examples of grass varieties that are suited to warmer climates, whereas Fescue grasses do better in moderate or cooler growing zones. If you live in a very warm southerly climate or a cold northern spot, then it will be much more difficult for you to grow many varieties of grasses. Most grass varieties are not suited to these real extremes in temperature and moisture.

Different soil components also contribute to the types of grasses that will grow in your area. Some grasses do better in soils that are rich in clay and organic matter, whereas others strictly grow in dry, sandy spots. You may want to perform a pH test on your soil to check the nutrient levels and soil composition.

Grass varieties also differ in terms of moisture. Some grasses are more suited to damp or wet climates, whereas other types thrive in dry climates and are drought resistant. If you are in a drier climate, then it is important that you choose a grass that is able to withstand long periods without rain. There are some grasses out there that become dormant during droughts, but which come back to life again after watering. These are good choices for climates that see very little rain during the summer months.

Many seeds mixes are a combination of different grass types. Mixing grasses in this way will help improve the color, texture and overall strength of your lawn. Because some grasses are hardier than others, a mix will give you an overall look and feel that one single variety of grass may not. No matter what your grass needs, you should be able to find or create a grass seed mix at your local garden center that is just right for your specific needs.

You also need to be aware of how many hours of sunlight your grass can expect to get. Many grasses need at least half a day of direct sunlight, whereas there are some, like Fescue, that can survive in partial shade. Different grasses have different tolerance levels for shade so be sure to take this into consideration when choosing a grass type for your law.

When choosing a grass, you also need to keep in mind how much effort you’re willing to put into your lawn care. Some varieties of grasses require little care, but many need a lot of patience and nurturing to really thrive. If you haven’t the time or patience, then you want to choose a no-fuss variety that may not look as good or feel as good as other grasses, but will take very little time or energy on your part to grow.

Choosing a grass that it suited to your climate is one of the most important steps on the way to a healthy vital lawn. If you seed or sod with a grass that is suited to your areas soil type and climate and care for it properly, you will be rewarded with a dazzling front and back lawn that will be the envy of your neighborhood.

There are many types of grasses used for green lawns; do you know which grass is best for your lawn?  The key to great looking green lawn is lawn fertilizers and weed control as well as using the right type of grass seed.  Most lawns are made up of many different types of grass seed and yours might need different seed in different areas. Mowing is an important ingredient to having a great looking lawn as well.

Let’s look at the type of grass that is best for your yard.  One of the first factors is to decide what zone you are in. There is a difference between the cool season zone and the warm season zone.  Warm season grasses are used best in the southern states in the United States and the cool season grasses are used in the North as well as Canada.  You may well be found in the middle of these two zones; in that case, you can contact your local county extension to ask which types of grass are best for your zone.

Warm season grasses are:

Bermudagrass

Buffalograss

Zoysiagrass

These are the most common grasses used in the warm season zone.

Cool season grasses include:

Bentgrasses

Bluegrasses

Fescues

Ryegrasses

The grasses can be mixed in your lawn to take advantage of the strength of the various types of grasses.  One of the items you may need to consider is if your lawn has shady spots.  Along with that, spaces in your yard that have at one time been covered by pine tree branches or have heavy foot traffic deserve special attention.  You may also be in a region that often is affected by drought.  For shaded spots, some of the cool season grasses such as bentgrass and bluegrass may be the answer to your problem.  In areas of heavy traffic, try the sturdy Kentucky bluegrass.  Some new strains of Kentucky bluegrass are also specially designed to be drought tolerant.

Red fescue is used to keep the lawn together and show a tighter appearance.  It is fine leaved and can stand close mowing.  Especially good for cool zones, it is strong and durable.  Meadowgrass is an excellent choice for regions that are prone to drought conditions.  It has a beautiful dark green color and has a good resistance to fungus diseases.  Bentgrass provides a good base to a lawn and by over seeding can give you an attractive tight looking lawn.  Ryegrass has a newly developed strain that stays green all year and has great wear tolerance.

Here are some recommendations of grasses for different parts of the country.  Kentucky bluegrass still seems to be the favorite grass for the Rocky Mountain and Plains states.  Bluegrass varieties that need minimal maintenance are; Belmont, Caliber, Cobalt, Monopoly, and Unique.  Kentucky bluegrass needs to be watered often, as the roots don’t grow deep and is an excellent choice for sports fields and for parks.  It likes to be mowed to a height of about two inches.

The grass recommended for the Northeast and Midwest is a good fescue.  This grass grows slowly, has wiry blades, and has a height of only six inches.  Lots of shade and moisture requires a hardy perennial relative of bluegrass called Poa supine.

The Southeast has a grass called centipede grass.  The grass is light colored, grows slowly, and requires less maintenance than other warm season grasses.

Sources say that grass is hard to grow in the Southwest.  A popular grass is regular Zoysia.  It turns brown in October and stays brown through March.  Zoysia loves the warm weather, turns brown if the temperature gets below 55 degrees, and loves to be cut short.  This grass is not a good grass to use in areas that get a full-blown winter.

In the great Northwest, bent grasses are well adapted to the climate of that area.  They do tend to be high maintenance but there are strains that have been developed for cool areas and are also low maintenance such as Velvet bentgrass.  Ryegrass is also a good choice for cooler weather climates.  You can use annual ryegrass for a quick fix on a lawn or you can choose perennial ryegrass for keeping your grass year after year.

You may not realize that different types of grasses, just like other plants and shrubs, have different needs and some varieties are more suited to some climates than others. There are grasses that grow better in moderate or moist climates and then other types that do much better in hot, dry locales. If you live in a southerly climate, then here are three grasses that grow well in your area.

1. Bermudagrass

Bermudagrass can be both a blessing and curse. It can be uncontrollable and can invade your flowerbeds and produce an uncontrollable amount of grass seeds. All of this stress and aggravation is worth it though, especially if you have neither the time nor the inclination to nurture your lawn. Bermudagrass can survive for decades with very little care and can also work well as a winter lawn in place of perennial ryegrass. This grass is tough and hardy and is often used on roadsides in the south because of its ability to stand up to real wear and tear with little maintenance.

Bermudagrass needs a warm climate. It is both drought and wear resistant. It is fast growing and the comma Bermuda variety is quite cheap. It does need full sun to thrive and has a very low tolerance for shady areas. Don’t plant Bermudagrass if your lawn does not get a great deal of direct sunlight.

2. Centipede

Like Bermudagrass, centipede is quite low maintenance and does not require frequent mowing or fertilization. It does not, however, grow quickly and it cannot withstand heavy traffic in the way that Bermudagrass can.

Centipede is a tough grass variety that is particularly suited to areas in the lower South and where the soil is quite acidic. This variety of grass can take root where many other grasses have failed. Centipede grass can grow in some shade, but you will get best results if it is full sun or almost full sunspots.

Centipede grass should be fertilized in the spring with low-nitrogen fertilizer. You need to make sure that your fertilizer does not contain phosphorus. The ideal mix to look for is 15-0-15. The ideal pH level for centipede grass is between four and a half and five and a half.

3. Zoysia

Zoysia is a very dark and dense turf and it the most tolerant of cold of the entire southern climate suited grasses. The ideal pH level for this variety of grass is between six and seven.

Zoysia is quite slow to take root if grown right from seed. You can bypass this difficultly by laying sod, rather than growing the grass right from seed. If you decide to go with sees, then you will have to have a great deal of patience.

Zoysia does best in full sun, but there are some sub-varieties that can do well in the shade. The Emerald Zoysia variety has a high shade tolerance. Zoysia also has somewhat of a drought tolerance, though you will need to stay on top of the water level and make sure that you water your grass if the drought lasts longer than a week. Zoysia can deal with some dry spells, but not really lengthy ones. Zoysia grasses should be fertilized in both the spring and the fall.

This variety of grass is the most attractive of the warm season grasses, but it comes at a price. Zoysia grass takes a great deal of care and nurturing on your part to achieve the luxurious look it is known for. If you don’t have the time or energy to devote to this type of grass, then you should probably consider planting one of the other varieties of warm climate grasses.

There are some other warm climate grasses that will do well if you live in a southern climate. There are also some tall fescue varieties that can do well in southern areas too, especially those that are resistant to droughts.

At your local garden center, they should have a mix for your area. Grass companies have spent a great deal of time and money researching the best mix for your area. If you don’t have the time or want to do extensive research into the specific kinds of grass that are best suited to your land, then one of these grass seeds mixtures may be your best bet.

Your lawn should be a healthy lawn without pests, lawn diseases or weeds but can you do that without putting harmful chemicals into the ground? It is possible to have a beautiful lush lawn without harming the environment. The use of chemical pesticides can be a health risk but can also kill insects that are favorable to your lawn. Runoff can eventually find their way into the water supply around your area.

Weed identification can be classified into two classes. These classifications are based on the way in which they come out of the seed. In simple terms, Monocots are weedy grasses such as crabgrass. Dicots are broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, ground ivy, and clover. These two weed types are divided into three groups:

Perennial weeds: have a life that spans no more than two years and is reproduced from new seeds every year.

Biennial weeds: have a life of two years. They store up food reserves in the leaves and root system the first year and produce seed in the second year. They often mix with the perennials, as they are so similar.

Annual weeds: are yearly weeds started from seeds, grow, and eventually flower producing more seeds in less than a year. There are summer annuals that germinate in the fall maturing in late fall, and winter annuals that will germinate in late spring.

If you are unsure of what weeds are in your yard, you can take samples to your county extension and they will help you identify them.

One of the most natural methods of controlling weeds is to have a vigorously growing turf cover. Correcting the underlying problem with the soil can control some weeds. For instance without correcting the soil compaction, you will not be able to rid your lawn of knotweeds. Other weeds can be controlled by altering what you do to your lawn to favor the lawn instead of the weeds. Adjusting the mowing height of your lawn mower, changing the frequency of mowing, or changing the water schedule can control weeds.

There are also very natural ways of controlling lawn pests and there are organic pest control products now on the market. Some of the organic pest controls use natural ingredients such as citrus oils; garlic, hot peppers, and cloves are also natural ingredients in some new organic pest and weed control. The natural organic weed controls with lemon as its base can kill various pests including aphids, bean beetles, fire ants, and our all-time favorite, Japanese beetles.

Another organic lawn and garden spray has a base of sesame oil, clove oil, and thyme oil. It can be used on fruits, vegetables, and your lawn. It is good for repelling such insects as fleas, ants, grasshoppers, and ticks.

Fire ants are prevalent in the south and are a danger because they sting and could potentially be a threat to small children. Ants can also nest in your lawn and can cause problems while mowing. Fire ants are attracted to bait and can end up carrying the bait back to the nest. That will either kill the queen or leave her infertile. Dry granular bait can be applied directly to ant mounds. These baits are made with natural oils are safe to use around pets, children and food crops. This same bait, used for fire ants, can also be effective in controlling many other garden and lawn pests.

Another organic garden spray has a base of black pepper and garlic and can be safely used on lawns and gardens. This spray will help control mosquitoes, gnats, fleas, and ticks.

An added benefit to using organic pest control is they are designed for long-term pest control. That means you will spend less time fighting those pests and more time enjoying your lawn.

Of course, you can still do the tried-and-true method of hand weeding, but that is only practical for the occasional plant that springs up. The easiest and safest ways are to treat your lawn and garden for pest and weed control with all natural, organic products that can be readily purchased from any store that sells home and garden supplies.

Look at all the options before you decide to use chemicals that are harmful to your plants, animals, and water supply.

Kentucky bluegrass, as a species of grass, is native to most of Europe, the northern parts of Asia, as well s the mountainous regions of Morocco and Algeria. The grass, though common now in the cool humid parts of the United States, is not even native to North America. It came to this country along with colonists from Europe, who brought grass seed mixtures. The species took to the climate of New England well, and is now found throughout much of the modern United States.

Kentucky bluegrass is one of the most recognizable grasses in the United States. It grows from about one and one half to two feet in height. It is recognizable because of its boat shaped tips on the blades. The growth of Kentucky bluegrass varies with the time of year and is triggered by the length of the days rather than the temperatures of the days.

If you wish to plant Kentucky bluegrass you must know that it requires approximately two to three pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet of land. Fortunately it can be seeded any time of the year, but will grow best if you plant in the spring or fall. Once planted, you should water your bluegrass at least a couple of times a day for the first two weeks, and maybe even three times depending on the weather. You can cut back on the watering once the seeds start to produce visible sprouts.

Compared to many other grasses, and specifically warm season grasses, Kentucky bluegrass requires a lot of water. To stay healthy it will need as much as two inches of water every week. That should keep the grass green and bright throughout the summer. In order to help the roots to grow deeper and hardier, water no less than an inch on any single day of watering. If your Kentucky bluegrass happens to go dormant during a drought, it will need only about an inch of water every two or three weeks. That will keep the crowns of the grass alive so that when rainfall does come the grass will recover fast.

Kentucky bluegrass requires a fairly large amount of Nitrogen during most every year of its life. The first year, when you plant it, it will likely need five or six pounds of nitrogen to grow properly. After that, you can probably get away with cutting that back by about half. In order to avoid burning and to maintain convenience, you may want to use some sort of slow release nitrogen source. It can be applied more liberally and less frequently, making it an especially attractive option if you are a beginner in lawn care.

Like most pure bred lawn grasses, Kentucky bluegrass is susceptible to pests. The weed problems you may encounter with your bluegrass are dandelions, clover, crabgrass, and annual bluegrass. These can generally be controlled with pre-emerge herbicides. As far as insects, billbugs, sod webworms, and white grubs all enjoy a good Kentucky bluegrass meal. Monitor the insect situations diligently and apply pesticides in a timely manner, with care not to over do it. Bluegrass may also get hit with disease. To prevent this problem, you can seed with a mixture added to your bluegrass or use varying strains of Kentucky bluegrass that have resistance to different diseases. If your soil happens to be alkaline, and you did not have it tested in advance, your Kentucky bluegrass could develop iron chlorosis, which is yellowing between the veins of the grass.

Kentucky bluegrass, because the state is named for it and because it can be found all over the United States, is one of the most well known grasses around. It is also very recognizable by its unique blade and bright color. Native to the middle United States where the weather is cool and humid, the grass is not as difficult to plant and maintain as its reputation would imply. Plant your bluegrass in the correct density to ensure good cover, seed it either in the spring or the fall when the days are the proper length to ensure a good root system, and be sure to get the newly seeded area significant light, frequent water, and proper care and you can have a beautiful bluegrass lawn that you can be proud of.