We seem to
live in a polarized world. Bears vs. Bulls, red vs. blue and then there are
cool season- grass lovers vs. warm season grass lovers. The turf wars are on! Lawn warriors have passionate feelings about
their favorite type of lawn and are serious about its care. Both types of turf grow here in Kentucky but
ours summers are usually a little too hot for cool season grasses and the
winters are too cold for warm season grasses to flourish so which “side” is
best?
Cool season
grasses such as tall (or fine) fescue, perennial ryegrass and KY bluegrass are typically
grown in Jefferson County. These grasses are actively growing during the fall
thru spring in cool temperatures.
Warm season grasses
such as zoysia and Bermuda are sometimes grown in the Louisville area. Yes,
some folks grow it on purpose! These grasses are heat and sun lovers greening
up only in warm weather. Highly
maintained golf greens can be Bermuda as well as KY bluegrass.
Here are a
few basic considerations:
* Sun. There
is no way around it for turf- you’ve got to have it. Lawns that do not get
direct sun or are semi shaded may actually be better suited for ground cover or
shade gardening instead of grass. Tall and fine fescues are the best suited for
sun to medium shade.
* Water. Cool season grasses need supplemental water in dry conditions. Extra water does not however, provide relief from extreme heat. Watering too often can lead to disease problems and shallow, stressed root systems. Water less often, but deeper to encourage root growth.
* Drought.
Warm season grasses take both heat and drought conditions.
* Traffic. If tolerance to foot traffic is a concern for
either 2 or 4 legged critters, then Ryegrass (cool season), Bermuda or zoysia grass
would be excellent choices. Tall fescue can tolerate some traffic. Many sports
fields use ryegrass for this purpose.
*Germination.
Ryegrass germinates in 5 to 7 days. Tall
fescue is right behind, germinating in 7 to 10 days and KY bluegrass can take
up to 21 days or so to germinate. Bermuda and zoysia are planted as sprigs (like
cuttings) or vegetative plugs that must grow together for good coverage.
There are
other considerations of course. Color, availability, grass texture, weeds,
mowing, budget and disease and insect tolerance.
So when it
comes down to it, it really doesn’t matter which side you are on. Most
recurring lawn problems can be avoided by selecting the best grass species for
the conditions you are going to plant it in. (The only thing that is more important is
timing and as we all know timing is everything!
More on that later….. )
Detailed
information on the selection and comparison of grasses can be found here:
Lawn
establishment:
Low
Maintenance Turf Care:
Common Weed
Identification guide:
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