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| left: buffalo grass, Bucheloe dactyloides - right: Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensis |
Monday, May 02, 2011
Warm vs Cool
Warm season grasses versus cool season grasses, that is.
In this photo from my yard you can see the distinct difference that characterizes the growth cycle of these two categories of grass. At the end of April the cool season bluegrasses and fescues typically used for residential lawns in our region are actively growing and bright green. The warm season native prairie grasses such as buffalo and gramma are still mostly dormant.
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4 comments:
We have the same dilemma here. Our traditional lawn choice is Fescue, but it need copious amounts of water to stay green in the summer, it takes more fertilizer and more mowing than any other. In my opinion, it is bad news for the environment. The other choice is to plant Bermuda or St. Augustine which are both very water-wise, need little fertilizer, don't need mowing as much and grow thick enough that weeds will not come up through them.
The down side to our warm season native grass options is that they need full sun, and they won't tolerate much traffic. Unfortunately, this excludes their use in many urban/suburban settings where trees, kids, and pets set the scene...
Jocelyn - did you notice in your pic that at the upper edge of the bluegrass side there appears to be 3-4 weed looking plants. Obviously you have missed your application of Scotts fertilizer-weeder. Another example of the bluegrass yard owners responsibilities in proper lawn maintenance. I am voting for the lawn on the left - notice no weeds...
Good catch, Mark! Yes, that's bindweed. I almost cropped it out, but decided not to --- that's my reality! My buffalo grass occasionally gets bindweed and spurge, too. I'm very opposed to "weed and feed" products. Would you broadcast spray a generic pesticide all over your yard several times a year? Of course not. A targeted approach is always best.
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