Grass

Planting Information

Grass pic

General Information

In today's world, the use of landscaping grasses and particularly wild grasses are being used more and more by gardeners, landscape architects and reclamation officials. Wild grasses have a distinct beauty and have many uses that can be very beneficial. Wild grasses are being used for erosion and weed control, and for their low maintenance qualities. Sod-forming wild grasses are being used as low-maintenance, drought tolerant alternatives for the traditional lawn. These types of lawns have the ability to remain un-mowed to give a meadow type feeling to a landscape. These types of grasses are used for erosion control because of their massive roots systems and ability to survive through extreme weather. Wild grasses also manage the growth of weeds and allows other grasses along with shrubs and flowers to grow, naturally. Ornamental grasses can be found in many different colors, heights, and textures and can provide a very aesthetically pleasing yard. Taller types of grasses are being used as borders along walkways, as dividers and backgrounds, and as accents in flower gardens.

When deciding what kind of cover to use for your project, there are several different types of grasses to take into account, all with unique characteristics and qualities, from the type of climate they grow best in to the maintenance that they require. They include:

Sod Grass: Grasses which spread to form a carpet-like turf. Bunch Grass: Grows to form separate, independent clumps when left unattended in the wild. Bunches can be planted so closely together as to create tightly knit sod as in the case of hard or sheep fescue. Usually this requires supplemental water and occasional fertilizer.
Sedge: Grasslike plant often found in, but not limited to, wetland areas. Distinguished from grass most often by flowers, triangular leaves and culms. In fact, an old jingle, "sedges have edges", is true most of the time.

The type of grass that you choose will heavily depend on the type of climate that the plant can survive in. Grasses are generally split into one of these two groups:

Cold-Season: Green and growing during the cool parts of the growing season, spring and fall; dormant and dry during the hottest part of the summer. If watered and occasionally fertilized, cold-season grasses will remain green during the entire growing season. Their roots, however, stop growing during the hot summer. Fertilizer is best applied in the fall or early spring to take advantage of the times when the roots are active and growing.
Warm-Season: Green and growing during the hottest part of the year; dormant and dry when cold in the spring, fall and winter. Usually recommended for the more southern latitudes where mid-summer temperatures make green lawns difficult. Warm-season grasses must be planted at least 2 months before first frost if they are going to survive winter.

Parts of the grasses that you should be familiar with are the:

Culm: The stem of grasses, sedges and rushes which supports the flowering parts of the plant.
Rhizome: Horizontal stems growing mostly beneath the ground which can form new plants complete with roots.
Panicle: Main stem and branches containing the flowering parts (spikelets) of a grass plant.
Stolon: A trailing shoot growing above the ground which forms at each node new plants complete with roots.

Another factor to consider before you narrow down your list of grasses is to make sure the the grasses that you are interested in are actually available. These supplies are maintained by seeds gathered in the wild and many types of grasses have not yet become commercially available, while others are only sold by certain organizations. although, some types of grasses are easily attainable from many local or semi-local seed companies. Also, some of these seeds run for very high prices, so if your budget is low then your options will become limited.

How to Plant and Maintenance

Before starting the planting process make sure that the grass will be able to thrive in the particular area. The planting process does not leave much room for error and takes much time and effort. The procedure should go as follows: Divide the area to be planted into a number of equal areas. Divide the seeds equally and place in separate bags. Using one bag for each area will prevent under-seeding some areas or over-seeding and running out before every area is planted. Lightly rake seeds so they are covered with approximately 1/2" of soil or mulch with straw or compost. Most grasses survive in marginal soil with low-nitrogen content. Performance for most grasses is best in well-drained, composted, soils. Improving the soil quality before planting by adding organic matter, nutrients, and by testing the soil pH level. will give you a better stand of grass. At high altitudes, soils reach their extremes and are inherently more fragile, more alkaline or more acidic and more deprived of organic matter than soil in more moderate climes. Top soil is often non-existent, or subject to rapid degradation by being exposed to severe wind and intense sun. We encourage gardeners to build up and care for soil.

For the watering aspect of the planting, you As water resources become more scarce, wild grasses are destined to be more prevalent. Unless specifically adapted to wetland areas, most of the native and wild grasses that commonly populate the wild lands throughout the West are very drought-tolerant. However, when planting grass seed, soil must be kept moist 3-4 weeks while germination takes place. Seeds must be kept moist during the fragile stage when they swell with water until the time when new little roots have grown deep enough to find soil moisture. It is very important to water the soil 2 to 4 times each day. Sunny, hot, windy days and sandy soil conditions may require a short watering, as often as every hour. Many landscape professionals recommend spring or fall planting when temperatures are cooler and grass seed is less likely to dry out between each watering.