A lawn you can love

Sunset, Sept, 1998 by Jim McCausland

* We love our lawns. We play on them, buy furniture for them, and surround them with beautiful plants. Many of us devote more time to caring for our lawns (or hire a professional service to do it for us) than we do any other part of the garden. We spend hundreds of dollars on mowers to trim them, fertilizer to feed them, chemicals to weed them, and water to keep them green.

Is a lawn worth all the money and time we put into it? The answer is a resounding "yes" - if it's the right lawn and it's maintained in the right way.

We're demanding more of the grasses that make up our lawns. Commercial breeders have responded by developing improved kinds of native and non-native grasses that require less water and maintenance. They have also bred insect- and disease-tolerance into common lawn grasses. And now you can choose grasses that have the wear-resistance of a football field or ones that grow in shade.

This guide can help you find a grass that fits your needs.

The chart on pages 60 and 61 describes the West's best lawn grasses and divides them into two groups: cool- and warm-season grasses.

Cool-season grasses thrive in areas that experience cool summers or mild winters; they go dormant in very hot or very cold weather. You can plant or overseed any cool-season grass this month. In the coldest climates (Sunset zones 1-3), plant right away so that the grass can become established by winter. In warmer climates, wait until [TABULAR DATA OMITTED] the end of the month to plant.

Warm-season grasses flourish in hot-summer areas; they go dormant in cold winter weather. Make your selection now for planting early next summer.

MATCH THE GRASS TO YOUR CLIMATE

Your garden's climate is the key factor in choosing a cool- or warm-season grass.

Cool-season grasses, including bent, bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, grow best when temperatures are between 60 [degrees] and 75 [degrees] . When it gets warmer, most of them go into summer dormancy, turning a straw color and even dying if they don't get water. Late summer or early fall are the best times to plant these.

Warm-season grasses, including Bermuda, blue grama, buffalo, St. Augustine, and zoysia, thrive in hot weather (80 [degrees] to 95 [degrees] is optimal) but turn brown in winter. These are best planted in late spring.

Wherever you live, you'll want a grass with a reliable record of performance.

In the coastal Pacific Northwest, blends of perennial ryegrass, fescue, and bent or Kentucky bluegrass are the lawns of choice. Although tall fescue is available, it has trouble competing with the other grasses during wet, chilly winters.

In the intermountain West, Kentucky bluegrass is a favorite, though buffalo grass (sometimes blended with blue grama) is making inroads with gardeners who want to save water. Tall fescue is another good choice: it needs less water than Kentucky bluegrass and is greener than buffalo grass (but not as cold-tolerant).

In mild areas of California, dwarf tall fescue has become popular because it needs less water and tolerates summer heat better than most other cool-season grasses. New, slower-growing varieties stay acceptably green all year.

In hot-summer areas of California and the Southwest's low and intermediate deserts, Bermuda grass is still the favorite. It makes a fine-textured turf that tolerates drought and wears well. In autumn, common Bermuda grass can be overseeded with perennial ryegrass for a good-looking winter lawn. Zoysia is also coming into its own. This cold-hardy grass takes some shade and doesn't demand much water or fertilizer.

Along the Southern California coast, St. Augustine grass is popular. It holds its color in winter if you give it a pound of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of turf every six weeks. St. Augustine also grows well in the low desert, where it needs plenty of water.

SEED, SOD, SPRIGS, OR PLUGS?

Lawn grass is sold in several forms. All except sod require diligent weed control after planting. Seed is widely available at garden centers and nurseries. Sod, sprigs, and plugs can all be ordered from sod farms, usually through nurseries or landscape designers.

SEED is the cheapest way to start a lawn. Before you buy, read the seed package label as much for what it doesn't say as for what it does. Look for names on the bag: for instance, you want a named variety such as 'Bonsai 2000', 'Finelawn', or 'Jaguar II', not a generic tall fescue. Also, if the label bears the notation VNS (variety not stated) or UCT (uncertified), the seeds may be from old or inferior stock; they might be cheaper but not as good. Look for current seed test and expiration dates; plant within a year of the test date for best germination.

Seed rates run from 1 1/2 pounds (for Kentucky bluegrass) to cover 1,000 square feet up to 10 pounds (for tall fescue) to cover the same area.

SOD is the most expensive way to go but gives you instant coverage with almost no weed problems. When you order, try to time delivery for a dry day (if you stack sod during rainy weather, the grass can develop mildew and die). Make sure the soil is moist before you put the sod down.