need to put in grass next week--what kind?

15 years ago

I'm sure this has been asked 437 times before, but my searches have not been helpful so far. Maybe someone can help...

We just moved in to a home that has a completely dead back yard. Not even weeds--just dirt, due to the lack of water here for the past several months. (N. Cal.)

While I know it's not an ideal time to plant, my kids need to play outside, and I NEED them to play outside for my sanity, and the dirt pit is not very inviting.

So. We're putting in sprinklers this weekend, and would very much like to put in the grass the weekend after. Everyone here is talking about a fescue mix, but they are also watering twice a day for 3-4 minutes a pop, so I'm not sure about their authority on the matter.

I would really like something that would be low maintenance and indestructible, and also look good.

The soil is heavy clay, impossible to work without heavy machinery, and rock hard right now. We are planning to till it with maybe a 50/50 mix of soil and compost, or maybe skip the soil and make it 100% compost? Any advice would be MUCH appreciated, and particularly focusing on the best type of grass to put in. We are still up in the air as to hydromulch vs sod as well.

Sorry for being so long-winded there!

Amanda

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Comments (5)

bpgreen
15 years ago
Where do you live? Are you planning on seeding or sodding? What are your current average daily highs and lows?
almcclur Amanda z9a San Antonio
Original Author
15 years ago
I live in zone 9, Sunset Zone 14. N. Cal. We are still up in the air as o hydromulch vs sod. It is hot here. Summers probably average a high of 90 something, with sporadic weeks of 100+, and there is no summer rainfall. And the yard will be full sun.
Amanda
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If it wasn't watered 3x a day in the absence of rain and also covered with a thin layer of compost or dirt, then it's nothing more than bird food. The fact that I can see so much seed in the picture indicates that the seed was not worked into the dirt. It can't just be sprinkled on top of dirt, you need to use the back of a rake to mix it in, no solid contact with dirt = no grow. New grass seed doesn't need any fertilizer, in fact that will stress new grass seedling and more likely just feed the weeds. Would have been much more effective if you had done the dethatching in the fall and seeded then. Spring is not a great time to seed. Only thing you can do now is Sod or try mixing that seed in better and getting on a consistent watering schedule for the next few weeks.
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Agreed. Streets and concrete curbing holds daytime heat into the night. That heat dries out the soil long after the sun goes down. I have run a soaker hose around adjacent to my driveway to help keep it moist. Which reminds me I need to turn that back on. What I do is a very slow soak for several days. By slow I mean I set the water to trickle out of the faucet at 1 cup per minute. That's pretty slow when you spread it out over a 50-foot soaker hose. But it works when you leave it on long enough. Three days is usually enough in my soil. You'll have to come up with something for your particular situation.
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OKGirl, You have to keep watering in mind on this garden. I would not recommend the Miscanthus or the P 'Karley Rose'. They will do well in a regularly irrigated situation but this doesn't look like such a spot. As you drive around, you will notice that the Miscanthus that look lush and green are in areas with sprinkler systems for the most part or in well tended beds in private residences. The ones in unwatered situations (Pennisetum and Miscanthus) I see around here are stunted with curly tips and look like c--p. The Ravenne Grass is being used in Highway Plantings and other very dry situations and it looks great in isolated plantings too. Also the Chaste Trees are being used in the same way and they are very lush and have soft colors with continuous bloom making them a great grass companion. Another grass needing regular watering in my own yard is the Korean Feather Grass and the 'Karl Forrester'. The blue Fescue's don't do well here. The humidity gets them and you will probably loose them after a season or two. A better choice is Helictochon (Blue Avena Grass) for a low blue grass. Its more dramatic as well. I am considering getting rid of the rest of my 'Karly Rose'. It leans from the shade coming on late afternoon even though it gets a full amount of sun and worse, it seems to need a lot of water to keep it from looking dry. I decided I don't much like it because it looks too prissy. I think the Pink Gulf Muhly is a good choice but it only looks good planted in masses in my opinion and doesn't mix well with 'Karl Forester' or Pennisetum plus they have differing water demands. I would definitely recommend the Muhlenbergia Lindheimeri from SRG to go with it and the Little Bluestem (any flavor) and the Mexican Feather Grass. I would also consider that cultivar of Indian Grass (very blue) from SRG. You can then easily increase your planting area as time goes by with seeds as well from each of these.
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There is a lawn forum on Garden Web that might be a more appropriate spot for your question and has a bunch of experts/enthusiasts. Be sure to say where you are when you post since advice is often based on location. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/lawns FWIW, in my area the idea time to seed or overseed a lawn is early fall, around mid-September when the soil is warm but the air is starting to cool some. To seed a lawn now, you will need to top it with straw (not hay) or other light mulch to help keep the soil moisture as even as possible and reduce the likelihood of seed washing away. Investing in a hose and sprinklers will help keep the soil moist, not only now but all summer if there isn't sufficient rain. You can overseed in the fall for any areas that didn't take well. Adding some white clover to the mix may help the soil fertility over time, but will give you a somewhat different look than an all grass lawn. Depending on your budget, getting it hydroseeded after you do your soil prep may be helpful and give you a better result, though it will cost more than seeding it yourself.
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bpgreen
15 years ago
Thanks. I saw the Zone 9/Sunset 14 in your profile. I don't know anything about the sunset zones, but the USDA zones only tell how cold it gets in the winter, and don't tell anything about the summer.

I think much of the US gets highs in the 90s and weeks of 100+, but the lack of rainfall poses some challenges.

You can probably use either a warm season or a cool season grass. Since most of your neighbors are using fescue, cool season grasses are probably the way to go.

What are your priorities in terms of color, water needs, etc?

Tall fescue needs less water than Kentucky bluegrass (KBG), but most tall fescue varieties won't spread, so if an area dies, you need to reseed. I think the most drought tolerant tall fescue is K-31, but I also consider it the ugliest.

Fine fescues need less water, also. Creeping red fescue will spread to fill in bare spots. Sheep fescue will stay green with very little water, but it's a bunch grass and is not typically used as a lawn grass. I don't know why it's not used as a lawn grass, so I'm trying a mix of 80% sheep fescue and 20% creeping red fescue in my back yard this fall.

If low water use is a big issue, another grass that is used as a turf grass (but an alternative turf grass) is streambank wheatgrass. It's not as dark green as KBG or fescue, but it will stay green in your area with minimal watering. My front lawn is going to be streambank and western wheatgrass and I plan to water once a month or so. One section of my lawn is now mostly streambank wheatgrass and stays green with far less water than the rest of the lawn.
almcclur Amanda z9a San Antonio
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks! And am I going to be able to find these varieties at any nursery, or am I going to have to go to a landscaping guy and have them ordered?

And would you say that any one of these stands up to the pounding of little feet any better than the other?
AManda
bpgreen
15 years ago
You'll find most of the fescues just about anywhere (with the possible exception of sheep fescue). The others will probably only be found at places that specialize in native seeds. Also, the native seeds (including sheep fescue) are not traditionally used for lawns and you may not like the look, since they are usually not as dark a green as tall fescue and KBG would be.

I'm using native grasses for my lawn, but my primary concern is cutting down on the amount of water I use.

Another thing I thought of is that it may be difficult for you to get cool season grasses growing from seed now. If your highs are still in the 90s, it'll be tough to keep them moist enough to germinate. Sod can go down any time, but you'll get best results from seed if you wait until the heat breaks.

need to put in grass next week--what kind?

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bpgreen

almcclur Amanda z9a San Antonio
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need to put in grass next week--what kind?

Comments (5)

bpgreen

almcclur Amanda z9a San AntonioOriginal Author

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bpgreen

almcclur Amanda z9a San AntonioOriginal Author

bpgreen

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almcclur Amanda z9a San Antonio
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almcclur Amanda z9a San Antonio
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