Types and varieties of lawn grass. The best varieties of lawn grass

It's no secret that a beautiful, well-groomed lawn can give even the most modest area a luxurious look. The green cover will become not only a wonderful backdrop for fragrant flower beds, but also the true pride of its owner. After all, it is difficult to look away from a neat carpet, if you take care of it regularly.

But in addition to the aesthetic benefits, the lawn also has practical benefits. Grass is a valuable source of oxygen; it absorbs dust, soot and exhaust gases, filling the space with cleanliness and freshness. The velvety lawn in summer softens the heat of the dazzling sun, muffles extraneous noise and is ideally suited for organizing cheerful picnics and children's games in nature.

However, in order to enjoy the emerald splendor you need to work hard. You will have to figure out what types of lawns exist, find out about the types of lawn grass, planting and care features.

There are lawns for decorative and special purposes. The former will allow you to create an original landscape design, the latter - a convenient area for sports and children's fun.

Decorative lawns require close attention and care, as a result you receive not only moral satisfaction from contemplating a magnificent composition, but also a tempting opportunity to arrange a fabulous oasis where harmony reigns.

Sports lawns are characterized by high resistance to intense loads, which means they are optimal for incendiary parties and friendly competitions in football, badminton and even field hockey.

Of course, the prospect of becoming the owner of a tennis court looks quite tempting, but the aesthetic aspect worries modern man a lot more. This is why decorative lawns are in steady demand. Moreover, there are many varieties of them.

• Ground lawn. Extraordinarily effective. A flat clearing looks best along long alleys, around flower beds and at the main entrance. It is worth noting that low-growing grass requires proper care. Walking on it is not recommended, and therefore the parterre lawn can act exclusively as an impressive decorative element. Approximate composition: red fescue (30%), modified red fescue (20%), meadow bluegrass (20%);
• Moorish lawn. Elegant and unconventional. It consists of a mixture (more than 10 species) of flowering annuals, the height of which does not exceed 50 cm. The lawn is easy to care for and can be renewed only once a year. One of the main conditions is timely watering. The composition includes meadow timothy, common bluegrass, red fescue, ryegrass;
• Rolled lawn. A profitable solution for impatient summer residents who do not want to work and want to get results right now. Easy to transport, as it is sold rolled up. All that remains is to spread it, compact it, moisten it, and in the evening you can admire the picturesque lawn in front of the house. The lawn is easy to maintain and resistant to force loads;
• Artificial lawn. Durable and interesting. It is not afraid of cold weather and delights with bright colors at any time of the year. It can be laid both in spring and autumn;
• Meadow lawn. Ideal for all types of landscape design and large-scale planting. You can plant any garden flowers on it. Lighting will allow the grass to withstand the winter cold. Approximate composition: meadow bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, meadow timothy, white and red clover, flower mixture.

A good lawn: what is it like?

The grass, regardless of what kind of lawn you decide to create, must meet certain requirements. The defining characteristics are the following:

• immunity to diseases and freezing;
• ability to effectively control weeds;
• good “responsiveness” to mineral fertilizers;
• slow growth after mowing;
• fastest possible rooting;
• powerful branched roots;
• ability to grow on poor soils;
• vegetative propagation;
• maintaining rich color after mowing.

Lawn grasses: classification

If you are seriously thinking about how to decorate your local area, then it won’t hurt to remember some facts from your school botany course. So, herbs are annual, biennial and perennial.

• Annuals(bluegrass, ryegrass). They live only one year. After which the underground and above-ground organs cease to function and the plant dies;
• Two-year-olds(hop-like alfalfa, multi-flowered ryegrass). At the first stage of life, only vegetative organs are formed, while shoots producing seeds, flowers and fruits are formed in the second phase of development
• Perennial. They do not die after the seeds ripen, but form buds that produce new fruit-bearing shoots.

According to the height of shoot growth, lawn grasses are presented in several tiers.

First tier (upper) form light-loving plants. Thick stems reach a height of 100 cm or more. Colorful representatives of this class are creeping wheatgrass, vicoleaf sainfoin, narrow wheatgrass, and awnless brome.

Second tier (lower) represent grasses with thin stems reaching a height of 55-70 cm. After mowing, they bush strongly, forming a dense, squat carpet. This category includes red fescue, meadow bluegrass, bentgrass, horned grass, and white clover.

The middle link (third tier) is given semi-supreme grasses reaching a height of 50-100 cm. Pasture ryegrass, hybrid clover, meadow fescue, yellow alfalfa, meadow timothy and other semi-mountain. They are attractive because they bush well after shearing.

An important characteristic of perennial grasses is their lifespan. The most tenacious are those that develop slowly from the first shoots to full flowering (red fescue, bentgrass, meadow grass). Comb grass, rhizomeless wheatgrass, perennial wheatgrass and multicolored ryegrass develop faster.

An equally important feature is the development of the root system. This criterion divides lawn grasses into:

• Rhizomatous(bluegrass, some types of red fescue, meadow foxtail, white bentgrass). The root shoot is located close to the surface of the earth. Shoots located underground form several nodes at once. The rapid growth of rhizomes contributes to the rapid formation of new stems and the preservation of grass for many years;
• Loose bushes(many types of ryegrass, meadow fescue, rhizomeless wheatgrass, comb grass). The root also lies near the surface of the earth. They form only one tillering node, but the spreading above-ground bush produces many shoots;
• Rhizome-loose bushes(bentgrass, meadow bluegrass, red fescue). They form not only long, but also short roots. This ensures uniform and dense settlement of the soil. These grasses fully meet the requirements for a high-quality lawn;
• Dense bush(white fescue, sheep's and furrowed fescue, red fescue). The tillering unit is located above the ground. Sprouted new shoots grow tightly to the old ones. As these grasses grow, they form hard tussocks, so they are used with caution when sowing lawns;
• Taproot(horned frog, blue alfalfa white and red clover, sainfoin seed). The dominant shoot is located close to the earth's surface. Young shoots develop on the tap root, which becomes stronger and thicker over time, penetrating deeper into the soil. Plants form lush bush, which looks attractive and does not require special care.

If you want to sow ground lawn, then give preference to perennial, grassroots, rhizomatous and rhizomatous-loose-bush cereals. Grassroots, some types of riding, loose bush and rhizomatous grasses are more suitable for arranging sports and play paths.

More detailed information can be found in our article:

Monoculture or seed mixture: which is better?

What types of lawn grass will help create an even and beautiful lawn - this is the question that worries those who dream of a green carpet in front of their house. For a high-quality ground lawn, monoculture crops are most often used. If you bought a mixture, it should include varieties of the same color and texture.

By and large, pure seedings are quite suitable for forming other types of lawns. It is only important to create conditions suitable for a particular grain. However, many landowners trust mixtures for landscaping. This is explained by several reasons. Some are worried about the absence favorable conditions for planting (lots of shade, heavy soil, acidic soil), others doubt whether the chosen monoculture is suitable for the climate of the region. There are often cases when the death of the entire lawn is caused by some weather or soil factor.

Herbal mixtures will help avoid this. The composition can be varied, but usually the “herbal cocktail” includes meadow bluegrass, red and sheep fescue, bentgrass, creeping clover, and perennial ryegrass. They have a low growth rate, are unpretentious, have excellent resistance to weeds and pathogens of various diseases, are winter-hardy and drought-resistant. Let's get to know them better.

Characteristics of cereals

Red fescue (Festuca rubra)

A perennial rhizome-loose bush plant with narrow dark leaves. The first shoots appear a week after sowing. The tillering phase begins after 2-3 weeks. Capable of displacing weeds from the grass stand. One of the main advantages is the preservation of bright greenery even during periods of prolonged drought. Smoke and gas resistant. Fescue grows quickly and in the first year of its life forms a cover of excellent quality. Adapted for growing in the shade.

Sheep fescue (Festuca ovina)

A lawn grass characterized by thin, hard leaves of a green-gray hue. Insensitive to trampling and dry periods. Long term regrowth eliminates the need for frequent mowing. However, the bush structure rarely forms good coverage in the first year. The plant does not fight weeds well - when sowing, special attention should be paid to checking the soil. At low seeding rates, the territory becomes overcrowded. Good in tandem with red fescue.

Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera)

A perennial short-rhizome herb that develops long shoots above the ground. The first shoots can be noticed already on the 5th day after sowing, active growth begins on the 8th day. The foliage color is light green. It is characterized by high tillering intensity and forms a dense lawn in the first phase of life. Requires plenty of moisture. Tolerates shade well. The disadvantages include the inability to grow on heavy soils - the shoots take root and form furrows, which quickly turn yellow and are easily damaged when trimmed.

White bentgrass (Agrostis alba)

Perennial loose bush plant. A powerful root system densely fills the soil. The stems reach a length of 110 cm. The leaves are gray-green, with a rough surface, flat. Loves moisture, grows quickly on sandy and loamy soils. It is frost-resistant, but does not tolerate drought well. Tolerant of trampling and low mowing. In the first year of life it is not suppressed by weeds and actively develops. From the second or third year it grows even more. Remains in grass for up to 10 years.

Meadow bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

Perennial rhizomatous loose bush plant with bright leaves. The germination stage is slightly delayed - the first shoots appear 2 weeks after sowing. Tillering occurs within a month. Does not tolerate dry weather well. This manifests itself in the yellowing of some of the shoots. The grass forms a smooth, elastic and strong coating of intense color. Grows well in saline and acidic soils.

Perennial ryegrass (Loliun perenne)

Perennial loose bush lawn grass. Attracts with the dark green color and shine of the leaves. The first shoots appear on the 5th day, large-scale greening - on the 7th. The most intensive development occurs in the first year of life. Easily fights weeds. A dense, aesthetically pleasing surface requires frequent bevels. It is not suitable for arranging a perennial lawn, but is optimal for temporary parterres.

Creeping clover (Trifolium repens)

Densely bushy grass plant with multiple leaves. Drought-resistant, in the spring it begins to grow earlier than its fellows. The length of the stems is 45-50 cm. Clover is durable, tolerates low mowing and trampling, and is undemanding to the soil. In arid areas it is considered a valuable component in mixtures for meadow and turf.

Which seeds to choose?

As you can see, the types of lawn grass are varied, so when choosing, doubts quite naturally arise - what to prefer? First of all, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the terrain. For example, giant bentgrass takes root well in damp areas, sandy wheatgrass in coastal areas, sheep's fescue in poor soils, and woodland bluegrass in the shade.

Before you go to the store, think about what you want to get in the end?

• A bright, thick carpet for lawns and sports training can be created using mixtures that include thin bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and red fescue;
• The “assortment” for heavily shaded areas should include bluegrass and bentgrass;
• Meadow bluegrass and fescue will help in arranging a playground and sports area (lawn height no more than 4 cm);
• Red fescue seeds are good for creating decorative clearings with grass heights of up to 3 cm;
• To sow walking paths, you can use a mixture of timothy grass, awnless brome, tall fescue, and meadow grass;
• To restore a slightly bald lawn, ryegrass is good, forming an excellent turf;

Carefully read the information on the label, which should indicate the composition of the mixture, seeding rate, date of manufacture, and address of the manufacturer. The quality of the product must be confirmed by both an international certificate of conformity and a certificate from the country of origin.

Look for data on the adaptation of the grass mixture to your climate - otherwise disappointment will not be avoided.

Seeds must correspond to the purpose and type of lawn; the level of groundwater, degree of illumination and soil quality in your suburban area.

How many seeds will be needed?

To determine the required number of seeds, you should know the seeding rate ( minimal amount seeding materials capable of ensuring grassing (overgrowing) of the territory). This indicator depends on a number of factors: weather, soil, target (type of lawn), as well as on the biological characteristics of the cereal.

In order not to confuse summer residents with additional calculations, scientists have derived an approximate seeding rate for all herbs - 5 kg per hundred square meters or 50 grams. per m2. This is subject to the use of a seeder. When sowing manually, the amount of raw materials is increased by 10%.

Now you know not only what types of lawn grass exist and which one to prefer in a given situation, but also how many seeds are needed for sowing. And finally, some more expert advice:

• The best time for sowing is April-May;
• Preliminary soil preparation involves chemical and mechanical treatment;
• Poa grove, which grows well in the shade, will save you from the pale color of the lawn. If drainage is not organized on wet soils, then choose mixtures with marsh bluegrass, which forms a powerful root system and does not require frequent sowing;
• Dog bentgrass will be a real boon for those who want to create a velvety lawn. It will look simply stunning, but the lifespan of such “fabric” is no more than 5 years;
• Meadow fescue is a champion in growth, so if you don’t want to wait a long time for the first shoots, be sure to include this plant in the mixture;
• Annual bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and turfgrass are not entirely suitable for the Russian climate;
• To improve the quality of the soil, add peat and river sand. Humus, rotted compost, and vermicompost are good for fertilizer;
• It is necessary to sow in the direction from sown areas to unsown areas. Then carefully “comb” the soil with a rake and sprinkle the seeds with soil;
• In the first few days, water the seeds intensively, otherwise they will dry out;
• To prevent the young lawn from dying in the first winter, mulch it with vermicompost after the last mowing.

Valuable information has been received, which means you can safely go in search of seeds for your own beautiful lawn. A little patience and very soon you will be able to admire the spectacular decoration of the landscape - a lush carpet, “woven” with your own hands.

Imagine with what pleasure you can wake up early in the morning, go outside, walk on the grass that is still soaked in dew. Or, how pleasant it is in the summer, at the height of the heat, to lie down on the soft grass under the shade of trees. And just look at the beautifully trimmed lawn, which is located next to your house. This pleasure is called a lawn. However, if you think that it is easy to sow, then you are deeply mistaken.

The lawn, in fact, is a complex infrastructure. Therefore, before planting grass for the lawn, it is necessary to properly prepare for this procedure. This means the following steps:

• arrangement of drainage,
• ground development,
• surface leveling,
• installation of irrigation systems.

Lawn grass is very different from regular weed. This is primarily due to the thick cover, which strongly retains moisture. The grass needs a little water to feed, the rest goes into the ground. If drainage is not done, the roots will begin to rot, and bald spots in the lawn will appear on the surface.

To avoid this, you need to make at least a basic drainage system. The easiest way is to pour crushed stone over the area of ​​the planned lawn. Coating thickness is at least 2 cm. For expensive decorative lawns(not intended for walking), drainage should be much better and consist of 3 layers:

• sandy,
• stone,
• clay.

Sand easily allows water to pass through, but gets wet on its own. The moisture from it nourishes the soil until the next watering and allows you to maintain a uniform microclimate of the root system. A layer of crushed stone under the sand quickly eliminates excess water, and clay soil evenly redirects water into the soil, avoiding shrinkage.

After installation drainage system it is necessary to cover it with high-quality black soil. It is mined either at the bottom of lakes or from the surface of the earth. Lake black soil is cheaper, but has a significant drawback - the seeds of watery plants. They will begin to sprout within a couple of weeks, and to completely get rid of weeds it will take at least one year (or more, depending on the size of the area).

The rarer surface black soil allows seeds to be planted immediately. At the same time, it is important to provide them with recharge and to fertilize the soil well. The best fertilizer is manure, but chemical analogues are also suitable. The only caution concerns nitrates, since, although they accelerate the growth of grass, they make it poisonous.

The surface under the lawn must be perfectly flat; it may have a slope, but always remains flat. This is necessary so that after trimming the grass has the same height without bumps or differences. Otherwise, the lawn will look like a forest clearing.

Irrigation systems are:

• manual,
• automatic.

By hand we mean watering with a regular hose with a spray nozzle. It is advisable to install automatic ones immediately so as not to trample the soil and hide the water supply underground.

Only if these points are observed will the lawn sprout and begin to please you. Now let’s look at what types of “cultivated” herbs exist.

Varieties of herbs and their main advantages

Despite the fact that garden stores offer a huge selection of different grasses and distribute them into various categories, for example, “shade”, “cottage”, etc., in practice, only some grass seeds for lawns take root in our climate. These include:

• red fescue,
• thin bentgrass,
• meadow bluegrass,
• angustifolia bluegrass,
• bluegrass flattened,
• common bluegrass,
• dog bentgrass,
• shoot-forming bentgrass,
• white bentgrass.

The first three varieties are universal and suitable for any climate, the rest are only for the western and central parts of Russia. In northern latitudes, the most durable is the meadow bluegrass. Let's start with it.

Meadow bluegrass, like other lawn grasses, belongs to the grass family. In nature, it is found in temperate climates and is perfectly adapted to it. The main advantage is early germination and high vitality (grows on any soil).

The root system consists of branched thin shoots that intertwine with the roots of other plants, forming a very high-quality turf. Such a lawn cannot be trampled or damaged. A damaged area measuring 10x10 cm will be restored within two weeks.

Externally, the plant has narrow stems with a length of 30 to 90 cm. The color is rich green. Meadow bluegrass has one of the shortest flowering cycles in nature. Therefore, you need to trim your lawn at least once a week. Otherwise, thick and ugly stems with seeds will begin to appear. Simply cutting off the stem is not enough, as the grass around it will become hard and turn into a tussock. It must be removed and the area sown with new seeds (or the grass should be allowed to recover on its own).

In order to ensure high-quality seedlings, it is recommended to sow at least 10 grams. seeds per 1 sq. m. There is no need to pickle them (like any other grass seeds); in water they will rot instead of opening (but it is better to wrap them in a wet rag overnight before sowing).

Thin bentgrass is one of the most widespread in the world. meadow grass. It takes root on absolutely any soil and is completely easy to care for. The leaves of the plant are an elongated cone with a width at the base of about 8 mm. The grass reaches a height of 20 to 70 cm.

The creeping root system creates a fairly loose turf. Unlike the previous plant, bentgrass is not able to regenerate on its own, so if bald spots appear, it is necessary to plant new seeds. For a thick, beautiful lawn, it is recommended to sow at least 10 g per 1 square meter. m. The lawn needs to be mowed at least once every two weeks.

Red fescue is a classic meadow grass that has an extremely weak root system. However, the plant forms a very durable turf, suitable for creating grass carpets. They are not trampled and have increased regeneration.

The sheet width is from 10 to 30 mm, while it has a very soft, pleasant to the touch, velvety structure. Like most meadow grasses, red fescue is not very tall, from 25 to 50 cm. The disadvantage of the plant is that it grows very quickly. You will have to mow the lawn 2 times a week, otherwise bumps will begin to form.

If this does happen, then you need to let the grass rise 10 cm, and then cut it at this level. There is no need to dig up hummocks, since fescue has a genetic memory and compaction will appear in this place again (even if new seeds are sown).

The plant does not like moisture; it needs to be watered no more than once a week. In addition, the lawn should be located in the sunny part of the site. Even a slight shade will lead to slower growth or complete death of the plant.

Lawn mixtures

It is not always enough to buy one type of grass for your lawn. This is primarily due to the aesthetic factor. IN pure form meadow plants, although they look quite beautiful, are still much inferior decorative varieties. To solve this problem, special mixtures are used.

They are sold both ready-made and created experimentally. Ready options, as a rule, are divided into special groups adapted to specific operating conditions. Unfortunately, the quality of such mixtures does not always meet expectations. Therefore, it is better to make your own product.

It’s not difficult to do this, just know the basics:

• the mixture must consist of at least 5 herbs,
• the main crop (at least 30%) should be red fescue/fine bentgrass/meadow bluegrass,
• 25% of herbs should be root-forming,
• 5-35% of herbs are shade tolerant (depending on conditions),
• the rest are ornamental plants.

The best grass for a lawn, according to many experts, is red fescue, as it has the most beautiful leaves. It is usually used as the basis of any mixtures.

Root-forming grasses include all types of bluegrass. Unlike fescue, they take root on any soil and, intertwined with the root system of the main crop, feed it.

Poa grove is resistant to shade, but we should not forget that any grass needs at least 4 hours a day in the sun, otherwise it will begin to deteriorate.

Ornamental grasses mean selected varieties of lawns that have excellent appearance, but are very demanding in care.

Perennial ryegrass and other imported varieties of grasses are almost completely unsuitable for the Russian climate, so it is better not to add them to mixtures. In addition, there are other plants that you should be wary of:

• annual bluegrass,
• sheep fescue,
• welsh fescue,
• cocksfoot,
• timothy grass,
• creeping wheatgrass,
• a boneless fire,
• pig's finger.

All these plants are weeds. Their seeds are sold everywhere and are included in mixtures from unscrupulous manufacturers. Despite the fact that in nature they look beautiful and demonstrate high survivability, at home they will not live up to expectations at all.

If you still do not want to experiment and prefer to buy a ready-made mixture, then it is better to choose from trusted manufacturers.

Ready-made lawn mixtures

Among the companies selling ready-made mixtures The most popular are:

• Green Meadow
• "Liliput"
• "Green Square"
• Powerseed
• Terragrün.

Green Meadow is an American brand that is known not only in the USA, but throughout Europe. The assortment includes quite a lot of different types of lawns, from purely decorative to play.

The only drawback is that perennial ryegrass is used as the basis for the mixture. This means that the grass is suitable only for residents of the European part of Russia. Ryegrass is extremely cold-resistant. Despite the fact that manufacturers assure that the grass is frost-resistant, it dies at an air temperature of -15 0 C.

“Liliput” (one of the Terragrün brands) and “Green Square” are domestic producers. They offer a variety of mixtures, including ones without ryegrass. If we talk about grass for the lawn, the price of which is more reasonable, then you should pay attention to the products of Green Square.

First, choice various modifications the lawn is better than that of "Liliput", secondly, the cost is slightly lower, the quality is approximately the same. By and large, the issue of saving becomes relevant only when we are talking about a lawn with an area of ​​50 square meters or more. m, for smaller lawns the price difference is not significant.

A separate area of ​​the Green Square is sports lawns. These are mixtures that allow you to create a uniform, low-growing grass cover that is very pleasant to play football or other games on.

Powerseed is another American manufacturer. The lawn has been adapted to the North American climate of the western and central United States. IN climatic conditions In Russia, the lawn will take root only in the European part (with the exception of the northern region).

Among European producers, German breeders from Terragrün should be highlighted. The company offers unique mixtures consisting of natural and cultivated herbs. A distinctive feature is 95% seed germination (one of the highest rates).

The product range is quite wide. There are mixtures that are well suited for all regions of Russia, including:

• Universal,
• Canada green,
• Golf Master.

Despite the name, golf master is not only suitable for practicing this sport. In fact, it is the most sustainable and high-quality turf in the entire Terragrün range. The only drawback is that it dies when the soil freezes to a depth of more than 5 cm (compensated for by a competent drainage system).

The quality of the seeds and the correct composition of the mixture do not guarantee that the lawn will take root. Therefore, when sowing, you should use simple rules:

• let the seeds rest wrapped in a damp cloth for 24 hours,
• Sort through the seeds and discard any that are not soggy,
• dig the soil to a depth of 5-7 cm,
• break the breasts
• level the ground
• sow the seeds
• water (lightly; under no circumstances should the area be flooded with water; the soil should be moist, but not wet).

If you use this procedure, the lawn will grow completely, without bald spots, and will be uniform. It needs to be trimmed, regardless of the type of grass, at least once a week. This will prevent stems from appearing.

The varieties and detailed characteristics of these plants, planting method, and care must be learned before going to the seed store.

An ideal lawn with good dense turf can be obtained by sowing it with one type of grass. To choose the right type of lawn grass for your summer cottage, you need to take into account the characteristics of the soil, the function of the lawn and its location.

The proportions in which lawn grasses and their varieties are mixed are determined by the specific functions and specifics of the future lawn in front of the house on a summer cottage.

A universal lawn is easy to care for, and to create grass uniformity and turf strength, grass varieties such as meadow grass and red fescue are used.

The playing lawn must be stable and durable. Children playing on the lawn should not trample it. A play lawn requires grass varieties that are capable of rapid regeneration. One of the best varieties for this is perennial ryegrass.

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Features of a sports lawn

The sports ground must have excellent properties for the restoration of its vegetation. They will use it to kick the ball and kick the turf, so the regeneration process of the surface should be quite high. It is sown with a mixture of seeds: 2/3 of perennial ryegrass and 1/3 of meadow bluegrass. Such a lawn will require constant watering and fertilizing with complex fertilizers. Then the sports ground will always be green and without bald spots.

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Front view of the site

The ground lawn is the main front lawn, which is the decoration of the site. It should look like a carpet, with a very dense, uniform turf and free of weeds. Such a lawn is the pride of the owners, and therefore the choice of grass variety for it must be taken responsibly. To create a flawless appearance, you need regular haircuts, fertilizing and timely watering. The main lawn of a country house is sown with a mixture of seeds in a certain proportion: red fescue - 75%, perennial ryegrass - 20%, meadow grass - 5%. This mixture of the most popular seeds allows the grass in the ground to be constantly green.

Proportions must be observed, because with the reduction of perennial ryegrass, the main area, covered with greenery, gains grace, but loses the strength of the turf. Then you will have to constantly fight against bald spots.

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Timing of seed planting and characteristics of lawn grasses

A lawn is an ecosystem that lives according to the general laws of nature. After sowing lawn grass seeds, cultivated plants begin to fight weeds for the right to exist on their territory. Plants that develop slowly are suppressed by more active and tall competitors. Cultivated plants always lose to weeds. Therefore, it is very important not to miss planting deadlines and sow lawn grass seeds immediately after the end of frost - from the end of March to April 15. Then they will grow on time, and they will have a better chance of surviving. Lawn grass can be sown from August 15 to September 1, when the summer heat subsides and the air temperature is suitable for seed germination.

In mid-latitudes, a mixture of 3 grasses is used: meadow bluegrass, red fescue and perennial ryegrass. On playgrounds, shoot-bearing and thin bentgrass is often used, which has high regeneration and quickly twitches.

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Meadow bluegrass - traditional choice

Meadow bluegrass is the most frost-resistant and heat-resistant species. Meadow bluegrass is superior to fescue unusual beauty. But this grass is capricious, and if care is not taken care of, the lawn loses its shine and luster. With proper care, it quickly begins to turn green and completely restores its green cover, which will not even turn yellow late autumn. In the first year, the bluegrass is weak and helpless and requires weeding, otherwise the weeds will crush it. In the second year of life, it forms a dense carpet that does not allow a single blade of grass to pass through.

In the spring, after the snow melts, the bluegrass begins to turn green very first, because it retains its appearance even in winter. On open place at proper care Bluegrass lives a very long time. Main enemy this plant - powdery mildew. It is she who does not allow bluegrass to grow in the shade. If the lawn is located in the shade, then another variety of bluegrass, squat or forest, will suit this darkened place.

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Red fescue - an unpretentious beauty

Fescue is an unpretentious grass. Even in the absence of any care, its roots constantly grow and form durable turf. At constant care behind fescue, its grass will be soft and silky. It shimmers beautifully in the sun with different shades of green, pleasing the eye and soothing nervous system. Red fescue has such qualities as shade tolerance and drought resistance.

Poa and fescue live well together in the same lawn. These varieties complement each other well: in drought, fescue reigns on the lawn, and in the cold season, bluegrass is pleasing to the eye. The same lawn can be different depending on the time of year: it changes its appearance (shades of green), but never turns yellow.

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Perennial ryegrass - early maturing lawn

In order to get a lawn in the same season, you should pay attention to perennial or perennial ryegrass. It should be borne in mind that this beautiful lawn grass does not have rhizomes, which should ensure the evenness and density of the carpet. Perennial ryegrass bushes, forms tussocks, and thins out with minimal density. Ryegrass seeds can be found in any lawn mixture: when it is added, the lawn quickly begins to turn green. But its seeds of this variety must be sown annually.

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Bentgrass is the queen of golf courses

You can often find bentgrass seeds in lawn mixtures. It is planted as seedlings, it is easily accepted with frequent watering, and in two months the sports ground will be ready for play. This grass is popular for golf courses. It needs frequent haircuts, requires regular watering and regular feeding. In the first 2 years it has increased growth, and then it jerks violently and eradicates itself. Due to the crowded conditions, the bentgrass is attacked by diseases that cause the grass to die. The bentgrass destroys all the grass near it. A lawn made from such grass requires updating after 3-4 years.

How to calculate the number of seeds? It is recommended to sow 20 g of seeds per 1 m² - this is a matchbox with a top. Using simple math, you can calculate how much seed you need to buy for your lawn.

What lawn grass seeds are used in admixtures and mixtures? There are other types of grasses found in lawn grass mixtures that are not suitable for creating a good lawn.

In an effort to save time and money, many owners personal plots They try to create a lawn from existing vegetation. But no matter how much effort is put in, in such a situation it is not possible to achieve either evenness of the coating, or its softness and durability.

What is the secret of special grass mixtures for lawns, the sowing of which ensures vigorous germination and the formation of a dense green carpet that preserves its beauty for several years without much hassle? Obviously, the answer lies in the selection of plants and the quality of grass seeds for the lawn, as well as proper care of the surface. How to choose plant species, and what properties such herbs should have, read in this article.

Required qualities of grass for a lawn

Cereal plants can withstand the loads experienced by the lawn better than other crops. They are unpretentious, reproduce not only by sowing, but also vegetatively, easily tolerate shearing, and with proper care they quickly grow and create an even grass cover.

But of the entire mass of cereals, not all are suitable for sowing on a green lawn. To be included in a grass mixture for a lawn, a plant must meet a number of requirements:

1. First of all, pay attention to decorative qualities grass, its softness and ability to maintain bright color for a long time.
2. In conditions middle zone The frost resistance of the crop is extremely important.
3. The best grasses for lawns form an extensive root system that provides nutrition and development of plants in any type of soil.
4. Plants to create a lawn should easily tolerate mowing by hand or recover quickly after it.

The composition of specialized mixtures is dominated by perennial grasses for the lawn, which means that a year after sowing, the owner of the site will not have to renew the covering.

The best species form a dense turf in one season, and the renewal of the cover occurs due to the formation of new shoots from existing plants.

This type of lawn takes care of itself. The roots of the grasses are so intertwined that they do not allow penetration weed species, and new ones quickly appear in place of dead sockets. In addition, a well-chosen lawn is pleasant and safe to walk on; it can easily withstand adverse weather conditions and intensive use.

When choosing grass seeds for your lawn, be sure to consider:

• purpose of the created coverage;
• climatic features of lawn use;
• local natural factors, such as lighting conditions, soil type, location of groundwater and even planting area.

Today, grass mixtures for lawns include about two dozen species of plants. But not all of them can withstand Russian operating conditions.

Types of perennial grasses for the lawn

The most commonly chosen seed crops are varieties of bluegrass, bentgrass and fescue. In the mixtures of major manufacturers you can see ryegrass, hybrid grasses specially created for use on lawns, as well as other grasses that provide special qualities to the green surface.

How can you choose from the existing variety of lawn grass for your dacha that would decorate the area for many years?

Among lawn grasses, meadow bluegrass is the most popular. This is a perennial herbaceous plant, the height of which does not exceed 20 cm, and 80 cm during the flowering period. In Russia, the crop is easy to find not only on the lawn, but also growing wild, and the grass:

• prefers soil rich in humus;
• forms a powerful root system;
• not afraid of intensive walking on green cover;
• starts growing season early;
• easily withstands heat;
• recovers quickly after mowing.

This perennial lawn grass also has its drawback. The bluegrass-based coating shows its full strength only a year after sowing.

If bluegrass is listed among the grass seeds for the lawn, this means that the green cover will not suffer from the summer heat, will withstand shading and will not lose its decorative appearance after a long period of rain.

Like bluegrass, various types of fescue are unpretentious cereal plants found throughout natural conditions. Frost-resistant and drought-resistant red fescue is often used as lawn grass. The plant does not differ in growth rate, but feels great even on soils poor in nutrition.

At the dacha, the grass for the lawn may well be such an affordable and extremely easy-to-maintain meadow timothy. The grass, characteristic of many regions of the northern hemisphere, reaches a height of 30–80 cm, quickly forms elastic rosettes that are pleasant to the touch, inexpensive and very attractive.

Bentgrass is famous for the density of the cover formed and its ability to tolerate low mowing. The grass has a beautiful color, easily coexists with other types of grasses and is stable in a wide range of weather conditions.

Before sowing grass for your lawn, you should carefully consider its properties. In mixtures of foreign producers there are often crops that are not able to provide the effect that they show in their homeland.

An example is perennial ryegrass, which sometimes cannot withstand Russian winters and dies at temperatures below –15 °C and insufficient snow cover. As a result, already in the second season, the lush cover after sowing noticeably thins out.

Do not confuse meadow bluegrass with its annual relative. Fast-growing lawn grass reproduces only by seeds. In the first year, such a lawn will actively turn green, but with regular mowing it will not produce offspring and will lose its beauty after wintering. And such common grasses as sheep fescue, turfgrass and grass grass change some time after sowing, forming noticeable hummocks on a flat lawn.

Sowing a single crop or a grass mixture for the lawn?

Since all plants except positive qualities, there is also weak sides, then to create a high-quality green covering of an area, grass mixtures for lawns are more often used, which, depending on the purpose and sowing conditions, can be divided into:

• to quickly ascending ones, that is, allowing you to obtain a new cover or restore a lost one in a minimum time;
• shade-tolerant, able to tolerate cultivation in the shade without loss of decorativeness and density of cover;
• to drought-resistant, remaining attractive and fresh in bright conditions sunlight and lack of adequate moisture.

In universal lawn seed mixtures, the creators try to combine all of the listed qualities and give the gardener the opportunity to get a decent result in any conditions.

Therefore, to maintain the external attractiveness and evenness of the cover, it is necessary, although not often, to be mowed. Only such types of lawn as meadow and Moorish lawns, where cereals, perennial and annual flowering crops are found in free growth, are not mowed.

For plants to show themselves with the best side, lawn seeds must have high germination rate, and sowing is carried out evenly and in compliance with accepted agricultural practices. Proper selection of the mixture allows you to emphasize the advantages of individual plants and neutralize their shortcomings, so that the resulting lawn will be more even and beautiful in any weather, on any soil and with minimal care.