![\"Cool](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.jpg\")
If you live in the middle region of the U.S., you likely live in what lawn care experts call the transition zone. In the transition zone, both warm-season and cool-season grass types can grow, but they might suffer during their dormant season. This guide will teach you how to plant and grow transition zone grasses […]
\n","content":"\nIf you live in the middle region of the U.S., you likely live in what lawn care experts call the transition zone. In the transition zone, both warm-season and cool-season grass types can grow, but they might suffer during their dormant season. This guide will teach you how to plant and grow transition zone grasses for a healthy lawn year-round.
\n\n\n\nIn this guide:
\n\n\n\nTransition zone grasses are those that grow well in the areas of the U.S. sandwiched between northern, cool-season grass states and southern, warm-season grass states. Transition zone grasses are a combination of both warm- and cool-season grasses.
\n\n\n\nTransition zone grasses include Bermudagrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and Zoysiagrass. Some of these are warm-season grasses, which grow best in hot temperatures and typically thrive in the southern U.S. Others are cool-season grasses, which grow best in cooler temperatures and typically thrive in the northern U.S.
\n\n\n\nSince neither type of grass is well-adapted to the transition zone, they can develop issues at different times of the year. For instance, in an area that is too warm, cool-season grasses might struggle in the heat and drought of summer. On the other hand, warm-season grasses will struggle through harsh winters and especially cold fall seasons.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe transition zone includes approximately the middle third of the U.S. The northern third of the country falls into the cool-season grass growing zone, and the southern third falls into the warm-season grass growing zone. See the map below to find out if you’re in the transition zone.
\n\n\nIllustration by Juan Rodriguez
\n\n\n\nHere are some states included in the transition zone:
\n\n\n\nNote that for some of these states, only the far northern or far southern region falls in the transition zone. It’s important to find your exact location on the map above to help you get an accurate picture of what grass types you can grow on your lawn.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe best lawns in the transition zone are usually made up of a combination of cool-season and warm-season grass types, which thrive at different times of the year. Warm-season grass will keep your lawn green and dense during summer, and cool-season grass will help your lawn stay green later into the fall when temperatures start to drop.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCool-season grasses can be found growing in northern regions of the U.S. where there are cold winters and temperatures usually average 60 to 75 degrees. These grasses endure very cold temperatures, and they stay green longer into the fall and green up sooner in spring than warm-season grasses. They grow most actively in spring and fall.
\n\n\n\nBecause cool-season grasses prefer cooler temperatures, they can struggle to stay green in summer and may go dormant.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"Backyard](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/kentucky-bluegrass-yard.jpeg\")
Photo Credit: Brenda Ryan / Wikilawn
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis dark green, canoe-shaped cool-season grass is ideal for lawns in the transition zone, particularly those with lots of sun exposure. Kentucky bluegrass is a dense turfgrass often used on golf courses and other recreational areas. In regions where temperatures regularly get above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, this grass will go dormant in summer until temperatures cool.
\n\n\n\n![\"closeup](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Perennial-Ryegrass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Dr Mary Gillham Archive Project / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nThis cool-season grass is ideal for homeowners who expect high levels of traffic in their yards. This grass is often combined with Kentucky bluegrass as a mixture. Unfortunately, perennial ryegrass is very high-maintenance and will require lots of mowing. When temperatures reach the high 70s in summer, this grass will go dormant.
\n\n\n\n![\"Close](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Tall-Fescue-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Aaron Patton / Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program
\n\n\n\nAs with Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, tall fescue is a high maintenance grass option, primarily because it grows so fast. On a positive note, this sun-loving grass handles foot traffic well. It also isn’t very susceptible to disease. When temperatures reach the mid to high 80s, this grass will go dormant until temperatures cool. It is one of the most heat-tolerant cool-season grasses.
\n\n\n\nWarm-season grasses typically grow in the southern U.S. where there are hot summers, and they thrive in temperatures ranging from 75 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. They can withstand hot temperatures and endure drought conditions much better than cool-season grasses, but they will enter winter dormancy earlier in the year.
\n\n\n\nFind the best warm-season grasses to grow in the transition zone below.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"Bermudagrass\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Bermudagrass-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: John Robert McPherson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis sun-loving grass is able to withstand a lot of foot traffic. Unfortunately, it is very vulnerable to diseases and requires a lot of maintenance. As a warm-season grass, Bermudagrass can experience plenty of extremely hot temperatures and still grow and thrive. It can even tolerate drought well. However, this grass will fall into dormancy when temperatures remain consistently at about 50 degrees.
\n\n\n\n![\"lush](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/zoysiagrass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Russbach at the English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nZoysiagrass is a dense, deeply rich green turfgrass that has a high tolerance for foot traffic. It is also a low-maintenance grass that can keep weeds at bay. One weak spot for this grass is that it is susceptible to various types of lawn diseases. On a positive note, because Zoysiagrass is a warm-season grass, it can withstand high temperatures and drought conditions. It tends to go dormant in temperatures below 55 degrees.
\n\n\n\nCaring for transition zone grasses isn’t much different than caring for cool-season grasses in cooler regions or warm-season grasses in warm regions. The same strategies for irrigation, weed control, pest and disease treatment, fertilization, and mowing should be employed depending on what type of grass is in your yard. Here are some basic lawn care tips to keep in mind when caring for both cool and warm-season grasses.
\n\n\n\nCaring for grass in the transition zone can be tricky because you may have a cool-season or warm-season grass in your yard, and the best time to perform lawn maintenance tasks varies for each.
\n\n\n\nSo, before starting with a maintenance routine, it’s important to know what type of grass is in your yard. Once you know you have warm-season or cool-season grass, you can proceed with seasonal maintenance.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn spring, both cool-season and warm-season grasses will start to green up after winter dormancy. Once your grass greens up and starts growing again, it’s time to start mowing and fertilizing regularly.
\n\n\n\nCool-season grasses typically start to green up in early spring, while warm-season grasses wait until late spring when the soil warms up a bit. Because it is the beginning of the growing season, late spring is the best time to plant new warm-season grass seeds. It is also the best time to aerate and dethatch warm-season lawns.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring summer, irrigation will be critical for your transition zone grass, particularly cool-season grasses, which struggle in heat and drought conditions. Water your lawn with about 1 to 1.5 inches of water each week, skipping weeks with rainfall. For cool-season grasses, you may need to increase the frequency of your watering sessions.
\n\n\n\nHowever, if your cool-season grass goes dormant in summer, excess water will not help it but will encourage weeds, pests, and lawn diseases. Dormant cool-season grasses may turn brown, but that doesn’t mean they’re dead. Avoid fertilizing them, as fertilizers do nothing for dormant grass.
\n\n\n\nOn the other hand, summer is warm-season grass’s time to shine! This is when these grasses grow most actively, so you will need to mow your lawn at least once per week and maybe more during summer.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOnce autumn sets in, warm-season grasses will begin to slow their growth, while cool-season grass growth will start to pick up the pace. Fall is the best time to aerate, dethatch, and seed cool-season grasses. You can also fertilize them once in early fall and again in late fall with a specialized fall lawn fertilizer.
\n\n\n\nYou should not aerate, dethatch, or plant warm-season grasses in fall, as they are preparing to enter dormancy and need to rest. You can fertilize them in early fall, but be sure to use a low-nitrogen fertilizer designed to help grass through the winter. As the temperatures cool, you can also lower the amount you water your lawn.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring winter in the transition zone, most grass types will go dormant, whether they are warm-season or cool-season types. Don’t mow or fertilize the lawn during winter dormancy, and do your best to avoid walking or driving on the lawn during this time. The best thing you can do for your grass during this time is leave it alone.
\n\n\n\nInstead of working on your grass, take this time to winterize your lawn equipment, including lawn mowers, weed eaters, and sprinkler systems.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPay attention to how much sun your yard gets, and choose a grass type that thrives in the right level of sun exposure. For example, if your yard is full of huge shade trees, a sun-loving grass like Bermuda probably won’t grow very well for you.
\n\n\n\nAnother thing to think about is the maintenance level you’re comfortable with. How much work are you willing to put into your lawn? If the answer is “not much,” you should choose a low-maintenance grass that will still look great even if you don’t do much to help it.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA quick way to determine which hardiness zone you reside in so that you can discover the best plans and grasses to grow is by typing your zip code into the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYes. Grasses in this region may experience dormancy more than in northern or southern regions because the summers are typically hot, which leads to cool-season grass dormancy, and the fall seasons are typically chilly, which leads to warm-season grass dormancy.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNot everyone was born with a green thumb. And even if you have a knack for planting and growing grass successfully, this doesn’t mean you have the time to do it properly – especially if you live in the transition zone, where lawn care is fraught with challenges. For help maintaining your transition zone lawn so it always looks its best, contact a local lawn care pro to schedule regular maintenance on your lawn.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: lilkar / Canva Pro / License
\n","title":"Guide to Transition Zone Grasses","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5,"src":"/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/1789c/Four-season-tree.jpg","srcSet":"/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/107df/Four-season-tree.jpg 320w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/293e9/Four-season-tree.jpg 500w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/f2cbb/Four-season-tree.jpg 800w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/1789c/Four-season-tree.jpg 960w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/c26c2/Four-season-tree.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/1dd6e/Four-season-tree.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/67b76/Four-season-tree.webp 320w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/8df11/Four-season-tree.webp 500w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/98a65/Four-season-tree.webp 800w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/1dd6e/Four-season-tree.webp 960w,\n/static/df88167f74fe7233a2ec4019224ddf38/3cc96/Four-season-tree.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Guide to Transition Zone Grasses | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"The best grass for the transition zone is usually a combination of warm-season and cool-season grass. Learn more in this guide to transition zone grasses."}},"relatedPosts":[{"node":{"id":"c27b03e6-fdd2-5ff3-abe2-fe3d9cdf3f61","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-weeds-in-grass","path":"/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-weeds-in-grass/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"LaShonda Tucker is a freelance writer, poet, and spoken word artist in Atlanta. She earned her masters from the University of Georgia and enjoys playing her violin.","name":"LaShonda Tucker","id":"f7fdb6d3-a89a-5295-963a-aac47afa7cee","path":"/author/lashonda-tucker/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ce61747b62dbfb82f56a8611f2835988?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"}],"date":"August 7th, 2023","excerpt":"Different people have different expectations and goals when it comes to lawn care products to get rid of weeds. Some prioritize getting the task done over any risks chemicals in products may cause. Others place safety over the convenience conventional lawn care products may provide. That is why we present how to get rid of […]
\n","content":"\nDifferent people have different expectations and goals when it comes to lawn care products to get rid of weeds. Some prioritize getting the task done over any risks chemicals in products may cause. Others place safety over the convenience conventional lawn care products may provide. That is why we present how to get rid of weeds in grass using traditional, synthetic herbicides and safer methods like homemade recipes and manual tips.
\n\n\n\nWith so many ways to get rid of weeds, you do not have to let them confiscate your property.
\n\n\n\nThis article will also cover weed prevention. Keep reading to discover all the options you have for weed control on your lawn.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/5e95d48d-7801-4974-9206-35bbdb36b571.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PxFuel
\n\n\n\nWeeds are unwanted plants growing in lawns, gardens, and fields. They compete with wanted vegetation for nutrients. Like any other plant, they can be categorized by their life cycles and type. Weeds can be annuals, biennials, or perennials. These unwanted plants fall into three types: broadleaf, grassy, and grass-like.
\n\n\n\nBefore you can get rid of weeds, you have to identify what type they are so you can choose an effective control method. Not all herbicides or manual removal methods work for all weeds.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLearn a weed’s life cycle to figure out the best time to apply pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides to control that weed.
\n\n\n\nAnnual weeds live for less than a year and spread by seed. Summer annuals sprout in the spring. They grow in the summer and fall and die in the winter. Crabgrass and goosegrass are some examples. Winter annuals sprout in late summer and early fall. They die when it gets hotter out, in late spring or early summer. Some examples of winter annual weeds are chickweed and henbit.
\n\n\n\nBiennial weeds have a two-year life cycle and germinate by seed. They are not as common in lawns as annual and perennial weeds. Common burdock and wild carrot are two examples.
\n\n\n\nPerennial weeds are also spread by seed and by stolons, bulbs, and rhizomes. These weeds are harder to control than annual weeds because they keep coming back, year after year, unless you remove their entire system of growth, including roots, stolons, and rhizomes. Plantain, thistle, and dandelions are some examples.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome chemical treatments are only effective for certain types of weeds or specific weeds within a category. So, you must be able to identify the weeds growing in your grass before you can choose a suitable herbicide.
\n\n\n\nBroadleaf weeds have broad and flat leaves that are not grass-like. Examples are perennials like thistle, plantain, chickweed, dandelions, and henbit.
\n\n\n\nGrassy weeds have blades that look like grass. Crabgrass, quackgrass, annual bluegrass, and foxtail are some common grassy weeds.
\n\n\n\nGrass-like weeds resemble grass but do not look as much like it as grassy weeds. The blades are triangular or tubular and shiny. Some examples are nutsedge, wild garlic, and wild onion.
\n\n\n\nOnce you have identified the type of weed in your yard, you can select the best organic herbicide, homemade weed killer recipe, synthetic herbicide, or manual removal method to control that specific weed.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOrganic herbicides have ingredients that are safer than the toxic chemicals found in traditional synthetic herbicides. However, you typically will not find these organic herbicides in most kitchens, like you would the options listed in the homemade weed killer section.
\n\n\n\nOrganic weed control products with the following active ingredients can be purchased from stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other home and garden suppliers.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/4a16ada4-5ea8-4f9b-8641-f6c78f02e677.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Olga Kriger / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nCorn gluten meal acts as a weed and feed product. It kills weed seeds like a pre-emergent herbicide and contains nitrogen to feed the grass.
\n\n\n\nHow to Use It: Corn gluten meal is only effective at preventing weeds and fertilizing grass when the soil is wet, so give the lawn a light spray of water after using this product unless rain is forecasted later in the day to do it for you.
\n\n\n\nApply it before weed seeds germinate – in early spring for summer annuals and early fall for winter annuals – because corn gluten meal does nothing to kill weeds that have already sprouted. The nitrogen it contains can actually promote the growth of existing weeds.
\n\n\n\nMonthly reapplication may be required for lasting control. Corn gluten meal can kill the seeds of weeds like dandelions, crabgrass, henbit, and more.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVinegar is most effective at killing weeds when the vinegar is 20% acetic acid. The vinegar in your kitchen is only around 5% acetic acid, so you will need a special product called herbicidal vinegar to kill weeds. Herbicidal vinegar is a popular active ingredient in organic post-emergent herbicides. It can kill larger weeds and perennials, but multiple treatments are required.
\n\n\n\nThe acetic acid removes moisture from the plant’s foliage, breaking it down and killing the leaves. A natural surfactant, like yucca extract, is usually included in herbicides to help the vinegar solution stick to the weeds’ leaves.
\n\n\n\nHow to Use It: Herbicidal vinegar is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it kills all plants it comes into contact with, including grass. Never apply vinegar all over your lawn unless you’re trying to kill the existing grass so you can start a new lawn from scratch. Instead, spot-treat unwanted plants by placing the solution in a spray bottle and spraying weeds directly. Many commercial herbicides with vinegar come in a ready-to-spray bottle.
\n\n\n\nWarning: Herbicidal vinegar can burn the skin and cause severe eye injuries, such as blindness. Wear protective glasses and long sleeves when applying this product.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can also use ingredients already in your kitchen to make a homemade weed killer for your lawn. These DIY concoctions are safer for pets and humans than the chemicals in synthetic herbicides and much more affordable than organic herbicides you can buy at the store, but they may be less effective than either and may take multiple applications to produce results.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"apple](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/apple-cider-vinegar-next-to-apples-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: tylim / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nVinegar solutions are a commonly used DIY weed control method. The following are mixtures you can make using regular kitchen vinegar.
\n\n\n\nWhite Vinegar Solution:
\n\n\n\n— 1 gallon of white vinegar
— 1 tablespoon of dish soap
— 1 cup of salt
Apple Cider Vinegar Solution:
\n\n\n\n— ½ gallon of apple cider vinegar
— ¼ cup of salt
— 1 teaspoon of dish soap
How to Apply: Mix the ingredients thoroughly and place the solution in a handheld spray bottle. Spray directly to weeds on a sunny day. The sun helps the acetic acid in the vinegar work.
\n\n\n\nThis non-selective DIY weed control will kill most broadleaf weeds and other plants, too, so be careful not to spray it directly on your grass. Solutions with 5% acetic acid may not kill dandelions and other plants with taproots. Use herbicidal vinegar for these types of stubborn weeds.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"table](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/table-salt-spilled-out-on-a-table.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Sebalos / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nSalt can change the pH level of the soil, make it sterile, and hurt plants, including weeds. The downside is that salt will also hurt grass and other landscape plants, so apply it only on the soil around weeds.
\n\n\n\nHow to Apply: You can start with a 3-to-1 water-to-salt ratio and increase the amount of salt daily until it kills the weeds. Learn more in our in-depth article about using salt to kill weeds.
\n\n\n\nIf preserving soil health is not a concern, apply a mixture with a 1:2 or 1:3 water-to-salt ratio. Add a small amount of liquid dish soap or white vinegar to make the weed killer stronger.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"rock](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/rock-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: BWFolsom / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nIf you live in a location with icy winters, you may have some rock salt on hand. This is the salt that eats away the ice. You can sprinkle some directly on the weeds or make a solution.
\n\n\n\nRock Salt Solution:
\n\n\n\n— 1 cup of rock salt
— 1 gallon of hot water
How to Apply: Mix until the salt is dissolved. Pour into a spray bottle. Spray weeds directly. Respray the weeds after five days. Reapply the spray after waiting another five days. Avoid saturating the roots, as this can damage the soil and nearby plants. To protect your grass and ornamentals, water nearby vegetation after applying the salt solution to dilute it.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBoil some water and pour it onto the weeds. This option, like all DIY weed killers, will damage your grass and other surrounding plants if it makes contact.
\n\n\n\nHow to Apply: It is best to place the hot water in a vessel with a spout, like a teapot. Allow it to soak into the plant roots. However, it may not kill the roots, which can result in weed regrowth.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRubbing alcohol kills weeds by draining moisture from the leaves. It will also drain moisture from grass blades and the foliage of other plants, so be sure to spray it directly onto the weeds, and do your best to avoid overspray.
\n\n\n\nRubbing Alcohol Solution:
\n\n\n\n— 2 tablespoons of alcohol
— 1 quart of water
How to Apply: Mix the solution in a spray bottle. Spray weeds individually, covering the leaves as much as possible with the solution.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Lawn-Treatment-with-Herbicides.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Bouillante / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nSynthetic herbicides come as pre-emergent, post-emergent, or as weed and feed products. These herbicides come with precautions as well as do’s and don’ts to be effective and not cause damage. Here are some examples:
\n\n\n\n— Be sure to use these at the right time of year and in the right temperature range. Pre-emergents and post-emergents work at different times, and if applied at the wrong time, they won’t do much at all.
— Synthetic herbicides can injure grass if applied during the wrong stage of your lawn’s growth. For example, pre-emergent products typically should only be applied to turfgrass that has been established for at least 12 months.
— Certain types of herbicides can only be used on certain grass types. Read product labels to find out which grass types it’s safe to use each product on.
— Not all chemicals kill all weeds. Some chemicals only work on broadleaf weeds, while others only work on grassy weeds. Some are even formulated to kill specific weed types. Read the product label carefully before purchasing a herbicide to make sure what you’re getting will actually work for the weeds on your lawn.
— Applying pre-emergents too soon after overseeding the lawn can prevent the new grass seeds from germinating.
Pre-emergent products must be applied before weed seeds start germinating. These herbicides kill weed seeds, but they do not kill grown weeds. Pre-emergent herbicides are for preventing future weeds, not getting rid of existing ones.
\n\n\n\nWhen to Apply: Administer in the spring for summer annual weeds, like crabgrass and goosegrass. Apply when the soil temperature is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit or above for about 2 days or more.
\n\n\n\nFor winter annual weeds, like annual bluegrass and chickweed, apply in the early fall. The best time is when the soil temperature is approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 3 days.
\n\n\n\nA note on soil temperature: Applying pre-emergents at the right soil temperature is imperative to their success, so use a soil thermometer to get an accurate reading. A soil thermometer costs about $10 or less at a local gardening store or online.
\n\n\n\nSelective vs Non-selective: Most pre-emergent herbicides used for lawn weeds are selective herbicides, meaning they kill specific weed seeds without damaging other plants.
\n\n\n\nNon-selective herbicides, on the other hand, target all plants. To avoid eliminating wanted plants and grass, spot-treat unwanted vegetation by applying non-selective herbicides with a handheld sprayer. These herbicides will also prevent grass from growing, so do not use them when you have recently seeded the lawn or plan to seed the lawn in the near future.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPost-emergent herbicides kill weeds that are sprouting. Weeds that are young and actively growing are the most susceptible to these types of herbicides.
\n\n\n\nWhen to Apply: For perennial weeds and many types of annual weeds, the best time to apply post-emergent products is in the fall or late spring. Treat stubborn perennial weeds with deep root systems in the early spring. Apply when the soil temperature is greater than 55 degrees Fahrenheit and the air temperature is less than 85 degrees.
\n\n\n\nContact vs Systemic: Like pre-emergent chemicals, post-emergents come as selective and non-selective. However, unlike pre-emergents, post-emergents destroy plant parts, such as stems and roots. They do this in different ways.
\n\n\n\nContact-based post-emergent herbicides kill only the plant parts they come into contact with. They destroy parts above the ground, like the leaves. Completely killing weeds with contact herbicides may take many treatments, and you’ll have to manually remove the roots to prevent the weeds from coming back.
\n\n\n\nSystemic post-emergents kill the entire plant regardless of contact with specific parts. The weed absorbs the chemicals, which travel through the vegetation and attack its vascular system. The leaves, stems, and root systems are destroyed.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"Seed](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/seed-spreader.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jon Rehg / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nWeed and feed products are pre-emergent or post-emergent herbicides that also include lawn fertilizer. If applied at the right time, weed and feed can improve your grass and promote a thriving, green lawn at the same time as removing weeds. A healthy lawn decreases the risk of weed growth in the future.
\n\n\n\nWeed and feed is somewhat controversial because it combines herbicides and fertilizer, two types of chemicals that have different requirements for application. For example, grass needs to be fertilized at specific times to be healthy. If the timing to apply the weed control portion is not the same as the timing for the fertilizer, you can damage the grass. Do not apply weed and feed more than two times a year. Always read the label to know when to apply.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor pre-emergent, post-emergent, and weed and feed chemicals, read the labels to determine if the herbicide controls the weeds you are looking to manage, can be used on your grass type, and at what stage your grass is safe from being damaged by the chemicals.
\n\n\n\nFor weed and feeds, make sure the time of year the herbicide should be used is the same as the time your grass requires fertilization.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPulling weeds by hand or using a tool may be a little more time-consuming than other DIY methods or using synthetic chemicals. It may take more effort, too. The benefit is that manual methods will not release substances that can harm you, your loved ones, or the environment or change the soil composition.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"Gardener](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/weeds.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Artur Henryk Bialosiewicz / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nThese methods are best when you have a few weeds, and they are young. Wear gloves when removing weeds manually.
\n\n\n\nHow to Pull Weeds By Hand or With a Tool: Water the area or wait until after it rains. The wet ground makes it easier to pull up roots. Dig around the weed with a pointed garden trowel or weeding tool to loosen the soil. Use your hand or tool to pull up as much of the root system as possible so the weed will not grow back.
\n\n\n\nFor some weeds, like crabgrass, only pull by hand or tool when the seed head is closed. If you pull when the head is open, the seeds will spread and replant.
\n\n\n\nFor nutsedge, pull it by hand if the plant has fewer than five leaves. If there are many of these weeds, use a dethatcher or hoe.
\n\n\n\nAs you can see, whether you are applying DIY mixtures, synthetic chemicals, or manual methods, it is important to be able to identify the types of weeds you have so that you use the best weed control solution.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis device is also called a flame weeder. It is a propane tank with a wand attached that allows you to burn weeds. The flame weeder kills leaves and stem cells but does not kill the roots. It may take multiple treatments to eliminate weeds.
\n\n\n\nObviously, since weed torches use an open flame to kill weeds, they can also harm your grass, or worse, you. Always wear protective clothing and a face covering when using a weed torch, and be very careful to keep the flame away from your grass and other plants you want to keep.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"Close-up](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Lawn-Mowing.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Wallpaper Flare / License
\n\n\n\nThe best way to manage weeds is through prevention by practicing appropriate seasonal lawn care and maintenance. A dense and healthy lawn with grass at an adequate height can crowd out and prevent weed seeds from getting sufficient sun. Weeds will be less likely to sprout because they cannot get the water, nutrients, and space they need to grow.
\n\n\n\nThere are two categories of grass types: warm-season and cool-season grasses. Each type and the individual grasses within each type determine maintenance requirements, like mowing heights and the amount of fertilizer required. But here are some lawn maintenance practices that can be applied to grass in general for a weed-free lawn:
\n\n\n\nHow long does it take for a salt solution to kill weeds?
\n\n\n\nSalt usually kills weeds in about 10 days.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIs herbicidal vinegar dangerous?
\n\n\n\nVinegar containing more than 11% acetic acid can burn your skin and cause eye injuries, including blindness. Wear gloves, goggles, and protective clothing when using herbicidal vinegar.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAre there any chemicals that can be used on both cool and warm-season grass?
\n\n\n\nProdiamine is a pre-emergent herbicide that is safe to use on most warm and cool-season grass types. The post-emergent chemicals sulfentrazone and halosulfuron are safe for most types of grass.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFortunately, you have options to get rid of weeds in grass. The goal is not only to stop weeds before they sprout or kill them after sprouting but to have a healthy lawn that outcompetes weeds. For help keeping your lawn as thick and thriving as it can be, reach out to a local lawn care pro on WikiLawn and find out how much a regular lawn maintenance plan would cost for you.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: SchulteProductions / Canva Pro / License
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\n","content":"\nPampas grass is an ornamental grass with dramatic foliage that produces beautiful showstoppers in landscapes and floral arrangements. Before learning how to plant and grow pampas grass, you need to understand the plant’s needs and when to plant it.
\n\n\n\nThis article will show you:
\n\n\n\nThe best time to plant pampas grass is in early spring, between March and May. This warm-season ornamental grass grows best at temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
\n\n\n\nYou can grow pampas grass from seed in three easy steps.
\n\n\n\nIt takes 2 to 3 years from planting the pampas grass seeds until their feathery plumes form. If you don’t want to wait, garden nurseries and hardware stores often sell more mature plants in 1-gallon and 3-gallon containers.
\n\n\n\nPampas grass grows best in full sun. It tolerates partial shade, so climates in the USDA zones 7-11 are ideal. You’ll find it along the coast of California, the Central Valley, Western Transverse Ranges, and the Mojave Desert. Pampas grass prefers moist, well-draining soil preferring temperatures 75 degrees or higher and high humidity levels.
\n\n\n\nPampas grass tolerates salt spray and high winds, often growing as high as 6 feet in one year. When growing pampas grass from seed, the plant will take from 2 to 4 years to reach full maturity. Because of its size, it needs a lot of space. If creating a hedge, leave 6 to 8 feet between each plant.
\n\n\n\nYou will need to water occasionally if planting pampas grass in a container, but once in the ground, pampas grass is low maintenance. No need for additional watering since it thrives on natural rainfall. Applying mulch around the root zones should keep out weeds and keep the soil moist.
\n\n\n\nPampas grass requires yearly pruning in late winter. Use shears to cut the plant as close to ground level as possible.
\n\n\n\nOver time pampas grass becomes overcrowded, and the center of the plant dies. Propagation keeps the grass healthy and grows new plants. You can do this in the spring by slicing clumps of grass and planting them in another location.
\n\n\n\nPampas grass prevents soil erosion with its strong root system. Once established, it has very few pest problems, and deer don’t find it appealing. Since it’s drought-tolerant, it makes an excellent grass alternative.
\n\n\n\nLike all plants, pampas has its downsides.
\n\n\n\nPampas grass has grass-like foliage and feathery plumes that come in a variety of colors, including white, cream, lavender, and pink. This ornamental grass also comes in several varieties.
\n\n\n\nDwarf varieties of pampas grass are the smallest and shortest of the species. Reaching a height of 3 to 6 feet and a width of 3 to 4 feet, dwarf pampas grass grows in zones 6 to 10. It has green foliage and white, feathery plumes.
\n\n\n\nGold band pampas grass grows in zones 7 to 11. It grows 6 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Its foliage is green with a lengthwise yellow stripe, and its feathery plume is white.
\n\n\n\nAndes silver pampas grass grows 5 to 7 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. Grown in zones 6 to 10, it has a silvery-white, feathery plume and gray-green foliage.
\n\n\n\nSilver comet pampas grass has a creamy-white, feathery plume. Its foliage is green with two white stripes on each blade’s edges. Grown in zones 7 to 10, silver comet pampas grass grows to a height and width of 4 to 6 feet.
\n\n\n\nPurple pampas grass is also known as Andean pampas grass. It’s the tallest and largest on this list, growing to heights of 15 to 20 feet tall and up to 19 feet wide. With deep green foliage and purple or pink feathery plumes, purple pampas grass grows in zones 7 to 11.
\n\n\n\nMale and female flowers differ in pampas grass, with the female plants displaying more color. Male plants lack the silky hairs that cover the flowers and make pampas grass so dramatic. Pampas grass is often propagated by separating the female and male clumps.
\n\n\n\n1. Does pampas grass come back every year?
\n\n\n\nYes. Pampas grass is a perennial plant that grows from spring through fall. It goes dormant in the winter.
\n\n\n\n2. Is pampas grass poisonous to dogs?
\n\n\n\nNo. According to the ASPCA, pampas grass is non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, but the sharp edges can sometimes cut their paws.
\n\n\n\n3. When does pampas grass bloom?
\n\n\n\nPampas grass blooms in late summer through early fall. In warmer climates, it can bloom throughout the winter.
\n\n\n\n4. How do I dry pampas grass to use in a floral arrangement?
\n\n\n\nWrap the stems together with some string and hang them upside down in a dry place for about three weeks. Use care when handling the dry stems to keep the plumes from shedding.
\n\n\n\n5. How do I care for pampas grass in a floral arrangement?
\n\n\n\nYou’ll need to cut pampas grass’s feathery plumes when they become fluffy before they begin to shed. Inspect plumes for insects and lightly shake to remove. To prevent further shedding once cut, lightly spray with aerosol hairspray. Hang to dry.
\n\n\n\nWhen indoors, keep pampas grass plumes away from direct sunlight and high humidity. Pampas grass’s feathery plumes last up to 2 years when dried.
\n\n\n\n6. How do I remove pampas grass?
\n\n\n\nRemoving pampas grass can be labor-intensive. UC Master Gardeners of Napa County recommends removing the plant by hand when the soil is moist, before its feathery plumes bloom. You’ll need to remove the roots as well.
\n\n\n\n
If you love the feathery plumes but don’t want to deal with pampas grass’s sharp blades, we can help you find a landscaping professional near you who will plant and prune your plants.
Main Photo Credit: Moshe Harosh | Pixabay
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\n","content":"\nIf lawn care’s got you down, consider artificial grass. There are a number of reasons to switch to artificial grass. It conserves water, it’s durable and may be more cost-effective over time.
\n\n\n\nIn this article we’ll highlight four reasons to switch to artificial grass – and some of the drawbacks of manufactured or fake turf.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSynthetic turf is made from stronger materials today than it was 30 years ago. Manufacturers attach the individual blades to a backing, much like a carpet that you roll out over a prepared yard space. Artificial grass has vastly improved and looks more like the real thing these days.
\n\n\n\nAside from saving you hours of yard work, there are numerous benefits of switching to artificial turf.
\n\n\n\nWith synthetic grass, you don’t have to worry about sprinklers. You’ll help the planet and significantly reduce your water bill.
\n\n\n\nOne-third of the country is suffering from drought right now. The government estimates Americans use 9 billion gallons a day watering our lawns. We waste much of it due to wind, evaporation, and runoff.
\n\n\n\nYou can get rid of the mower, weedeater, and edger. With artificial turf, you’ll never have to worry about lawn care.
\n\n\n\nHowever low-maintenance doesn’t mean no maintenance. You’ll want to keep your garden hose handy, especially if you have pets. You will have to spend about 15 minutes a week keeping it clean with a few minimal chores.
\n\n\n\nIf you can afford the initial cost to switch to fake grass, landscapers estimate it will pay for itself in 2-5 years.
\n\n\n\nMaintaining natural grass is a constant expense; mowing, seeding, fertilizing, weeding, and more. Artificial turf requires a significant investment upfront for installation but costs very little to maintain.
\n\n\n\nOnce installed, synthetic grass requires only a regular hosing down. If you have an incident where part of the turf is damaged, you can replace just a section.
\n\n\n\n1. Does fake grass get warmer than natural grass?
\n\n\n\nYes. Artificial turf gets on average 5-10 degrees hotter than natural grass on a hot day. You can compensate for this by making sure sections of the synthetic lawn are in the shade.
\n\n\n\n2. Is artificial grass flammable?
\n\n\n\nNo! While the blades of fake grass can and will melt from sparks from a fire pit or grill, synthetic turf is not flammable and will not burst into flames. If a small section of the lawn gets damaged by excessive heat, you can easily replace it.
\n\n\n\n3. Can I install artificial grass on top of my existing lawn?
\n\n\n\nNo. In order to have a lawn that drains well when it rains or snows, you should install fake grass over rocks or stones on the ground after removing existing natural grass has been dug out.
\n\n\n\n4. Can I have artificial grass in snowy areas?
\n\n\n\nYes, freezing temperatures and snow don’t affect fake grass. Allow snow to melt naturally and drain through your synthetic lawn’s drainage system.
\n\n\n\nDon’t have the time or energy to install an artificial lawn? We can find a landscaping pro near you to install it for you.
\n\n\n\nMain photo credit: Flickr | CC BY 2.0
\n","title":"4 Reasons to Switch to Artificial Grass","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.499267935578331,"src":"/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/1789c/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/107df/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.jpg 320w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/293e9/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.jpg 500w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/f2cbb/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.jpg 800w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/1789c/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.jpg 960w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/a2a79/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/1dd6e/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/67b76/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.webp 320w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/8df11/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.webp 500w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/98a65/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.webp 800w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/1dd6e/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.webp 960w,\n/static/7523300963d5c0aebf9aa59839b2f51a/7aa54/rsz_3429161484_d0d9ff11fe_b.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"4 Reasons to Switch to Artificial Grass | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Why switch to artificial grass? It will save your time, water, and money in the long run."}}},{"node":{"id":"53e3700b-c3ef-578e-9ab5-2cbee2ccab48","slug":"cool-season-grasses","path":"/blog/cool-season-grasses/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"","name":"Mel Childs","id":"5e563fe7-34e1-5dc2-bc00-a1e777e5dfd5","path":"/author/melisha-childslawnstarter-com/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8fb37d81bb775d323e0028ec06cb650f?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"}],"date":"August 1st, 2023","excerpt":"Not all grass is the same. There are variations in grass types across the country, which can affect the best way to care for your lawn. If you live in the northern part of the U.S., you likely have a cool-season grass type growing in your yard. What does that mean? This cool-season grass growing […]
\n","content":"\nNot all grass is the same. There are variations in grass types across the country, which can affect the best way to care for your lawn. If you live in the northern part of the U.S., you likely have a cool-season grass type growing in your yard. What does that mean? This cool-season grass growing guide will teach you about these grass types and the best ways to maintain them.
\n\n\n\nIn this guide:
\n\n\n\nCool-season grasses are grasses that grow mostly in the spring and fall in the northern regions of the U.S. These grasses include tall fescue, fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass. They grow and thrive during cooler temperatures between 60 to 75 degrees, and they withstand extremely cold temperatures well.
\n\n\n\nCool-season grasses are perennials. Therefore, they will come back year after year if they are cared for properly. Although they thrive in cool regions, some of these grasses are also drought-tolerant and can thrive in hotter regions. However, when it is hot, they tend to become dormant until the weather cools. Sometimes, they develop lawn diseases in extreme heat and drought.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMost cool-season grasses are native to northern regions of the U.S. See the map below to find out if you live in the cool-season grass growing zone, the warm-season grass growing zone, or the transition zone, where both cool-season and warm-season grasses can thrive.
\n\n\n![\"cool-season](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cool-season-and-warm-season-grass-map.jpg\")
Illustration by Juan Rodriguez
\n\n\n\nHere are some states where you can expect cool-season grasses to grow:
\n\n\n\nIf you reside in one of these states, you most likely have cool-season grass growing in your yard. For more help identifying the grass your lawn is made of, you can contact your local Cooperative Extension Office.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs you already know, cool-season grasses thrive in areas where the temperatures are much cooler throughout the year. Warm-season grasses, on the other hand, grow best in hot summer temperatures, so they tend to grow in the South.
\n\n\n\nWarm-season grasses grow most actively in temperatures from 75 to 95 degrees. They become dormant below 55 degrees. Popular warm-season grasses include centipedegrass, Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, and Bahiagrass.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe most popular cool-season grass types for lawns in the northern U.S. include:
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Aaron Patton / Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program
\n\n\n\nIf your grass is a medium to dark green color and grows out of the ground as a wide blade that ends at a point, like a ribbed sword, it is likely you have tall fescue grass growing in your yard. It is a very coarse grass that grows in bunches.
\n\n\n\nThis grass type can handle drought and foot traffic well, but it is a high-maintenance grass. While it may not need fertilizer and water as much as other cool-season grasses, it will require frequent mowing because it grows pretty fast.
\n\n\n\n![\"Close](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fine-Fescue-Grass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Aaron Patton / Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program
\n\n\n\nWhen you have fine fescue growing on your lawn, you know it because it is a slender, green-bladed grass type that tends to wilt as it grows. It is not grass that sticks upward like tall fescue. Because it is much thinner, it has a low tolerance for foot traffic.
\n\n\n\nOn a brighter note, this grass can tolerate drought well, and you may see fine fescue in the transition zone. Another excellent quality is that this particular grass doesn’t require mowing as often as other cool-season grasses. There are four common types of fine fescue, including creeping red fescue, Chewings fescue, hard fescue, and sheep fescue.
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Brenda Ryan / Wikilawn
\n\n\n\nWhen observing your grass, if you notice that it has a moderate to dark green hue and is a thin blade with a canoe shape, you probably have Kentucky bluegrass. This grass is sturdy and can grow well in the transition zone. But it will go dormant when temperatures rise above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
\n\n\n\nThis type of grass can tolerate high foot traffic, making it great for recreational use. However, it is also high maintenance since it needs frequent mowing and lots of irrigation.
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Dr Mary Gillham Archive Project / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nIf you have perennial ryegrass growing in your yard, it tends to be pale green in color and is slender in shape and pointed as it grows. One of its best qualities is that it can stand plenty of foot traffic. It is often combined with Kentucky bluegrass.
\n\n\n\nThis grass type will require lots of cutting and irrigation. It will also need plenty of sun.
\n\n\n\nSo, you’ve determined that you have one of the common cool-season grasses on your lawn. That’s a great first step in improving your lawn’s health! Knowing your grass type means you can tailor your lawn care practices to your grass’s specific needs.
\n\n\n\nHere are some ways to keep your cool-season grass healthy and ensure a green lawn.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/24445181093_9f2de37aff_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Aqua Mechanical / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to watering cool-season grasses, it is ideal to water less often for longer periods so that the water can penetrate the root system. Deep irrigation once a week, ensuring that the grass gets about 1 to 1.5 inches of water, is ideal.
\n\n\n\nOnly water the grass when temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit to minimize the chances of water freezing on the grass blades. Also, water the grass in the morning, preferably before 8 a.m., as watering in the middle of the day leads to excess evaporation, and evening watering may encourage the growth of lawn diseases.
\n\n\n\nKeeping up with a proper lawn irrigation schedule – especially if you want to water the lawn early in the morning before you typically wake up – can be much easier if you install an in-ground lawn sprinkler system with an automatic timer.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/solar-panels-working-8-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: groveb / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nNature provides a majority of what cool-season grasses need to thrive. However, fertilizers can help make your lawn healthier and protect it. Not all fertilizers are the same, however. You must choose the right one for your cool-season grass.
\n\n\n\nIt is ideal to fertilize your lawn at least once a year, preferably in the fall. Overfertilizing your grass can damage it or even kill it, especially if you fertilize in the middle of summer when your cool-season grass is dormant.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/8704115339_808a6b275c_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Oregon State University / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nWhen growing cool-season grasses, lawn aeration is also important. This is the process of taking a spike or plug aeration tool and sticking it into the soil to loosen up compacted soil. Aeration allows fresh air, nutrients, and water to penetrate deeper into your grass for better health and growth.
\n\n\n\nYou’ll only need aeration once a year, if that, and it should be done in the fall for cool-season grasses.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Dethatcher2-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Agri-Fab / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
\n\n\n\nOver time, as you water, mow, and fertilize your grass, a small layer of dead and living organic matter called thatch will develop close to the soil. This can make it difficult for water and nutrients to penetrate through the soil to your grass’s roots and can also attract lawn pests.
\n\n\n\nIf this thatch buildup becomes more than one inch thick, it is time to dethatch your lawn using a dethatching rake or mechanical dethatching tool. Cool-season grasses should be dethatched in fall during their most active growth period.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Lawn-Mowing.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Prasannanossam3 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nMowing will vary according to the type of cool-season grass you have in your yard or want to plant. Fine fescue doesn’t require mowing as often as other cool-season grass types. When mowing your grass, make sure that you avoid cutting more than one-third of its height at once.
\n\n\n\nCool-season grass will grow the fastest and need the most frequent mowing in spring and fall. In summer, it’s best to allow your cool-season grass to grow as long as you’re willing to. Longer grass means deeper roots, which means increased drought tolerance. Tall grass also shades the soil and helps it retain water, which is crucial for cool-season grasses in the summer heat.
\n\n\n\nFor best results, ensure that your mower’s blades are sharp to keep the grass from becoming vulnerable to disease and pests. Additionally, make sure the lawn mower blades are clean after previous clippings so that you won’t inadvertently spread disease around the yard from infected blades.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDiseases and pests are two destructive elements that can attack cool-season grasses. Keep in mind there isn’t a one-size fits all process for eliminating disease or pests from your grass. You must identify the specific pest or disease destroying your grass to ensure you use the right fungicide or insecticide. Otherwise, the treatment won’t be effective at all.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"Hands](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/crabgrass-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Sergii Petruk / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nAnother problem you may encounter is weeds. Unfortunately, they can compete with your cool-season grass for resources. Some of the most common lawn weeds affecting cool-season grasses include but are not limited to the following:
\n\n\n\nTo eliminate these weeds, you’ll have to make sure you treat them properly. Treatments include pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThese types of herbicides will block weeds from growing in your yard. They prevent weeds from growing by interrupting the growth process at the start. Ideally, it’s good to use such herbicides when temperatures are between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors. Pre-emergent herbicides will do nothing to stop weeds that are already growing in your yard.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThese types of herbicides are used to treat weeds that are currently growing in your yard. They may be liquid or granular. It is critical that you use such herbicides when it is less than 85 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors. Following manufacturer guidelines for application is best.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDamage to your grass can be corrected when you overseed your lawn. This is the process of spreading grass in bare spots to encourage a healthier lawn.
\n\n\n\nIf you have recently had a disease on your lawn or you have damaged your grass with fertilizer, adding grass seed helps fill in the thinning grass. For cool-season grasses, overseed in fall at least 45 days before the first frost.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFind specific lawn care tips for every season in this cool-season lawn maintenance calendar.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCool-season grasses prefer the cooler regions of the Northern U.S. However, it is possible for cool-season grasses to grow in warmer climates in the transition zone.
Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-season grass that can grow in warmer regions. If it gets too hot for this grass to grow, dormancy will set in.
For cool-season grasses, the dormant period typically begins in winter when temperatures dip below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for the year. In northern regions, this can be in the fall.
Cool-season grasses may also go dormant in summer if the temperatures stay above about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If this happens, the grass will turn brown to conserve energy, but it will spring back to life come cooler weather.
The best time to plant cool-season grasses is in the early fall when temperatures are between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
If maintaining grass isn’t your favorite thing to do, consider hiring a local lawn care pro who will help maintain a healthy lawn and keep it vibrant throughout the growing season. Local pros will know how to deal with all kinds of cool-season grasses, including the specific type in your yard.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: mccawleyphoto / Canva Pro / License
\n","title":"Guide to Cool-Season Grasses","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5,"src":"/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/1789c/cool-season-grass.jpg","srcSet":"/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/107df/cool-season-grass.jpg 320w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/293e9/cool-season-grass.jpg 500w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/f2cbb/cool-season-grass.jpg 800w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/1789c/cool-season-grass.jpg 960w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/c26c2/cool-season-grass.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/1dd6e/cool-season-grass.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/67b76/cool-season-grass.webp 320w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/8df11/cool-season-grass.webp 500w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/98a65/cool-season-grass.webp 800w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/1dd6e/cool-season-grass.webp 960w,\n/static/6bb53906aecae0b2f560fb01db951992/3cc96/cool-season-grass.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Guide to Cool-Season Grasses | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"If you live in the northern U.S., this guide to cool-season grasses can help you identify your grass type and take care of it properly."}}},{"node":{"id":"bfc212b6-0318-5756-901f-7ff21b4f4b7d","slug":"what-is-no-mow-grass","path":"/blog/what-is-no-mow-grass/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Janae Soules is a freelance writer with a newly discovered love of gardening with her kids. She enjoys spending time in nature hiking, biking, or playing sports.","name":"Janae Soules","id":"0def06f9-a4f4-58d5-891d-d423dde342f4","path":"/author/janae-souleslawnstarter-com/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aab1931e793481d75c080c7271be7652?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"}],"date":"August 1st, 2022","excerpt":"You’re frustrated with fighting the lawn mower and sweating bullets in the hot sun. Maybe it’s time to plant a no-mow grass. Several no-mow grasses and low-maintenance grass types only need mowing once or twice a year. Some no-mow grasses are also drought-resistant, so you won’t have to water them either. We’ll start by touting […]
\n","content":"\nYou’re frustrated with fighting the lawn mower and sweating bullets in the hot sun. Maybe it’s time to plant a no-mow grass.
\n\n\n\nSeveral no-mow grasses and low-maintenance grass types only need mowing once or twice a year. Some no-mow grasses are also drought-resistant, so you won’t have to water them either. We’ll start by touting the benefits of a no-mow lawn, then walk you through the best no-mow grass alternatives for your lawn.
\n\n\n\nTable of contents:
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe term “no-mow grass” may actually be a misnomer. A low-maintenance lawn can also include low-mow grass varieties.
\n\n\n\nSometimes a grass blend will green up your yard without forcing you to spend your late spring and summer months pushing around a lawn mower. Some have the added bonus of needing little watering.
\n\n\n\nWhich of these grass types you choose will depend on your climate, soil type, and preferences.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"http://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rsz_5840427371_ea66cae955_c.jpg\")
For colder climates or in transition zones, fine fescue is the most popular cool-season grass for a no-mow or low-mow lawn. A blend of fine and hard fescue, this grass type needs little maintenance and makes it easy to control weed growth.
\n\n\n\nFescue blends require little fertilizer or herbicides. The best part? With fine fescue, you’ll only have to mow your lawn once or twice a year. Fescues tend to perform better when you apply a lawn seed mix, allowing one to thrive if the other doesn’t.
\n\n\n\nNative to the Great Plains, from Montana to Mexico, Buffalograss is a low-growing, warm-season grass. It has individual leaf blades reaching 10 to 12 inches in length. However, the leaf blades fall over, giving it a short appearance.
\n\n\n\n![\"Zoysia](\"http://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rsz_1024px-zoysia_tenuifolia_aspect.jpg\")
Zoysia tenuifolia only grows about 4 inches tall, making it a great no-mow option in hot and humid Southern states. It’s often called “petting grass” because of its fine blades and deep green color that form soft mounds.
\n\n\n\nGround covers are extremely versatile and grow in any climate, and each is unique in its growth pattern and color. Once you have a landscape design in mind, you’ll be better able to decide which ground cover is best for you. Most ground covers do best when planted in the spring.
\n\n\n\nGround covers are low-maintenance, but preparing the ground and planting them requires some work. You must eliminate all weeds before planting. Once the ground cover is established, add one to two inches of mulch to keep the soil moist and deter weeds.
\n\n\n\nSome popular ground covers are creeping Jenny, sedum, Asiatic Jasmine, creeping thyme, and moss.
\n\n\n\n![\"Artificial](\"http://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rsz_wendy-aros-routman-omq9a7ayw98-unsplash.jpg\")
Schools, stadiums, and government agencies use artificial turf for a pristine look without the maintenance of a grass lawn. Artificial turf is the true definition of no-mow grass. It will never need mowing or fertilizing and can be installed anywhere. It will only need water if you’re cleaning it off or attempting to cool it down.
\n\n\n\nArtificial turf can be hot to the touch in the summer months. There has been a growing health concern about it due to granulated crumb rubber used as filler. The crumbs can be inhaled and are sometimes toxic.
\n\n\n\nIf you need an excuse to put away the mower, “No Mow May” provides it. It’s a month-long holiday to allow grass to grow, creating an inviting habitat for bees and other early-season pollinators. A conservationist group in the U.K. came up with the idea, and it’s growing faster than our lawns in the U.S.
\n\n\n\nThe biggest problem with this eco-friendly initiative is convincing cities and HOAs to relax their regulations for a month. Plant a no-mow grass, and the regulations and long grass fees are one less thing you’ll have to worry about.
\n\n\n\n1. Do I have to tear out my existing lawn and replace it to have a no-mow lawn?
\n\n\n\nYes. You’ll want to tear out your existing lawn before replacing it. Doing that will ensure you’re able to eliminate weeds for a fresh start.
\n\n\n\n2. When is the best time of year to replace my lawn with a no-mow variety?
\n\n\n\nSpring is the best time of year to plant most grass types, especially no-mow varieties. You won’t have to water as much, and planting in the spring allows roots to develop and grow deep into the soil before the first fall frost arrives.
\n\n\n\n3. Will a no-mow lawn be as attractive as a high-maintenance lawn?
\n\n\n\nA no-mow lawn is a different kind of attractive. It offers variety: You can have your traditional green look with a fescue blend, buffalo grass, Zoysia tenuifolia, or succulents or flowers with a ground cover.
\n\n\n\n4. Will no-mow grass types grow well in the shade?
\n\n\n\nChewings fescue, creeping red fescue, moss, and creeping thyme all grow well in the shade. Artificial turf will stay cooler in a shady area.
\n\n\n\n5. Are no-mow grasses good for sports fields?
\n\n\n\nArtificial turf is a good option for sports fields. However, some athletes prefer traditional grass because injuries are less severe, and synthetic turf temperatures can be much hotter. The commercial mix of no-mow grass tolerates a good amount of foot traffic.
\n\n\n\nOverseeding your lawn with no-mow grass seeds is an easy job for a DIY-er, but laying new sod may take a lot more time and expertise. We can help you to find a lawn care or landscaping pro near you.
\n\n\n\nMain photo credit: Pxhere
\n","title":"What is No-Mow Grass","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5,"src":"/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/1789c/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.jpg","srcSet":"/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/107df/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.jpg 320w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/293e9/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.jpg 500w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/f2cbb/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.jpg 800w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/1789c/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.jpg 960w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/c26c2/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/1dd6e/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/67b76/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.webp 320w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/8df11/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.webp 500w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/98a65/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.webp 800w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/1dd6e/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.webp 960w,\n/static/9a37b9321e74014ab66917c50e48eba3/3cc96/rsz_work-grass-field-lawn-tool-summer-265026-pxherecom.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"What is No-Mow Grass | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"You’ll spend less time on lawn care and more time enjoying your yard with a no-mow grass. Your options depend on your climate, sun exposure, and soil type."}}},{"node":{"id":"871de580-f86d-546f-85f2-f211c28be975","slug":"top-40-plant-nurseries-us","path":"/blog/home-and-garden/top-40-plant-nurseries-us/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Emaley Baxter is an expert landscaper who loves writing in her free time. She enjoys research and exploring the great outdoors.","name":"Emaley Baxter","id":"c006aa66-4cfc-59dc-b3ce-5c07b0f83ff0","path":"/author/emaleybaxter/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/889dbc1c9ea88d564723019ac6c9b47b?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"d4fa4848-36b3-57c3-925d-ae36e49e878f","name":"Garden Landscape","count":8,"path":"/category/garden-landscape/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"}],"date":"May 21st, 2020","excerpt":"How does your garden grow? With a lot of help from your local plant nurseries. One thing many of these garden centers have in common? Longevity. It’s customary to find greenhouses that have been around 50, 60, even 100 years! We put together a list of the country’s best. The Wiki-Wonder award judges based their […]
\n","content":"\nHow does your garden grow? With a lot of help from your local plant nurseries. One thing many of these garden centers have in common? Longevity. It’s customary to find greenhouses that have been around 50, 60, even 100 years!
\n\n\n\nWe put together a list of the country’s best. The Wiki-Wonder award judges based their criteria on:
\n\n\n\nTo be considered one of Wikilawn’s best, the nursery must also have a website with helpful articles and a sizable presence on social media.
\n\n\n\nAfter years of not being able to find unique plant selections locally, the Cordrey family decided to open their own garden center to fill the void. Today, East Coast Garden Center in Millsboro, Del., has more than 70 greenhouses and brings in plants from around the country, ensuring they always have high-quality plants in stock. The nursery also holds classes on new skills and techniques in gardening and even has a children’s garden area.
\n\n\n\nWhat does a Major League Baseball star do when he retires? If he’s Mark Clear, he opens a plant nursery! Clear, whose 11-year MLB career included two trips to the All-Star game, discovered his love for plants as a kid while working on an avocado ranch. He owned a nursery in California while pitching in the majors, moving to the Midwest after retiring. Located in Ottawa, Kansas, since 1991, Loma Vista Nursery is still family-owned, sitting on 300 acres, with 150 greenhouses and a tree farm. Talk about throwing the winning pitch!
\n\n\n\nLooking for landscapers who know their horticulture? Look no further than Leaf Landscape Supply, with two locations in Austin, Texas. Owners Brad Seever and Trey Wyatt hold degrees in horticulture and agriculture. Wyatt founded Leaf Landscape under a different name 37 years ago. Seever bought into the company in 2014. Today, it’s a wholesale plant nursery and landscape supplier, offering unique greenery from across the country.
\n\n\n\nAdding a water feature to your garden calms the mind and refreshes the spirit. Hill Country Water Gardens & Nursery wants to help you build the water garden of your dreams. Around for two decades, this garden center in Cedar Park, Texas, has everything you need to build a successful backyard pond or running water feature. You’ll also find fish to put in your pond.
\n\n\n\nVivero Growers started out as a wholesaler for landscape companies in the Austin area. Now, this plant nursery, specializing in Texas native and adapted plants, grasses, and trees, is open to the public. Whether you’re looking to attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies or a succulent, Vivero Growers has you covered.
\n\n\n\nGinkgo Gardens is a lush oasis in the heart of lively Capitol Hill, serving the urban gardener. Founded 20 years ago in Washington, D.C., this nursery offers trees, shrubs, and flowers, along with hardscape goods and landscape design. Ginkgo Gardens also cares about historic preservation, buying a pre-Civil War house next to the nursery and restoring it. It’s now used as a staging area for landscape supplies.
\n\n\n\nFounded in 1911, the oldest garden center in Denver is still going strong. City Floral Greenhouse sits in the heart of the Mile High City. For the first 50 years, City Floral grew, cut, and delivered flowers to homes and businesses, including the historic Brown Palace hotel. In the ’70s, it started morphing into a garden center and tree nursery, still striving to beautify Denver.
\n\n\n\nGrowing plants without soil? Root Grow Bloom Hydroponics & Organics is here to show you what hydroponics is all about. The technique has been around for thousands of years but didn’t really come into favor in the U.S. until the military used it on a soilless island in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Root Grow Bloom has been a staple in Orlando’s hydroponic and organic gardening scene for 20 years and will show you how to get started from the ground up.
\n\n\n\nIt’s all in the family for this Richmond, Va., plant nursery that started as a renovated gas station. Back in 1974, Gene and Diane McAuliffe opened Tropical Treehouse and started selling tropical plants and flowers. In the years since then, three sons and several business expansions led to what is today, Cross Creek Nursery. The entire family is involved in the business and also volunteers in the community.
\n\n\n\nSunnyside Gardens comes from meager beginnings as an unassuming, small garden plot. Fast forward 80 years, and it’s one of South Minneapolis’ premier plant nurseries. Sunnyside offers landscape design, custom containers and, of course, everything in the nursery. Owner Mike Hurley feels strongly about giving back and holds gardening classes for local children and schools.
\n\n\n\nGideon A. Strange worked for the post office but wanted to earn extra cash in his spare time. It was the early 1930s, the time of the Great Depression, so he planted flowers and plants in his yard and sold them from there. Since then, the nursery has changed ownership and undergone massive expansion in the Richmond, Va., area but retains the Strange name. It’s one of the largest retail garden centers in the country.
\n\n\n\n“Virginian Grown and Owned.” That’s Colesville Nursery, in Ashland. The same family has run it for nearly 50 years. It’s a place where generations of growers born and raised in Virginia cultivate plants, flowers, and trees. Certified horticulturists answer your questions about native trees, hard-to-find perennials, and gardening in Virginia.
\n\n\n\nIn tune with the environment, Mother Earth Gardens specializes in organic gardening and sustainably grown plants. This Minneapolis garden center is open year-round with a different focus for each season. During spring and summer, it’s organic seeds, veggies, and herbs. Autumn brings locally grown gourds and pumpkins, while winter homes in on herbicide-free Christmas trees.
\n\n\n\nWaldoch Farm in Lino Lakes, Minn., started out selling chickens in 1916. It didn’t take long before owner William Waldoch expanded into produce. Over the years, his son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have picked up the hoe and joined the family business. William continued helping on the farm until he was 100 years old. These days, operations include the popular pick-your-own-vegetable garden, covering 30 acres.
\n\n\n\nO’Toole’s Garden Centers describes itself in three words: Local. Colorful. Knowledgeable. Serving Denver for nearly 40 years, O’Toole’s brings color into your home and yard. On a mission to cultivate gorgeous gardens, keep their employees happy and their communities thriving, this nursery wants to keep Colorado green.
\n\n\n\nEverything’s still coming up roses at Tagawa Gardens but, these days, that means a plant nursery that’s morphed into a huge garden center. It started in the ’60s as a long-stem roses greenhouse for florists. The Tagawa family has since expanded into a 110,000-square-foot indoor space and more than an acre outdoors filled with everything you’d hope to find at a garden center. The Denver nursery keeps the rose in its logo as a reminder of how it all started.
\n\n\n\nThree generations have put down roots at Country Fair Garden Center in Denver. For more than 70 years, the Gerace family has been showing you how to cope with the Mile High City’s unique growing conditions and tough environment. They believe in giving back, donating seeds and supplies to teachers each year for class projects.
\n\n\n\nWhen two childhood friends were studying horticulture at Texas A&M University in the ’70s, they started a lawn care company to make money. They brought that company home to Dallas after graduating. After many trials and tribulations, Shades of Green transformed into a family-owned and operated garden center, in business now for 43 years.
\n\n\n\nStrader’s is one of Central Ohio’s largest employers during peak garden season, with more than 300 staffers on hand in both their retail and wholesale divisions. Started some 60 years ago by Jack and Ruth Strader, it’s been a family affair, with their four children working alongside them.
\n\n\n\nOakland Nurseries opened its original space in 1940. Now, after opening its fourth location in New Albany, it sports the motto “32 Acres of Gardening Pleasure.” After the latest expansion, three generations of Gustav Reiner’s family now work in the Columbus area, selling horticulture products, along with designs and living landscapes.
\n\n\n\nLandscaping’s the name of the game at Liberty Landscape Supply in Jacksonville, Fla. In their perfect world, people would spend more time outside working on their yards, creating beautiful landscapes. They hope to accomplish this by making landscaping easy. Liberty has everything from mulch to stone to trees and plants. They also offer expert tips and solutions for bringing your landscaping dreams to life.
\n\n\n\nThe Garden Center in San Antonio sells plants, fertilizers, and gardening success. Family owned-and-operated since 1985, this independent retail nursery hand-picks plants from local growers that will do well in the South Texas climate.
\n\n\n\nProviding you with top quality plants and helping you succeed as a gardener is what they do best at Rainbow Gardens. This San Antonio nursery brings in local experts for seminars where they share what works and what doesn’t when it comes to growing. There’s even a Kids Gardening Club where the little ones see, smell, taste, and feel what gardening is all about.
\n\n\n\nIf you follow the winding brick road (well, pathway) at this nursery, you’ll find a diverse collection of garden art, fountains, and containers. Head indoors at Shades of Green and see a vast array of native plants and shrubs that are adapted to the San Antonio climate. Shades of Green in San Antonio (not to be confused with the nursery of the same name near Dallas), stays away from toxic chemicals and practices the organic method of gardening
\n\n\n\nMore than 30 years ago, Earth Works started as a small lawn-maintenance company. Today, it’s a full-service landscape business and garden center in the Jacksonville area. Earth Works plans on being there for its customers for years to come. The goal of their landscape team is to make your backyard the best room in the house.
\n\n\n\n“It’s not a landscape. It’s a lifestyle. Dig in.” That’s the motto of Garden Supply Company in Cary, N.C. Started 20 years ago as a landscape and design company, the original three-person crew has grown to 40 staff members, 6 acres and a building filled with plants, flowers, and supplies for container gardening. They also carry everything you’ll need for beekeeping.
\n\n\n\nPlant Delights has a physical nursery in Raleigh, N.C., but does much of its business online. At any given time, the website has more than 1,500 plants for sale, and specializes in rare and unusual perennials. The owner, Tony Avent, has made 60 expeditions to countries including China, South Africa, and Argentina, looking for exotic flowers for his customers.
\n\n\n\nMost plant nurseries focus on the outdoors; landscaping with trees, shrubs, and flowers. Foliage Concepts is an interiorscape company featuring high-quality interior plantings. Located in three North Carolina cities, the company has provided design and build services to hospitals, hotels, and office buildings since 1985, also working hard to be “green” by recycling soil, grow pots and moss.
\n\n\n\nWith a name like Jack Frost, you’d think this garden center would be in a snowy, cold city, but this nursery is near the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach. When owner, David Dubinsky, arrived in the city 37 years ago, he had $500 in his pocket. He has since parlayed that meager amount into his full-service landscape and garden center. Jack Frost also offers hardscaping, creating patios, seating walls, and fire pits.
\n\n\n\nFour Seasons Nursery in Virginia Beach, has served both commercial and residential customers for nearly 50 years with a full-service plant nursery, as well as landscaping materials sold in bulk. With four certified horticulturists and several master gardeners on hand, you’ll certainly find plants that are just right for your lifestyle and budget.
\n\n\n\nBerridge Nurseries in Phoenix was founded in 1938 and forced to move to its second location in 1971 when some boys set a series of fires in the city. Berridge Nurseries rebuilt, then moved one more time to its current location on Camelback Road. The nursery remains in the family with the third generation now owners and operators.
\n\n\n\nImagine a business that’s been in the family for 130 years! In 1890, A.J. Rahn Greenhouses was one of 19 family-owned plant companies operating in an area of Cincinnati known as Wooden Shoe Hollow. Rahn is still going strong, offering flower bedding, houseplants, vegetables, and fruit plants. The fifth generation of the A.J. Rahn family now runs the nursery, keeping their proud heritage intact.
\n\n\n\nThis family-owned greenhouse has deep roots in the Cincinnati area. It started in Spring Grove, a village that fed the city with fresh produce. Over the years, the city grew up around that village but Funke’s family farm spirit remains. Their mission includes providing plants and knowledge to home gardeners so they can take control of their own food supply.
\n\n\n\nYou won’t find any golden arches here, but you will find a large white barn with timbers that are 140 years old. Back in the 1800s, Burger Farm and Garden Center was a dairy farm. The family switched to crops around 1950 and continued another 30 years before opening the garden center you see today. Customers give them rave reviews for helping create what they say are the most beautiful yards in Cincinnati.
\n\n\n\nThis Charlotte, N.C., company has more than 20,000 square feet under glass. Its greenhouses are filled to the brim with houseplants and tropical plants. Doing business for more than 40 years, Oakdale Greenhouses boasts that it is “Charlotte’s best source for plants.” In addition to its wide variety of greenery, they add expertise on koi fish and water plants.
\n\n\n\nWhen designing your garden, Southern Styles Nursery and Garden Center offers this advice: Start with trees. It calls them the backbone of a garden setting. Southern Styles has an immense selection of trees, from exotic to common shade, Japanese maple, and evergreen. Once you’re done with that, you can explore the rest of this Charlotte, N.C., nursery to pick out the rest of your landscape items.
\n\n\n\nDespite Grass Pad’s logo, they’re not smokin’ it, they’re growin’ it! What started out on a 700-acre sod farm at the end of a long gravel road in Missouri grew into today’s five locations in the Kansas City area and one in Omaha, Neb. They’re still transforming lawns with green sod, but have added full-line nurseries at each warehouse site.
\n\n\n\nThe man behind Rolling Meadows, Jesse Meadows, worked in landscaping for 15 years before making his garden center dream a reality. With a focus on creativity and quality, Jesse offers both residential and commercial landscaping in the Overland Park, Kansas, area. You’ll also find eco-friendly products and classes on how to go green.
\n\n\n\nBoth serious and casual gardeners will find what they need at Summer Winds Garden Centers, which has locations in Phoenix and the Santa Clara Valley in California. The company is one of the largest independent retail nursery businesses in the nation. Putting water and energy-saving initiatives into practice, Summer Winds is committed to the responsible use of our natural resources.
\n\n\n\nLondon Bridge Greenhouses & Nursery
\n\n\n\nLondon Bridge has been a Virginia Beach gardening tradition since 1976. Look for bulk sales of mulch, gravel, and organic mushroom compost. Their greenhouses are home to a huge selection of flowers. And butterfly lovers, rejoice! They even have a certified monarch butterfly waystation.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere are more than 13,000 plant nurseries in the U.S., so there’s a possibility we missed your favorite.
\n","title":"The 40 Top Plant Nurseries in the U.S.","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3544444444444443,"src":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1789c/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg","srcSet":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/107df/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 320w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/293e9/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 500w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/f2cbb/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 800w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1789c/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 960w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/7199d/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 1219w","srcWebp":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1dd6e/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/67b76/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 320w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/8df11/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 500w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/98a65/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 800w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1dd6e/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 960w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/6413b/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 1219w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"The 40 Top Plant Nurseries in the U.S. | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"dc7f3dac-5cba-5ff9-a672-1b00d6dddc6d","slug":"benefits-of-french-drain","path":"/blog/benefits-of-french-drain/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Carmen Dexter is a freelance journalist and teacher who enjoys growing her own organic food and recycling as much as possible.","name":"Carmen Dexter","id":"f23ec685-a615-5004-a3fd-c0bfe6b2c9ec","path":"/author/carmen-dexter/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e37085a8a22d319f3383613d59d54c5f?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"}],"date":"September 1st, 2022","excerpt":"You spent a ton of money on landscaping but forgot to add a drainage system. If standing water is now causing problems, homeowners should look into a French drain. Why? Benefits of a French drain include that it prevents standing water, stops soil erosion, and protects your home’s foundation. In this article we’ll cover these […]
\n","content":"\nYou spent a ton of money on landscaping but forgot to add a drainage system. If standing water is now causing problems, homeowners should look into a French drain. Why? Benefits of a French drain include that it prevents standing water, stops soil erosion, and protects your home’s foundation.
\n\n\n\nIn this article we’ll cover these topics:
\n\n\n\nIt sounds a little ooh-la-la but a French drain is simply a trench dug into the ground for excess water to drain out of your yard. Built on a slight slope, a French drain can be 6 inches in diameter to a couple of feet, the wider the better. It functions a bit like the gutters on your house by forcing the water flow downhill and away from your home’s foundation.
\n\n\n\nMost French drains now have a perforated pipe in the trench, although the original drains simply used gravel or small rocks on top of a ditch. The rock element is used whether there is a pipe or not, as it’s permeable and water flows through.
\n\n\n\nThis underground drainage system works well for lawns with poor drainage.
\n\n\n\nExcess water from your yard flows through the French drain and into the street gutter or a dry well. And because a perforated pipe is used, water is collected throughout the entire drainage system.
\n\n\n\nIf your yard repeatedly floods or you experience basement flooding, a French drain may work for you. If there is always standing water in your yard after a good rain, this may be a good drainage solution. Even if you have a sump pump in your basement, an interior French drain can help by redirecting excess water to the sump, where it can then be pumped out.
\n\n\n\nIf you have a retaining wall or are building one on a hill or slope, a French drain system will keep water from pooling at the bottom of the wall or running toward your home. A French drain redirects surface water away from the retaining wall so it won’t undermine the structure.
\n\n\n\nHere are four benefits of installing a French drain in your yard.
\n\n\n\nA French drain:
\n\n\n\nPrevents Standing Water
\n\n\n\nMosquitoes love puddles. Standing water in your lawn becomes a breeding ground for the pesky and sometimes disease-carrying bugs.
\n\n\n\nExcess water encourages mold and fungus growth on your grass and even kills it and other plants by drowning them. That, in turn, creates mud that gets tracked into your house.
\n\n\n\nA French drain removes standing water by draining it downhill. It redirects the overflow to run through the trench, into the street gutter and down the storm drain.
\n\n\n\nStops Soil Erosion
\n\n\n\nHealthy soil is a must for a lush, green lawn. Too much surface water may cause soil erosion by washing away topsoil, the top layer that’s necessary for the growth of grass and plants. That may leave you with a muddy, grass-less mess. Adding a French drain to your yard keeps topsoil right where it needs to be, ensuring that your lawn and landscaping remain bright and healthy.
\n\n\n\nProtects Home’s Foundation
\n\n\n\nA huge benefit of a French drain is the protection it provides for your home’s foundation and basement.
\n\n\n\nWhen water builds up against foundations, the hydrostatic pressure (the constant force the water puts on your basement walls) can erode the concrete and threaten the structural integrity of the foundation. How to prevent this? A homeowner or builder might include a French drain system in the basement waterproofing.
\n\n\n\nWooden foundations and crawl spaces are also susceptible to damage from water pressure, as the wood can rot and crumble and concrete footings can crack.
\n\n\n\nFrench drains work particularly well in land with clay soil. This type of soil drains slowly, so adding a trench to the yard removes water before it can cause damage to your property.
\n\n\n\nThe same principle applies when building a retaining wall in your yard. A French drain removes hydrostatic pressure from the wall, keeping it stable and in place.
\n\n\n\nAdds Value
\n\n\n\nA French drain is beneficial beyond removing excess water from your yard; it can add value to your property by protecting your home’s foundation. Prospective buyers want to know that their home won’t be threatened by standing water and a French drain gives them that peace of mind.
\n\n\n\nDepending on how decorative you make the trench, a French drain also adds a pleasant hardscaping element to your lawn. You can use colored rocks instead of gravel, smooth or rough and different shapes and sizes. River rock, for example, gives the look of a dry creek bed.
\n\n\n\nSome homeowners use plants to camouflage the French drain. Flowers or other plants run the length of the trench, hiding the trench. You can also add borders around the French drain of concrete, pavers, or crushed quartz.
\n\n\n\nHere are some potential problems to be aware of if you’re considering a French drain for your yard.
\n\n\n\nClogs
\n\n\n\nA clogged drain is an inefficient drain and can even cause damage. Clogging is the biggest issue French drain owners face. Water often carries sediment through the pipe, creating mud that may cause blockages.
\n\n\n\nClogs are also caused by the roots of trees, grass, and scrubs encroaching on the pipe and trench. When a French drain is clogged, water isn’t properly redirected. This leads to leaks that may damage your home’s foundation or create standing water in other areas.
\n\n\n\nBackflow
\n\n\n\nBackflow is when groundwater seeps into the soil and the dry well fills up, leaving excess water with nowhere to go. This causes the water flow to go back up the drainage system and leave standing water in the basement or in the original problem area.
\n\n\n\nHomeowners with access to the city gutters and storm sewer system don’t usually have this problem. Those without that access may have to redirect the water somewhere else.
\n\n\n\nZoning Rules
\n\n\n\nIt’s key to know city zoning rules BEFORE you start a French drain installation, so check with your local zoning board to see if you need a permit.
\n\n\n\nIt’s imperative that homeowners not dig into utility lines. Call 811 and put in a utility line locator request before you lift that first shovel full of dirt.
\n\n\n\nThere’s quite a bit of digging involved but a French drain can be a DIY project. Factors on deciding whether to tackle it yourself include the length and depth of the ditch and what kind of hardscape you choose to surround it with.
\n\n\n\nAs a bonus, installing a French drain won’t cost you a fortune or take much time, and your yard won’t be wrecked as a result. You only need to consult a professional to ensure the French drain is being installed correctly.
\n\n\n\nMain photo credit: Geograph | CC BY-SA 2.0
\n","title":"Benefits of a French Drain","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.7777777777777777,"src":"/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/1789c/rsz_untitled_design.jpg","srcSet":"/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/107df/rsz_untitled_design.jpg 320w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/293e9/rsz_untitled_design.jpg 500w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/f2cbb/rsz_untitled_design.jpg 800w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/1789c/rsz_untitled_design.jpg 960w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/c26c2/rsz_untitled_design.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/1dd6e/rsz_untitled_design.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/67b76/rsz_untitled_design.webp 320w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/8df11/rsz_untitled_design.webp 500w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/98a65/rsz_untitled_design.webp 800w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/1dd6e/rsz_untitled_design.webp 960w,\n/static/cdd804e86de3157b9aa63721696c5dbd/3cc96/rsz_untitled_design.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Benefits of a French Drain | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Benefits of a French drain include that it prevents standing water, stops soil erosion, and protects your home's foundation."}}},{"node":{"id":"3dfa6e5c-df1e-5ed7-8606-0a7e6a31e947","slug":"hardscaping-guide","path":"/blog/landscaping/hardscaping-guide/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Emaley Baxter is an expert landscaper who loves writing in her free time. She enjoys research and exploring the great outdoors.","name":"Emaley Baxter","id":"c006aa66-4cfc-59dc-b3ce-5c07b0f83ff0","path":"/author/emaleybaxter/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/889dbc1c9ea88d564723019ac6c9b47b?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"}],"date":"June 6th, 2019","excerpt":"What is Known as ‘Hardscaping’ in Landscape Design? Landscape Architects and others in the field of landscape design often use the terms “softscape” and “hardscape” to distinguish between plants (soft) and rock or soil work and all the other “hard” elements of landscaping. A simple definition of “hardscape” is anything in the landscape that is […]
\n","content":"\nLandscape Architects and others in the field of landscape design often use the terms “softscape” and “hardscape” to distinguish between plants (soft) and rock or soil work and all the other “hard” elements of landscaping. A simple definition of “hardscape” is anything in the landscape that is not plantings, soils, or earth works.
\n\n\n\nAt first thought, it might seem counterintuitive to think of ‘hard’scaping as a wanted element in an environment designers often take great pains to keep natural and soft. So, why would this seemingly contradictory intrusion into the world of soft and floral be a critical part of any landscape design?
\n\n\n\nHardscaping provides many added benefits beyond what plant and soil materials can accomplish on their own. Here are just a few of those reasons:
\n\n\n\nHardscaping can be thought of as the bones, or framework, of a garden. It could be sleek flagstone patios, pebble mosaics, brick or rustic gravel walkways; perhaps a uniquely shaped boulder placed as a focal point in the garden or near a building to highlight architectural features. Natural stone, retaining walls, benches, seats, and sculptural landscape features, create the immovable structure through which designers (or handy diy homeowners) can easily weave in combinations of trees, plants, and shrubs into the garden tapestry.\t
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/vI5P4UK5F84BcIDNhjLqQ6YAtkz4edCDUKLCUqtxAx9HusAf638NFDYCWcejX9XyhgWiEm8_fgDbGREno7GdUyu_5C3xtuk5oRkfclVXuBmyxx4fh-SJBUiBUTGwC0SPSkpNSC2iKFvhFzSQpg\")
Just as any good landscape designer should draw plant choices from the natural surrounding landscape, hardscape selection should also relate to the native environment as well as the style of house. For example, a colonial or Georgian house would benefit from the addition of brick or cut stone to add formality. A farmhouse in the countryside would combine well with fieldstone walls and paths of flagstone or flat river stones set in gravel. A Craftsman-style house in the city might call for a pattern of square and rectangular stones, and walls of cut or ashlar stone, or brick.
\n\n\n\nArcheticulally speaking, a good hardscape plan can help you divide the landscape into a collection of “rooms” or sequence of gardens. This is a timeless method of design as it provides separate spaces for different activities and a sense of surprise and thrill of discovery in moving from ‘room to room’. Stone walls and hedges act as room dividers, and steps and paths act as transitions between these rooms, as well as the necessary means of moving between them.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/PjLwfGpF64k02uPCOeQV1swJX_fW93HGpyXz5gVRb3MrDevpvdLtAfkdak97rmwql0_onwcMl8cRMUvhIEnEGtcdlXZ1Tl8agxeqN1FCzziGcZSTA_j5_waIvQWSGm8a99tRAJh9pvElObm4jA\")
How a patio or terrace will be used in part should dictate your choice of paving material. Flat stones with mortared joints or sand-set brick are preferable for areas to close into the house, entries, and higher traffic areas. Irregular, dry-laid stones, crushed rock or packed decomposed granite are great for garden paths and casual areas. Dining areas or a seating terrace can be on stone, gravel or crushed rock, or wooden decking, depending in part on the furniture chosen for that use.
\n\n\n\nBesides needing to harmonious with the colors found in the landscape plantings and architectural features, the color of your hardscape elements can play an important role. Light colored stone may help to brighten a shady corner but could also create glare in a sunnier spot. Dark stone materials might absorb too much heat for nearby planting materials.
\n\n\n\nThe level of permeability a material has may matter more in some locations than others. A lava rock boulder, with its open honeycomb-like surface, would collect every fallen leaf and flower blossom if it were placed below a flowering ornamental tree. This might not be a bad thing, depending on what aesthetic you are going for or what level of garden maintenance you are willing to put into your landscape.
\n\n\n\nMuch like the porosity of stone materials, the finish can greatly affect the look, feel, and functionality of an outdoor area. Rough cut or chopped limestone blocks offer a rustic, natural feel while the same stone with a saw cut finished edge can transform a wall face or column top to a modern, sleek reveal. Additionally, when dealing with patio or walkway hardscape choices, consider how slick the stone finish will become during periods of precipitation or with a layer of snow or ice.
\n\n\n\nPaths need to be stable, easy to walk on, and preferably look like they belong. Again, a sense of fitting in with the natural landscape is important. Gravel, crushed rock and decomposed granite paths should ideally be edged, either with metal edging, wood timbers, or smaller brick or stone pieces. Dry-set paths of flagstone should use thicker stones 2” – 6”. Stone steps need to be set in concrete for stability, unless they are fairly massive (5-6” thick).
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Lnn5Z38LXNcMGHS4Eczmdvp9L_d985SC9C4g9ZCQTJ9uChaNFckL-0k0fRv8fI2YnXpZYMngKqMm8lKJA-kvjW_D8kXS2LOVdwidZ0zXbe1nlXADqvdcbWooXFSSUqryOPhPi2tzwZayHAsMJQ\")
The use of large, natural stones or boulders as pure design elements in the garden can help lift an ordinary planting plant to a new level of visual interest. Enormous granite boulders flecked with sparkly quartz, limestone or sandstone outcroppings that mimic those found in nature, large half-buried mossy fieldstones, or even a special grouping of uniquely shaped beach stones you found on your last vacation can help add a truly one of a kind feel to your landscape and make them “pop” with unusual interest.
\n\n\n\nSo, if you’re designing a new garden, or looking to rehabilitate a portion of one already in existence, think of the hardscape components just as carefully as you consider what trees, shrubs, and plants you want to put where. In the end, you’ll have a more integrated, harmonious design, less maintenance, and a more interesting garden!
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/PZEdM3YTIs88s5BNsjKaFNlBC_00OT-5jOLe-MmTDcMOL8n20xfpgJPPJ8Om3dqfEG81ZyZmPz_w5NMby2-cACKhHG3VhR6S9kBskkdlEN8txf4_GREewQG1Oax9HhfG56V0Yu_yW3susT-1sw\")
While the reasons to add stone and hardscape elements to your landscape design might be numerous and easy to define, setting a price to this addition is not as clear. The cost of stone varies considerably depending on its weight, smoothness or texture, style, and thickness. Another variable is the process of installation, or how much labor will be required to complete the installation and how easily accessible is the final location of the stone or brick. Also, using stone sourced near a quarry will be more economical (not to mention contextually relevant to your natural surroundings). This means if you live in an area naturally rich in stone, like Texas, then getting limestone will be easier on the budget compared to shipping in a Canadian granite.
\n\n\n\nAll of those variables aside, the average cost to install a flagstone patio will range somewhere from $15 to $30 per square foot. Natural boulders are usually sold by the pound or ton depending on how big they are. Be sure to account for heavy equipment needed to deliver and set these elements. River rock or other small stone aggregate is sold by the cubic yard (1).
\n\n\n\nIf this all seems overwhelming, do not be discouraged. In the world of landscape design, pricing and product availability is often changing. The best solution is to work with a local landscape architect that knows the most sound solutions for your specific climate, native plantings, and natural resources.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/OFnLC5KZjapS6M2mXMtD4cBe6rAhCuWZVy6AnZ5f03wuHI4nKAX79ZbJvZwjZ-p3SfsGX4VzUerOtQxn1SBTmP_RapHwrSFkfmbzmqIMKzPWciVqC1p1CriR1RYLb_VHUh0GdRNHzASUGkU6TQ\")
Stone connects the garden to the land, since stone is literally of the earth. It is a natural material that complements plants, lasts forever, and is intrinsically beautiful. Flagstone terraces, high walls combining large, vertical granite stones with small fieldstones, low traditional dry-laid walls, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits, fountains and waterfalls, rock paths and walkways—all woven together create a wonderful weft for the warp of landscape of plants, and work to further enhance natural elements such as wooden pergolas, woven branch fences and antique ornaments or placed artistic objects.
\n\n\n\n1. http://paverscostguide.com
\n\n\n\nTop Photo: Flickr // Redi-Rock International
\n","title":"Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Hardscaping","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5092114959469418,"src":"/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/1789c/hardscaping-with-rocks.jpg","srcSet":"/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/107df/hardscaping-with-rocks.jpg 320w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/293e9/hardscaping-with-rocks.jpg 500w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/f2cbb/hardscaping-with-rocks.jpg 800w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/1789c/hardscaping-with-rocks.jpg 960w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/d2f4e/hardscaping-with-rocks.jpg 2048w","srcWebp":"/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/1dd6e/hardscaping-with-rocks.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/67b76/hardscaping-with-rocks.webp 320w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/8df11/hardscaping-with-rocks.webp 500w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/98a65/hardscaping-with-rocks.webp 800w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/1dd6e/hardscaping-with-rocks.webp 960w,\n/static/05de6265d19d1f965869eaafdd3c0afa/8952c/hardscaping-with-rocks.webp 2048w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Hardscaping | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"fdce3bbd-95d6-5a64-b3f5-8251b5297d04","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-armyworms","path":"/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-armyworms/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Brenda Stuart is a radio journalist and content manager whose goal is to have the greenest lawn and prettiest garden on the block.","name":"Brenda Stuart","id":"fcad9a7b-532b-583f-832f-0cffbbcfa0a3","path":"/author/brendastuartryangmail-com/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5e5ae7b8ac8b21db046b4f507fbec2aa?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"}],"date":"August 16th, 2022","excerpt":"Armyworms can turn your lawn into their own private mess hall in no time. They travel in platoons like soldiers and can devour a golf course, playing field, or your yard in just two or three days. We will show you how to get rid of armyworms before they destroy your lawn. In this article, […]
\n","content":"\nArmyworms can turn your lawn into their own private mess hall in no time. They travel in platoons like soldiers and can devour a golf course, playing field, or your yard in just two or three days. We will show you how to get rid of armyworms before they destroy your lawn.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll explore:
\n\n\n\nIt’s not the adult armyworms you need to worry about, but the infantry. Yes, the worm in its infant or larva stage devours grass and leaves to grow to adulthood. You can win the battle against this army if you know how to identify the youngest members.
\n\n\n\n![\"Armyworm](\"http://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rsz_1young_-_fall_armyworm_in_oats002.jpg\")
The larvae range from dark green and brown to black. They’re only about an inch and a half long, so it might be tough to see the white, orange, and dark brown stripes along the caterpillar’s sides. However, its red or yellowish-capped head is a dead giveaway.
\n\n\n\n![\"Armyworm](\"http://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rsz_fall_armyworm_moth_14862753532.jpg\")
Although the armyworm caterpillar is the grass-eating culprit, it’s the adult moths who lay the eggs – thousands of them at a time. Get rid of moths, and you get rid of the armyworms.
\n\n\n\nYou can identify armyworm moths by their inch-and-a-half wingspans. Their underwings are white, and their upper wings are light tan to brown with white specks.
\n\n\n\nMoths are attracted to lights and will lay their white, round eggs on the underside of leaves, grass blades, and structures near turf.
\n\n\n\nThe good news is armyworms cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees. The bad news? Many species will fly to Florida or South Texas for the winter. There are several ways to get rid of armyworms without using chemicals.
\n\n\n\nIn addition to running over the caterpillars, the shorter turf leaves survivors to die from exposure to the sun. Even if you plan to use insecticides, a shorter lawn will enable the chemicals to penetrate the soil.
\n\n\n\nBirds, ants, spiders, flies, ground beetles, and other beneficial insects feed on armyworms. Don’t be so quick to shoo away the wasps. Their next meal could save your lawn.
\n\n\n\nThese microscopic organisms feed on armyworm larvae, grubs, and hundreds of other garden pests. Nematodes won’t harm you, your plants, or the pollinators your plants depend on. Make sure you read the package directions and buy a species that targets armyworms.
\n\n\n\nAloe and marigolds produce a scent that armyworms find unappealing. Farmers will often plant tick clover or desmodium in their corn fields to keep the armyworms away.
\n\n\n\nA light spray of neem oil on your plants and lawn will kill the armyworm caterpillars within three days. This biological solution is perfectly safe for wasps, flies, and other armyworm predators.
\n\n\n\nBacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a naturally occurring soil bacterium that’s toxic to armyworm larvae. Bt occurs naturally in soil, so it has no adverse effects on the environment. You can buy Bt in dust form, pellets, or sprays and apply it to your lawn.
\n\n\n\nIf the armyworm population in your yard is out of control, you may have no choice but to resort to an insecticide. Ortho and Spectracide offer several insect-killing lawn products that you can apply directly to your grass.
\n\n\n\nBefore buying an insecticide, make sure it contains one of these ingredients to get rid of armyworms:
\n\n\n\nThis highly toxic chemical will kill armyworms, but it’s also toxic to people, pets, bees, and fish. Be careful that you don’t use so much that it runs off into nearby waterways.
\n\n\n\nThis pyrethroid comes in granular form. It kills armyworms and other grass-munching bugs by disrupting the nervous system. It won’t kill earthworms or birds, but it is toxic to fish and bees.
\n\n\n\nAnother man-made insecticide, permethrin comes in granular and spray forms. Use with extreme caution as permethrin is also poisonous to people.
\n\n\n\nThis soil bacteria controls a wide variety of lawn pests and usually works within two days. The chemicals break down quickly in the soil and don’t contaminate groundwater. Most products containing spinosad are approved for organic agriculture.
\n\n\n\nSince armyworm caterpillars are most active at night, it’s best to treat your lawn at sundown. Use a heavier dose if the grass is thick or the armyworm population is extremely high.
\n\n\n\nBefore applying an insecticide, water the area well. The moisture will bring the armyworm larvae to the surface.
\n\n\n\nThe fall armyworm is one of the worst backyard pests in the U.S., destroying lawns and gardens faster than any other insect or lawn disease. You can reduce your risk of an armyworm invasion with a few preventative measures.
\n\n\n\nRemove the weeds, especially the broadleaf weeds like common chickweed and dandelions, where armyworm moths often lay their eggs.
\n\n\n\nThe debris and grass clippings that build up between your grass and the soil are another great host where the adult armyworm moths can lay eggs. Dethatch your lawn every spring, so the armyworms have no place to hide.
\n\n\n\nArmyworms look for hot, dry places to lay eggs and feed. Give your lawn at least an inch of water a week to make your yard less inviting.
\n\n\n\nDon’t wait for an infestation. Apply a preventive pesticide containing either methoxyfenozide, diflubenzuron, or chlorantraniliprole at the end of the spring and again in the fall. Follow all package instructions and use a slow-release insecticide that will last through the summer.
\n\n\n\nBunch grasses like ryegrass, St. Augustine, Bermudagrass, and fescue take the biggest hit from armyworms. Grasses with rhizome and stolon growth like Bermudagrass typically recover better.
\n\n\n\nYou’re better off planting Zoysiagrass. For some reason, armyworms don’t like the taste of the fine blades. The larva also tend to shy away from grass mixes, so next time you’re overseeding, add a different variety of seed to your lawn.
\n\n\n\nIdentifying the armyworm enemy is crucial. To determine a count of the armyworms in your yard, begin with a soap flush. Use 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap mixed with 1 gallon of water. Pour the mixture over a small area. Armyworm larvae and other insects will come to the surface.
\n\n\n\nIf you find only a handful, you can hand-pick them off your plants and drop them into another bucket of soapy water. Entomologists recommend a more extensive treatment when there are more than three caterpillars per square foot.
\n\n\n\nNo. Armyworms will not bite or sting. They are not poisonous if consumed and do not transmit diseases. They are harmful to plants and cause major economic concerns for farmers.
\n\n\n\nA lawn with an armyworm infestation will give off a frosted appearance or resemble drought stress at first. The tips of the grass blades where the armyworms are feeding will appear translucent. You will also notice a number of birds visiting to feast on the pests.
\n\n\n\nYes, the adult moths will look for plants with larger leaves to host their eggs. The armyworm larvae prefer:
\n\n\n\nSometimes, they’ll attack a bentgrass lawn, too. Of these grass types, Bermudagrass has the best chance of recovering since it spreads by fast-growing rhizomes and stolons.
\n\n\n\nNo. Although armyworms prefer warm, dry weather, you’ll find them in every U.S. state except Alaska.
Feel like you’re fighting a losing battle against armyworms and other lawn-destroying insects? We can help you find a lawn care professional near you to take care of all your lawn pest problems and give you tips to prevent future infestations.
\n\n\n\nMain photo credit: USGS Bee | Flickr
\n","title":"How to Get Rid of Armyworms","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3714285714285714,"src":"/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/1789c/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.jpg","srcSet":"/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/107df/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.jpg 320w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/293e9/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.jpg 500w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/f2cbb/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.jpg 800w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/1789c/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.jpg 960w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/c26c2/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/1dd6e/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/67b76/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.webp 320w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/8df11/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.webp 500w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/98a65/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.webp 800w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/1dd6e/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.webp 960w,\n/static/f9e4b9b7e83af4d959ec668358f4b0c2/3cc96/rsz_15936365311_2629dd91d9_k.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"How to Get Rid of Armyworms | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Armyworms are night crawlers marching across your lawn, eating everything in their path. We’ll tell you how to get rid of armyworms and keep them away."}}},{"node":{"id":"74ae7088-9bee-52c6-907f-746af204f313","slug":"benefits-aerating-lawn","path":"/blog/benefits-aerating-lawn/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Taha Javed is a freelance writer and business student in Lahore, Pakistan. She loves swimming, reading, and playing with her dog.","name":"Taha Javed","id":"0531d17c-e9c8-5153-a6fb-6e2994f71716","path":"/author/taha-javed/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/877749883781783414fae4d0b98beb69?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"}],"date":"August 7th, 2023","excerpt":"Aeration is an essential but frequently overlooked part of lawn care. It means creating holes in the soil to loosen it up and make it easier for water and nutrients to reach your grass’s roots. We’ll go over the benefits of aerating your lawn to help you understand why this little-known lawn care practice is […]
\n","content":"\nAeration is an essential but frequently overlooked part of lawn care. It means creating holes in the soil to loosen it up and make it easier for water and nutrients to reach your grass’s roots. We’ll go over the benefits of aerating your lawn to help you understand why this little-known lawn care practice is so important and worth doing regularly.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/367d6df1-ce98-4788-9796-f09e94b226cd.jpg\")
Photo Credit: driftlessstudio / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nLawn aeration provides various advantages that improve your lawn’s general health and appearance. Here are the biggest benefits of aerating your lawn.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPlants, like humans, require oxygen to thrive. When your soil becomes compacted, the lawn’s roots struggle to get enough oxygen, resulting in weak and shallow root systems. Aerating your lawn allows oxygen to enter the root zone, encouraging the roots to grow deeper and stronger. Improved oxygen circulation promotes healthier grass growth, enhances drought tolerance, and lowers the risk of lawn disease.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAeration stimulates not just oxygen circulation but also nutritional absorption by your grass’s roots. Compacted soil prevents nutrients – like the ones in lawn fertilizer – from reaching the root zone, resulting in undernourished grass. Aerating allows nutrients to infiltrate the soil, ensuring your grass obtains the nutrients it requires to thrive. Enhanced nutrient absorption leads to greener, denser, and more resilient turf.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn addition to oxygen and nutrients, water is essential for sustaining healthy grass. Compacted soil frequently results in water runoff and uneven moisture distribution. Aeration allows water to penetrate deeper into the soil, reaching thirsty roots.
\n\n\n\nFurthermore, the holes generated by aeration serve as reservoirs, allowing the soil to retain moisture for extended periods. This water-conscious method ensures appropriate hydration while reducing water waste.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSoil compaction is a typical problem, especially in high-traffic lawns. Compacted soil is dense and lacks air, water, and space for root development. Aerating breaks up the compacted soil, relaxing it and allowing the roots to expand. It will enable healthier grass growth, better drainage, and a better environment for beneficial soil insects like earthworms.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThatch is a layer of dead grass, roots, and other organic matter that builds up between grass blades and the soil surface. While a modest covering of thatch can be good for your lawn, too much of it will cause difficulties, such as blocking water and fertilizer from reaching the soil.
\n\n\n\nCompacted soil promotes excessive thatch buildup by preventing decomposition. Aeration aids in the resolution of this problem by breaking up the thatch layer, promoting its decomposition, and preventing excessive build-up, which results in improved nutrient absorption in the soil
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA properly aerated lawn creates an environment where grass roots may grow deeper, resulting in a greener, lusher lawn. Stronger root systems provide the grass blades with better support, making them more resistant to wear and tear. Aerating your grass encourages general development, resulting in denser turf that tolerates stressors like heat, drought, and foot traffic.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAeration is a proactive approach to lawn care rather than a reactive technique. You may avoid many problems like disease susceptibility, weed invasion, and uneven, lifeless grass by aerating your grass regularly. Aeration is a preventative strategy that keeps your lawn healthy and reduces the need for costly repairs or treatments later.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Oregon State University / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nTo better understand the benefits of aeration, you should have a grasp on how the process works and why it’s necessary. Lawn aeration is the process of making small holes in the soil to improve air circulation, water penetration, and nutrient absorption.
\n\n\n\nSoil becomes compacted over time as a result of:
\n\n\n\nThis compaction hinders the passage of air, water, and nutrients deep into the soil, harming your grass’s health and growth. Aeration is the remedy that breathes new life into your lawn. Aeration can be done using:
\n\n\n\nSome homeowners may prefer liquid aeration products, which work on a smaller scale to break up compacted soil. Depending on the size and condition of your lawn, you can rent equipment or hire expert lawn care service providers.
\n\n\n\nTo learn more about how aeration works (and how you can do it yourself), see our article on When and How to Aerate Your Lawn.
\n\n\n\nAnd if you decide to aerate on your own instead of hiring a pro, you’ll want to check out What to Do After Aerating Your Lawn to get the best results from your hard work.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow frequently should I aerate my lawn?
\n\n\n\nThe frequency of lawn aeration is determined by factors such as soil type, lawn usage, and soil compaction. Generally, you should aerate your lawn once a year if it has clay soil. But if you have soil that does not appear to compact easily, then it is advised to aerate once every three years.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat are some of the lawn care tips for aeration?
\n\n\n\nConsider the following tips to get the most out of your aeration efforts:
\n\n\n\nHow to take care of your lawn after aeration?
\n\n\n\nMaintain a regular watering, mowing, and fertilizing schedule to encourage healthy grass growth. Avoid excessive foot traffic immediately following aeration to allow the grass to recover. You’ll reap the benefits of aeration for months if you properly care for your grass afterward.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen should you aerate your lawn?
\n\n\n\nFall is the most active growing season for cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and fescue, so it is the optimal time of year to aerate them. On the other hand, warm-season grasses, such as Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass, are best aerated in late spring or early summer.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLawn aeration is a game changer when it comes to having lush, gorgeous grass. You may transform your lawn into an oasis of green by recognizing the benefits aeration brings. Regular aeration, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, will keep your lawn healthy, resilient, and the envy of the neighborhood.
\n\n\n\nGet a free quote from local lawn aeration pros to embrace the power of aeration and unlock the full potential of your lawn today!
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: macniak / Canva Pro / License
\n","title":"The Benefits of Aerating Your Lawn","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5,"src":"/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/1789c/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.jpg","srcSet":"/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/107df/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.jpg 320w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/293e9/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.jpg 500w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/f2cbb/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.jpg 800w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/1789c/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.jpg 960w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/c26c2/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/1dd6e/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/67b76/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.webp 320w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/8df11/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.webp 500w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/98a65/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.webp 800w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/1dd6e/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.webp 960w,\n/static/c3865c1d2b9a429b03f7b480924e05c9/3cc96/f5363534-cb37-4d68-a32a-0b9c32dca178.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"The Benefits of Aerating Your Lawn | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Read our guide to get familiar with aeration and the benefits of aerating your lawn to make it breathable, healthy, and beautiful."}}},{"node":{"id":"63adb127-ed71-5bd0-8659-5015876f0e14","slug":"warm-season-grasses-guide","path":"/blog/warm-season-grasses-guide/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"","name":"Mel Childs","id":"5e563fe7-34e1-5dc2-bc00-a1e777e5dfd5","path":"/author/melisha-childslawnstarter-com/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8fb37d81bb775d323e0028ec06cb650f?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"}],"date":"May 5th, 2023","excerpt":"Grass is just grass, right? Not hardly. If you live in southern U.S. states, you most likely have a warm-season grass for your lawn. This guide to warm-season grasses will explain why these are your best choices and detail how to keep your lawn green and healthy. In This Guide: What Are Warm-Season Grasses? Warm-season […]
\n","content":"\nGrass is just grass, right? Not hardly. If you live in southern U.S. states, you most likely have a warm-season grass for your lawn. This guide to warm-season grasses will explain why these are your best choices and detail how to keep your lawn green and healthy.
\n\n\n\nWarm-season grasses thrive in the southern U.S., where temperatures pretty consistently remain between 75 and 95 degrees. Warm-season grasses tend to go dormant when the temperature drops below 55 degrees.
\n\n\n\nThe most common types of warm-season grasses are:
\n\n\n\nCertain grass types similarly are common in other regions of the country.
\n\n\n\nCool-season grasses: These grasses typically thrive well in cooler climates of the northern United States and can withstand colder temperatures better than warm-season grasses. Some cool-season grasses also have strong drought tolerance.
\n\n\n\nCool-season grasses include fine fescues, tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass.
\n\n\n\nTransition zone grasses: If you live in a band across the middle of the U.S., also known as the transition zone, you can choose from warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses.
\n\n\n\nRule of thumb: Though you have a wider range of grass choices in the transition zone, homeowners in the northern part tend to choose a cool-season grass, and if your home is in the southern part you likely would choose a warm-season grass.
\n\n\n\nif you aren’t sure what type of grass you have, contact your local Cooperative Extension office to help you learn the type of grass you have in your yard.
\n\n\n\nWarm-season grasses include bahiagrass, bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and Zoysiagrass. Here’s what you need to know about each of these warm-season grasses:
\n\n\n\n![\"Bahiagrass](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Bahiagrass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBahiagrass is very drought tolerant, disease tolerant, and pest-tolerant, and it’s low maintenance.
\n\n\n\nHow to tell if you have bahiagrass: Blades form in a Y shape as they grow.
\n\n\n\nBahiagrass can handle a considerable amount of foot traffic but needs frequent mowing because of the seedheads that sprout from the grass. This tough flowering part of the grass can take a toll on mowers, so keep your blades sharp as possible when mowing this grass.
\n\n\n\n![\"Green](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Bermudagrass-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pexels
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBermudagrass is sun loving, drought tolerant and can handle a lot of foot traffic. The only downsides? This grass requires a lot of maintenance and treatments for some common lawn diseases.
\n\n\n\nHow to tell if you have bermudagrass: Your grass blades are light- or dark-colored and resemble the foot of a bird. Bermudagrass spreads by rhizomes and stolons, and you may see them creeping out of your yard toward the sidewalk.
\n\n\n\n![\"beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Centipede_Grass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James Becwar JamesBecwar / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCentipedegrass is a low-maintenance grass that is not prone to many lawn diseases. The only downside? Centipedegrass doesn’t handle foot traffic well.
\n\n\n\nHow to tell if you have centipedegrass: This grass has a light green color and rounded blade tip. Centipedegrass spreads by stolons and has a dense look and coarse texture. Its dense, fast growth helps naturally prevent weeds.
\n\n\n\n![\"Bubble](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bubble-on-St.-Augustine-grass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jay Morgan / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSt. Augustinegrass looks gorgeous, stands up well to foot traffic, and is ideal in coastal areas because it handles the salty environment well. Downside? This grass will require moderate maintenance.
\n\n\n\nHow to tell if you have St. Augustinegrass: This grass has a rich dark green color and coarse texture. St. Augustinegrass is spread by stolons.
\n\n\n\n![\"Green](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/zoysiagrass-4.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Russbach at the English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nZoysiagrass is very drought-tolerant and can handle a lot of foot traffic. Additionally, it is generally a low-maintenance grass option but will require frequent mowing. Unfortunately, this grass is susceptible to lots of lawn diseases, but it does naturally resist weeds.
\n\n\n\nHow to tell if you have Zoysia: This grass has pointy, narrow blades. This grass can look very fine, or it can appear to be very coarse, depending on the cultivar.
\n\n\n\nHere’s a an easy-to-skim comparison of warm-season grasses, highlighting their foot traffic tolerance, drought-heat tolerance, maintenance, and disease susceptibility:
| Bahiagrass | Bermudagrass | Centipedegrass | St.Augustinegrass | Zoysiagrass | |
| Foot Traffic Tolerance | Moderate | High | Low | Moderate | High |
| Drought/Heat Tolerance | Very High | High | Moderate | Moderate | High |
| Maintenance | Low | High | Low | Moderate | Low to Moderate |
| Disease Susceptibility | Low Develops leaf spot | High Develops spring dead spot, dollar spot, large patch, leaf spot, rust | Moderate Develops large patch (aka brown patch) | High Develops gray leaf spot, take-all root rot, pythium root rot, brown patch, fairy ring | Moderate Develops brown patch, rust, dollar spot, powdery mildew, fairy ring, pythium blight |
To keep your warm-season grasses healthy throughout the year you’ll need to:
\n\n\n\n![\"Lawn](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/rsz_4353671803_e0e987132b_c.jpg\")
Photo Credit: sean hobson / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMowing your lawn is one of the most important lawn care and maintenance tasks. Consistent mowing keeps pests and lawn diseases at bay.
\n\n\n\nBefore mowing season starts, sharpen your lawn mower’s blades – and keep them sharp. Here’s why: Cutting your grass with dull blades can put stress on your grass, making your lawn susceptible to pests and disease.
\n\n\n\nMowing Frequency: Most warn-season grasses need to be mowed weekly, but check the details above for your particular grass type. Mow your grass until late fall when dormancy starts to set in, and the grass stops growing.
\n\n\n\nMowing Height: As the growing season progresses, you will lower and raise your lawn mower’s blades to various heights. In summer, keep a higher grass height to avoid scalping and allow for more moisture to remain in your grass.
\n\n\n\nRule of Thumb: Don’t cut more than ⅓ of the height of your warm-season grass. Additionally, mow your grass until late fall when dormancy starts to set in, and the grass stops growing.
\n\n\n\nPro Tip: Keep your mower blades clean between cuttings, particularly if your grass has recently had a lawn disease. This will prevent the spread of disease to other parts of our grass.
\n\n\n\nIf this all seems like way too much work and you don’t want to push your lawn mower around your yard, hire a lawn care pro near you.
\n\n\n\n![\"Set](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Wikilawn-Sprinklers.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Aqua Mechanical / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEnsure that your warm-season grass gets about 1 to 1.5 inches of water from a combination of rain and your sprinkler system. Note and abide by any local watering restrictions.
\n\n\n\nTiming: Ideally, water your grass before 8 a.m. This will minimize the growth of disease and water from evaporating during warmer parts of the day before it penetrates the soil. Avoid watering in temperatures below 40 degrees, as this could damage the grass.
\n\n\n\nPro Tip: If you want your grass to have a strong root system, water for longer periods less frequently.
\n\n\n\n![\"Dollarweed](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Dollarweed-also-called-floating-pennywort-water-pennywort-Indian-pennywort-marsh-penny-thick-leaved-pennywort.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Dariusz Kowalczyk / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWeeds are another problem that could spring up in your lawn. How weeds damage your lawn: Weeds compete for nutrients that your grass needs.
\n\n\n\nIdentifying the weed (or weeds) in your yard is the starting point for treatment.
\n\n\n\nWith warm-season grasses, you may come across warm-season weeds, which include the following:
\n\n\n\nYou will need to treat these and other types of warm-season weeds with either a pre-emergent herbicide or post-emergent herbicide.
\n\n\n\nPre-emergent herbicides attack weeds below ground before they germinate, blocking weeds from sprouting. Apply pre-emergent herbicides in spring when the soil temperature is around 55 degrees and in fall when temperatures are around 70 degrees.
\n\n\n\nPost-emergent herbicides are a spray-and-shoot option to get rid of weeds you see on your lawn. Apply post-emergent herbicides in summer (or whenever dandelions take up residence in your yard).
\n\n\n\nYou can also get rid of weeds by pulling them up by hand. Wear garden gloves to keep your hands from getting dirty.
\n\n\n\n![\"Lawn](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Lawn-Fertilizer-Spreader.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Dion Hinchcliffe / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nApply fertilizer to feed your grass by giving the soil the nutrients it needs to help grass grow and maintain a healthy green color.
\n\n\n\nSomething as simple as grass clippings can fertilize your grass, but you also may want to apply synthetic fertilizers for vibrant and healthy grass throughout the growing season.
\n\n\n\nFrequency: Every four to six weeks and even longer between fertilizing if you use slow-release fertilizers.
\n\n\n\nPro Tip: The most important thing is that you don’t over-fertilize your grass because this could kill it and leave patches throughout your lawn.
\n\n\n\n![\"Lawn](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Lawn-Aeration-Tool.jpg\")
Photo Credit: allispossible.org.uk / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAeration minimizes soil compaction and is another way to ensure your grass and soil get all the needed nutrients, particularly air. How to aerate your soil: You can use an aeration tool, aeration shoes, or a spike to poke holes in the ground, loosening compacted soil and letting in more air.
\n\n\n\nTiming: For warm-season grasses, it’s best to aerate your lawn in summer.
\n\n\n\nFrequency: Aerate once a year for highly compacted soil types such as clay. However, if you have a sandy soil type, you may need to aerate your soil only every three years.
\n\n\n\n![\"dethatcher](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/hand-scarifiers-g35cd23e32_1920-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf a small layer of dead and living organic matter builds up at the base of your grass, close to the soil, that is called thatch. This can make it hard for your grass to breathe.
\n\n\n\nWhat is dethatching? You must clear away this debris with a dethatching tool such as a rake or a mechanical tool.
\n\n\n\nFrequency: You should dethatch your grass at least every five years or when thatch gets thicker than 1 inch.
\n\n\n\nPro Tip: If your lawn is prone to thatching, check for thatch annually.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Brown_Patch-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Scot Nelson / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTwo of the most damaging threats to your grass are lawn pests and lawn diseases.
\n\n\n\nGrubs, for example, will feed on your grass until they become mature adults unless you treat them with pesticides. Grubs are the white larvae you see on your grass from beetles that may have infested your yard in the previous season.
\n\n\n\nYour grass also may be damaged by lawn diseases. Some lawn diseases attack the root, while others attack the leaf blades of your grass.
\n\n\n\nYou will need to identify the lawn disease before applying a fungicide to eliminate the problem. Otherwise, applying the wrong treatment could create even worse problems.
\n\n\n\n![\"Overseeding](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/rsz_2img_3650.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Brenda Ryan / Wikilawn
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOverseeding fills in patches and makes your lawn thicker and stronger. A patchy lawn can be the result of scalping or the result of some lawn disease or pest (armyworms, for example).
\n\n\n\nHow to overseed your lawn: It’s best to overseed warm-season grasses with a cool-season grass such as perennial ryegrass.
\n\n\n\nTiming: Overseed your warm-season grass in mid-October to mid-November. This ensures your overseeded grass remains moist. By the time spring comes around, your lawn’s patches should be slowly disappearing as overseeded areas start to bloom.
\n\n\n\nIn addition to pests, you may also start to see weeds more frequently in mid to late summer. As you see weeds, spot-treat them with a post-emergent herbicide.
\n\n\n\nYes. It is possible to plant warm-season grasses in cool regions. However, since they thrive in temperatures between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, they will go dormant and turn brown when it gets too cold for these grasses. Once it warms up again, they will turn green.
No. Both warm- and cool-season grasses are susceptible to lawn diseases. They just may succumb to lawn disease at different times of the year.
For example, cool-season grasses may develop lawn diseases in summer, while warm-season grasses develop lawn diseases in late all through early spring.
Yes. Warm-season grasses tend to be more drought-resistant than many of the cool-season grasses. Also, note that some warm-season grasses are more drought-resistant than others.
Not every homeowner has a green thumb when it comes to taking care of grass. There are many rules to abide by to keep your warm-season grass looking its best.
\n\n\n\nIf you’d rather not spend hours on yard work every week, turn over this task to a local lawn care pro who can regularly maintain your grass.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: Illustration by Juan Rodriguez
\n","title":"Guide to Warm-Season Grasses","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.444043321299639,"src":"/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/1789c/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.jpg","srcSet":"/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/107df/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.jpg 320w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/293e9/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.jpg 500w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/f2cbb/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.jpg 800w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/1789c/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.jpg 960w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/c26c2/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/1dd6e/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/67b76/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.webp 320w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/8df11/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.webp 500w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/98a65/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.webp 800w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/1dd6e/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.webp 960w,\n/static/d035393a5e0918d7aa41475c6e778b2a/3cc96/Cool-Season-Warm-Season-Transition-Zone.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Guide to Warm-Season Grasses","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Warm-season grasses are best suited for the warmer climate across the southern U.S. We’ll show you how to care for Zoysia and other warm-season grasses."}}},{"node":{"id":"03e06922-154d-5b08-aae5-9bc9a993b812","slug":"pros-and-cons-of-artificial-grass","path":"/blog/pros-and-cons-of-artificial-grass/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Carmen Dexter is a freelance journalist and teacher who enjoys growing her own organic food and recycling as much as possible.","name":"Carmen Dexter","id":"f23ec685-a615-5004-a3fd-c0bfe6b2c9ec","path":"/author/carmen-dexter/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e37085a8a22d319f3383613d59d54c5f?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"}],"date":"August 2nd, 2022","excerpt":"The pros and cons of artificial grass include conserving water and the costs involved with installing a new lawn. You may decide the benefits outweigh the downsides if you’re tired of mowing and caring for a lawn. In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of installing artificial grass and why you should […]
\n","content":"\nThe pros and cons of artificial grass include conserving water and the costs involved with installing a new lawn. You may decide the benefits outweigh the downsides if you’re tired of mowing and caring for a lawn.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of installing artificial grass and why you should or shouldn’t consider it for your yard.
\n\n\n\nContents:
\n\n\n\nOur lawns set the expectations for the rest of our property, and serve as a status symbol, so keeping them clean and green is essential. Depending on your location, income, and available time, synthetic grass may be the way to go.
\n\n\n\nWe use billions of gallons of water outdoors every day with about 50% used on the lawn! The Synthetic Turf Council estimates that every square foot of grass replaced with artificial turf saves 55 gallons of water per year. With that in mind, replacing an average-sized lawn of about 1800 square feet with fake grass saves 99,000 gallons of water every year. That cuts your water bill by about $500 a year.
\n\n\n\nTake care of your synthetic lawn, and it will be around for about 15 to 20 years. While you don’t need to water it, you’ll have to hose it down every week or so to get rid of dirt and debris. Sweeping or raking the turf regularly also keeps the blades standing upright for the years to come.
\n\n\n\nLawn mowers aren’t cheap, with the average cost at just over $1000. Consider breakdowns, repair of parts, and the price of gas, and you’re looking at even more. Add an edger, weed wacker, and a fertilizer and seed spreader, and the cost multiplies. Artificial turf is a no mow grass, so these costs disappear.
\n\n\n\nInstalling an artificial lawn removes the risks of yard work. It also eliminates the need for dangerous chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Not only will you save money, you won’t have to remember to do it!
\n\n\n\nEven after a heavy rain, you won’t have to worry about mud puddles, muddy paws or fur, and extra baths for Rover. You won’t have stains or smells if you pick up poop daily and hose off dog pee regularly. Several companies also make artificial grass for dogs with antimicrobial and non-toxic properties.
\n\n\n\nWhen you lay out the artificial turf, you’re saying goodbye to mosquitoes, grubs, moles, voles, and other critters that like to munch on lawns. You also don’t have to worry about the mold that triggers allergies.
\n\n\n\nThe biggest expense with artificial grass is during installation. The average price is $12.33 per square foot, so the total cost depends on the size of your yard. But once that initial installation is done, you can look forward to 15 to 20 years of a low-maintenance, low-cost yard.
\n\n\n\nFake grass isn’t for everyone. Some homeowners just don’t like it. Others may simply prefer other alternatives to a grass lawn. A few other reasons may turn some folks away from synthetic turf.
\n\n\n\nFake grass doesn’t have the ability to transpire water through openings on the blades. So, yes, it gets hotter than a natural grass lawn in the summer. Just how much hotter depends on your climate and what kind of artificial turf you have.
\n\n\n\nHigh-quality synthetic lawns have UV inhibitors that resist the absorption of sunlight and help keep them cooler. Certain infills may lower the lawn temps by up to 25%. If you live in a hot climate, you can help solve the problem by hosing it down for a few minutes and making sure there’s plenty of shade in your yard for kids or pets.
\n\n\n\nWe need living plants, including natural grass, to survive. They are responsible for the air we breathe and the food we eat. Artificial grass also lowers your yard’s biodiversity since it doesn’t attract wildlife or pollinators.
\n\n\n\nStudies have shown fake grass to exhibit increased runoff, which can contribute to water pollution. Synthetic turf doesn’t cool the air or absorb carbon dioxide like natural grass.
\n\n\n\nArtificial grass is made of plastic. While it does eliminate the need for gas-powered mowers that pollute, it eventually becomes part of the pollution problem. Synthetic turf can be recycled, but the equipment is expensive, and the process is difficult. There are no plants designed specifically to recycle fake grass, so it ends up in landfills and contributes to microplastic pollution.
\n\n\n\nThe debate over the seriousness of sports injuries on artificial turf vs. natural grass continues. Some NFL players insist artificial grass is harder on the body. Many homeowners groups in New Jersey and Connecticut have waged a turf war with their cities over concerns about the chemicals and recycled tires used in artificial grass for parks and playgrounds. The EPA is still researching these claims as it looks at the pros and cons of artificial grass.
\n\n\n\nWe touched on this in the pros of artificial grass, but no matter how well you care for it, artificial grass doesn’t last forever. Quality fake grass may hold up for as long as 20 years. More inferior products may start looking ratty after just five.
\n\n\n\nWarranties on the synthetic grass range from 5 years to life, depending on the manufacturer. There are also several caveats on warranties, so if you aren’t meticulous with your maintenance, you’ll void the guarantee. Regardless of who pays or how long it lasts, you will eventually have to replace your artificial lawn.
\n\n\n\nIf you’ve got a lot of property, installing artificial turf may be out of your financial reach. Once again, the average cost of installation is more than $12 per square foot. Since the average lawn size is more than 10,000 square feet, laying artificial turf over that space can set you back as much as $123,000.
\n\n\n\nIf you don’t want to break the bank but still want to replace some real grass, consider installing a putting green in your backyard or using a small patch of synthetic grass in your landscape design.
\n\n\n\n1. Does artificial grass get damaged?
\n\n\n\nYes. Sharp objects may cut both the blades and the backing of the fake grass. Hot items falling from the barbecue can melt the turf. And petroleum-based products or harsh cleaning fluids can damage and discolor your artificial lawn.
\n\n\n\n2. Can artificial grass be repaired?
\n\n\n\nYes. You can remove the damaged area, replace the base, and install a fresh patch of artificial turf and add infill.
\n\n\n\n3. Can I install artificial grass myself?
\n\n\n\nYes, in fact, installing artificial grass yourself will significantly reduce the cost. Expect the project to take three days.
\n\n\n\nMain photo credit: Petar Tonchev | Unsplash
\n","title":"Pros and Cons of Artificial Grass","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.7777777777777777,"src":"/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/1789c/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.jpg","srcSet":"/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/107df/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.jpg 320w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/293e9/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.jpg 500w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/f2cbb/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.jpg 800w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/1789c/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.jpg 960w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/c26c2/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/1dd6e/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/67b76/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.webp 320w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/8df11/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.webp 500w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/98a65/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.webp 800w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/1dd6e/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.webp 960w,\n/static/ad0758c1125eba1e14924e06b262ac1d/3cc96/rsz_petar-tonchev-c-5-qe5kbyk-unsplash.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Pros and Cons of Artificial Grass | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"No more mowing, edging, or weeding when you install an artificial lawn, but you may end up spending more. We look at the pros and cons of artificial grass."}}}],"postCity":{}}}}![\"Buffalograss\"](\"http://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rsz_3125030368_e6ce260c77_c.jpg\")