Sarah Martinez was standing in her backyard last Saturday morning sipping on some much-needed coffee when her eyes gazed over the fence at her neighbor’s yard who was already hard at work in the weekend. Hours were spent just edging, watering, fertilizing, and mowing. It was enough to make Martinez not want to pick any grass for her yard’s future landscaping.

Lawn maintenance can be a time consuming task especially on a weekend. Dont spend your precious time trying to control a war that you can win before it even starts. Choose the correct turf from the start.

Understanding your maintenance tolerance

Low maintenance means different things to different people.

There are some lawn maintenance tasks that are disliked by some homeowners more than others. For some, it is the task of fertilizing on a weekly basis, others are looking to reduce water usage, and yet others are seeking a grass that will reduce the need for overseeding. By identifying which of these tasks you feel are the most time consuming and painful to complete, you will be able to select a grass that reduces your time spent on these types of tasks.

Most people view cool season turfgrasses as requiring year round maintenance. A lush looking Kentucky bluegrass in the spring soon turns into an all summer long battle with watering, fertilizing and disease control. That’s hours and dollars spent on mowing, as well. Many are finding warm season turfgrasses to be a more realistic option for low maintenance landscape aesthetics that thrive under natural rainfall.

First of all make sure you choose a crop that will do well in the average climate and not against it.

Buffalo grass: the resilient choice

Buffalo grass is becoming increasingly popular as lawns with long lasting durability and low maintenance requirements become more sought after. Being a native warm-season grass Buffalo has superior drought tolerance and with fewer mows required during the growing season there is more time to enjoy your outdoor living space. And, unlike many other grasses it looks great all year round and is unlikely to require major repairs or renovations.

One of the things that will work in your favor is the growth habit of buffalo grass. It grows by runningners, so you don’t need to constantly seed in areas where it may be bare. It does a good job of filling in these areas over time. You may have trouble with weeds in the beginning, but once the buffalo grass gets established, it can out compete them because it can out compete itself. Buffalo grass stays a nice, lush green even in very arid climates. It will actually slow down its growth during times of stress rather than die.

For those in the right climate, being able to install a turf like Buffalo turf can be a very rewarding decision and particularly so with suppliers like Buffalo turf Perth. Yes, there is an initial cost but this is recouped over time in reduced water bills, lower use of fertiliser and pesticides and most importantly, more time at the weekend and less time mowing, weeding and water­ing. This article will discuss some of the key points that should be taken into consideration when selecting a lawn for your home.

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Installation considerations

It’s often said that the establishment period determines the amount of maintenance your Buffalo lawn will need for the rest of its life. Establishment of most Buffalo lawn varieties takes around 6-8 weeks and this is the time you will need to continue watering to ensure proper root development and a low maintenance lawn for life.

In some cases, the key to a successful lawn is as simple as proper soil preparation, sometimes more important than selecting the best grass variety. However, by properly grading the soil, and incorporating any required amendments during installation, you can avoid future headaches associated with poor drainage and lawn compaction. The key to a healthy lawn is to start with a healthy foundation.

Zoysia and Bermuda alternatives

The final low-maintenance grass option is Zoysia grass. Although there are a few downsides, children, pets, and heavy outdoor entertaining can all be withstood by this traffic-tolerant option. In addition to Zoysia’s water efficiency, it has a lot of great qualities, but there are also some potential cons to consider.

There will be some spots that need filling in as you lay out the sod. But ‘Zoey’ has a reputation for having a longer spring green-up than some other turf species. Don’t worry – that’s payed in full the first year with slower growth in that first season, but decades of low maintenance with tightly regulated growth after that.

Bermuda grass has a strong and aggressive growth habit. While this grass has many good qualities it does have to be mowed regularly especially during the warm months. However, Bermuda grass has good recovery from damage as well as from drought stresses.

Practical maintenance reduction strategies

Grass selection is only part of the equation.

Mowing height affects a lawn’s water holding capacity and stress tolerance. Most people mow their lawn at the wrong height putting the grass under stress causing it to require more water, more fertiliser and more pest control chemicals. In general, increasing mowing height by one notch on the mower has an instant positive effect on your lawn during drought and long hot days of summer.

But timing trumps frequency. Soaking the soil once every few days can encourage deeper, healthier roots that bring up water from further down when things get dry. Shallow frequent watering just encourages weak, dependent roots.

Water your lawn in the morning to reduce evaporation and minimize the chance of disease. Fertilize based on the growth habits of your grass species, and avoid over-fertilizing. This will only serve to promote excessive growth and create additional problems for you to deal with.

Selecting the best turf for low maintenance can start with a selection that has been chosen to suit your individual needs. Many say that Buffalo grass is the ultimate low maintenance turf but this really depends on a number of factors including your climate, soil type, intended use of the lawn and your own personal idea of minimal maintenance. Only once these factors have been taken into consideration can appearance be considered.