SolveYourProblem
Lawn Care Article Series
Practical
Tips For The Perfect Lawn
What
Is Kentucky Blue Grass?
Kentucky bluegrass, as a species of grass,
is native to most of Europe, the northern parts of Asia, as
well s the mountainous regions of Morocco and Algeria. The
grass, though common now in the cool humid parts of the United
States, is not even native to North America. It came to this
country along with colonists from Europe, who brought grass
seed mixtures. The species took to the climate of New England
well, and is now found throughout much of the modern United
States.
Kentucky
bluegrass is one of the most recognizable grasses in the
United States. It grows from about one and one half
to two feet in height. It is recognizable because of its boat
shaped tips on the blades. The growth of Kentucky bluegrass
varies with the time of year and is triggered by the length
of the days rather than the temperatures of the days.
If you wish to plant Kentucky bluegrass you must know that
it requires approximately two to three pounds of seed per 1,000
square feet of land. Fortunately it can be seeded any time
of the year, but will grow best if you plant in the spring
or fall. Once planted, you should water your bluegrass at least
a couple of times a day for the first two weeks, and maybe
even three times depending on the weather. You can cut back
on the watering once the seeds start to produce visible sprouts.
Compared to many other grasses, and specifically warm season
grasses, Kentucky bluegrass requires a lot of water. To stay
healthy it will need as much as two inches of water every week.
That should keep the grass green and bright throughout the
summer. In order to help the roots to grow deeper and hardier,
water no less than an inch on any single day of watering. If
your Kentucky bluegrass happens to go dormant during a drought,
it will need only about an inch of water every two or three
weeks. That will keep the crowns of the grass alive so that
when rainfall does come the grass will recover fast.
Kentucky bluegrass requires a fairly large amount of Nitrogen during most every year of its life. The first year, when you
plant it, it will likely need five or six pounds of nitrogen
to grow properly. After that, you can probably get away with
cutting that back by about half. In order to avoid burning
and to maintain convenience, you may want to use some sort
of slow release nitrogen source. It can be applied more liberally
and less frequently, making it an especially attractive option
if you are a beginner in lawn care.
Like most pure bred lawn grasses, Kentucky bluegrass is susceptible
to pests. The weed problems you may encounter with your bluegrass
are dandelions, clover, crabgrass, and annual bluegrass. These
can generally be controlled with pre-emerge herbicides. As
far as insects, billbugs, sod webworms, and white grubs all
enjoy a good Kentucky bluegrass meal. Monitor the insect situations
diligently and apply pesticides in a timely manner, with care
not to over do it. Bluegrass may also get hit with disease.
To prevent this problem, you can seed with a mixture added
to your bluegrass or use varying strains of Kentucky bluegrass
that have resistance to different diseases. If your soil happens
to be alkaline, and you did not have it tested in advance,
your Kentucky bluegrass could develop iron chlorosis, which
is yellowing between the veins of the grass.
Kentucky bluegrass, because the state is named for it and
because it can be found all over the United States, is one
of the most well known grasses around. It is also very recognizable
by its unique blade and bright color. Native to the middle
United States where the weather is cool and humid, the grass
is not as difficult to plant and maintain as its reputation
would imply. Plant your bluegrass in the correct density to
ensure good cover, seed it either in the spring or the fall
when the days are the proper length to ensure a good root system,
and be sure to get the newly seeded area significant light,
frequent water, and proper care and you can have a beautiful
bluegrass lawn that you can be proud of.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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