EarthTalk®
From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: Are there any grasses for lawns and paths that don’t need mowing or that need very little mowing attention? — Johanna R, Northampton, MA
Most of the grass across the U.S. is a species known as Kentucky Bluegrass, which might not be the best choice where the environment is a concern. While it may have a soothing soft texture and vibrant color, it requires a decent amount of effort to maintain including extensive mowing year-round. Luckily, there are a variety of other options that will keep lawns looking nice and take less effort. Additionally, there has been a recent surge in grass alternative lawns as they require significantly less maintenance.
Grass species grow in two primary categories; warm season thrivers and cool season thrivers (Kentucky Bluegrass is the latter). Some of the warm season grasses that provide a greener alternative to Kentucky Bluegrass include Bermudagrass and Buffalo grass. Bermudagrass grows deep, complex root systems, helping to make it durable in high heat, humidity and drought conditions. It does not need mowing outside of temperatures 65 degrees and above but may need mowing twice a week in peak growing season. Meanwhile, buffalo grass needs sun to grow but is contained in its growth. It will grow in thick clumps reaching 8 inches tall and does not require mowing. If allowed to mature, buffalo grass will flower and attract native wildlife. If the grower aims for a manicured look, this grass can be mowed intermittently.
Greener low maintenance cool season grasses include tall fescue and sheep fescue. Tall fescue is a thin, naturally tall grass that requires almost no maintenance besides mowing in the growing season. Outside of this season, the grass needs no mowing. Sheep fescue is similar, though slower growing. The dense root system protects the area from invasive weeds and requires minimal mowing in the warmer months.
Alternatives to grass lawns include clover lawns, moss lawns or eco-lawns which are a combination of two or more alternatives. Clover lawns are the most popular grass alternative lawns. They can be planted over grass lawns for an easy installation process and are low growing meaning little to no mowing! Clover lawns, attract pollinators, foster healthy biodiversity, and are a natural weed killer—and they do not require much water. Experts have ranges of mowing recommendations from never to once a month. Mazus is similar to clover as it grows very close to the ground, does not need mowing beyond landscaping purposes, and has some resilience to foot traffic.
CONTACTS: All You Need to Know About Bermudagrass, pennington.com/all-products/grass-seed/resources/all-you-need-to-know-about-bermudagrass/; Buffalo Grass: A Low-Maintenance Lawn Option, thespruce.com/buffalo-grass-7105718; All You Need to Know About tall fescue, pennington.com/all-products/grass-seed/resources/all-you-need-to-know-about-tall-fescue; Planting and maintaining a fine fescue lawn, extension.umn.edu/lawns-and-landscapes/planting-and-maintaining-fine-fescue-lawn.
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