Choosing the Right Grass to Grow
Michigan is one of the more northern states in the U.S. and lies in the U.S. Department of Agriculture growing zones four and five. This means that the weather can have temperatures down to as much as 20 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in the winter, making it challenging to find a variety of grass that can survive throughout the entire year.
When choosing the type, one can pick either seeds or sod, depending on your preference or how fast you want your lawn to be mature. Sod provides an immediate cover for your yard, while grass seeds can take several weeks to grow and spread out in the lawn area.
Preparing the Soil
Prior to planting, the soil should be fertilized with manure or a commercial fertilizer. Then, the sod or seeds are planted and the area is watered. About three times a week for ten minutes or so is plenty of watering. It will take a couple of weeks for the area to grow in and cover the lawn and more seeds can be laid down if you notice any bare spots.
Cool Season Variety of Seeds
Michigan’s weather makes it necessary to get grass seed meant for a cool season which will grow slowly in the area’s colder spring or fall seasons. Then, it remains slow growing or goes dormant in the summer when it gets hot. This variety must be planted at the end of the Michigan summer or in the beginning of the autumn season for best results. The best types of varieties to use in Michigan include Kentucky Bluegrass, Fine Fescues, or Perennial Ryegrass.
Kentucky Bluegrass
Kentucky Bluegrass is a cool season variety developed in Europe and is known for being blue-green in color with a nice texture and blades shaped like boats at the tip. It can grow quite tall if not mowed regularly and has been known to grow as high as two feet tall. This type needs a lot of maintenance and lots of watering to thrive.
Fine Fescue
Fescue germinates and grows fast and is considered a lower maintenance variety. There are many kinds and it is resistant to drought as well. It is not good for areas that many people will be walking over. It is tolerant of shade.
Perennial Ryegrass
This kind is a dark green color and is considered durable and good for areas lots of people walk over, unlike the fescue. This makes it good for people’s homes. It grows fast and is resistant to weeds.
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