Question
I need to replace my lawn. What kind of seeds do you recommend? Are there any grasses that remain dwarf and maintenance-free? What is the sowing method?
Answer
There is no such thing as maintenance-free lawn (grass is an artificial medium and therefore always requires some help), but there is such a thing as low-maintenance grass. This type of grass is not available in roll form, only in seed form, and is usually displayed as such, with a label stating “low-maintenance” or something similar. These types of lawns are always mixtures of several grasses specially chosen for their ability to grow well without the addition of fertilizer and whose growth is slower than that of typical lawn grasses, which means they need to be mowed less frequently. In addition, the chosen grasses are more disease-resistant than sod.
These blends also normally contain endophytes, which are beneficial fungi that live inside the grass seeds and give the grasses better resistance to bad weather and also to insects that attack the foliage. The result is a lawn that, once it is well established, requires nothing more than mowing… and less frequent mowing than traditional lawns.
For a low-maintenance lawn, choose a mixture containing dwarf white clover seeds (Trifolium repens), or add them yourself in a ratio of one part clover to four parts grasses. Clover naturally enriches the soil with nitrogen, an essential element for the growth of grasses, and also helps the lawn to stay green during periods of drought.
Some Sowing Advice
Any lawn seeding that you want to be at least somewhat successful begins with the application of a good layer of topsoil, at least 10 cm thick and preferably 15 cm. Without this step, your lawn will be doomed to major weed infestations forever, because it is impossible to grow a top-quality lawn on third-rate soil.
After applying this layer of good soil, level the lawn with a rake. Borrow a spreader from the garden center (they will usually lend it to you free of charge, for a small deposit, if you buy the seeds there). Apply the seeds at half the recommended density by going back and forth in one direction, then continue the application perpendicularly, still at half the dose. In this way, in two passes, you will have applied the seeds at the recommended concentration. Rake the soil lightly or roll it so that the grass seeds, which are very light and therefore easily blown away by the wind, adhere to the soil. Finally, water well… and continue watering daily if it is very hot and dry, so that the soil remains moist. When the grasses reach a height of about 10 cm (4 inches), you can start mowing them.
Finally, this work can be done as soon as the soil is completely dry, but the best season for laying turf is always at the end of summer or the beginning of fall.
Larry Hodgson published thousands of articles and 65 books in his career, in French and English. His son, Mathieu, has made it his mission to make his father’s writings accessible to the public. The text was originally published in Le Soleil on April 9, 2006.
Inspired by a neighbor here in the front range in Colorado, I just ordered some “African Dog Tough” plugs, which are supposed to use little to no water once established, and, as the name implies, stand up well to foot traffic, including dogs. It also doesn’t need mowing, or can be mowed around once per year.
In our back yard we already have established some “Eco Lawn,” which is supposedly more drought resistant and slow growing than what the yard was seeded with when we moved in, (probably some bluegrass combo, silly for this dry area) and we’ve liked that, as well. It does take some water to maintain, and some people just let it flop over instead of mow it. It’s a fine, pretty grass we enjoy looking at and walking on.