List of various varieties of lawn, grass and turf

Following is a list of various lawn grasses, their good points and bad.  The most imporant factors to think about when choosing a lawn is suitablilty for climate and soil.  If you spend time looking at the conditions which you presently have and match a lawn type to it, then you are well on the way to producing the best lawn for your garden.   When it comes to lawn you can pick fast growing varieties which will establish quickly, but may be hard work and maintenance in the long run.  Or you can pick a slower growing variety which takes longer to establish but once it does, the your work is reduced.   Have a look at how the lawn will be used also,  will it just be there to look at or will it lots of ware and tear.   Some lawn varieties will ware better then others.  Will the lawn get lots of kids playing on it, or will it get cars parking on it.  There is a lawn to match each need. 

* Bent - seed lawn - Cool climate  *  Carpet grass - runners - Tropical climates * Buffalo grass -  runners & roll-on - Subtropical & Temperate areas -  * Couch grass or Bermuda grass - Seed or runners - Subtropical & Teperate areas * Couch grass hybids Eg Winter green - only available as runners and roll-on - Temperate & Meditteranean climates * Fescue - seed only - best suited to cool climates *  Kikuyu - seed, runners & roll-on,  will grow in subtropical areas, but best used to temperate regions.  * Ryegrass - seed only - Cool climates.  * Kentucy blue grass - seed only - Cool climates *  Zoysia - Seed and newer varieties by roll-on - Subtropical & temperate regions.   

How to establish a new grass, lawn & turf

There are a number of ways you can use to establish a new lawn.   Which way you use will depend on what is available and your budget.  Some new lawn varieties are hybrids which have been developed as new varieties.  These can only be purchased in a certain form,  Sir Walter buffalo for example is only available as roll-on or runners from selected turf farms. 

There are three main ways to establish your new lawn. 

1.  Roll-on -  this is lawn which comes like rolls of carpet.   The rolls come in usually a square yard or square mtr lengths.  Roll-on is very easy to use and makes an almost instant effect.   The only drawback to using Roll-on is that it can be expensive and it is heavy work to prepare the soil and level the lawn.

2.  Runner -  many running lawn varieties come as runners which can be planted on the lawn.  The runners will then spread over the lawn and become a lawn after a period.   Runners are easy to plant and work well, the draw back to using runners is that you have to wait a period for the runners to establish.  It is also recommended that the lawn not be walked on for the months it takes for the lawn to established.  Runners are a much cheaper way to establish a lawn. 

3.  Seed lawns - There are many types of seed lawn that can be purchased.  Even Kikuyu lawn can be grown from seed.  The major draw back to seed lawns is they take longer to establish and the lawn types are not as good as some of the new hybrid varieties.   Seed lawns are the cheapest way to establish a lawn,  and do not take a great deal of effort.  Levelling the soil, and getting your soil tilled nicely are the important factors when establishing a seed lawn.

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Bent & Creeping bent Lawn grass, lawn & turf

Bent is a very fine grass which develops a dark green colour.  It is used primarily in high rainfall areas with cool climates.  However it will grow well in temperate regions also.  Best suited to very refined lawn uses.  It is used extensively on bowling green and golf courses.  There are two main types of bent, Bent & Creeping bent.  Both produce a beautiful, fine grass and lawn.  However, they are both best suited to areas with good rainfall or irrigation.  Both varieties grow well from seed, however the seed is very fine and can be difficult to spread.   Bent is used extensively in lawn seed mixes, with Rye and Bermunda grass.   Bent is best mowed with a Cylinder or otherwise known as a Reel mower, due to the fine nature of the grass.  Fertilise with around 30 grams of NPK granular fertiliser three times per year, spring, summer and autumn.  If lawn is being mowed more often then more frequent fertilising may be required.

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Carpet grass, lawn & turf

Carpet grass is used extensively as a lawn and turf in sub-tropical and tropical climates.  It grows and looks very similar to Buffalo grass.   Carpet grass will grow in a variety of soils from clays to sandy soils where moisture is available.  It can be grown from seed, however most lawns are established from runners and in some cases roll-on.  It grows very quickly and is best mowed using a Rotary mower.  Any general purpose fertiliser can be used on Carpet grass, however avoid nitrogen only fertilisers as they will produce excessive lush leaf growth.  Better to used a balanced NPK fertiliser specially for tropical areas.  Fertilise with approximately 40 grams (one good handful) per square mtr four times per year (once every 3months).  If lawn is being mowed regularly more frequent fertilising may be required.   Due to the fast growth of carpet grass, weeds and pests are usually not a problem.  

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