Grass. It’s an important part of your lawn, right? Well, how much do you know about your grass? In this article, we’ll present some elementary grass facts and teach you more about the green grass of your home.
How does grass grow?
Grass grows from the ground up where the roots are. Grass, like other plants, gets its energy from the sun and its water and nutrients from the ground through its roots. Grass roots are fibrous and extend into the soil like fingers, collecting nutrients and soaking up water and securing the grass plant to the ground. With both energy and food, grass grows the long, skinny leaves that make up our lawns.
Since grass grows from the ground up, we don’t have to worry about ruining our grass when we mow it. The leaves keep reaching upward from the ground. Clipping the tops of the leaves doesn’t hurt the grass which will keep growing as long as it has energy from the sun and receives nutrients and water.
Why is grass green?
Grass is green because plants use the light from the sun to make food. The process is called photosynthesis. It uses a chemical called chlorophyll which is green. Chlorophyll stores light from the sun and transfers the energy into chemical reactions that produce sugar. We see the grass as green because of the chlorophyll stored in the grass plant is green.
What types of grass should I grow in Central Texas?
Every area of the country has different types of grasses that work best for it. In the warmer climates of Central Texas, we should be using Bermuda grass, St. Augustine Grass, Buffalo Grass or Zoysia grass.
Bermuda grass is drought resistance and grows in full sun. It’s a tough grass that has few problems. St. Augustine Grass is a very popular grass. It can have some problems with white grubs, chinch bugs, brown patch and Take-All Root Rot. St. Augustine grass is a big water user. We sometimes over-water it, leading to disease and other issues. It does grow in the sun or shade, making it a versatile grass.
Buffalo grass is drought tolerant. It’s the only turf grass native to Texas. Certain buffalo grass hybrids are better than actual buffalo grass for Central Texas lawns. It requires full sun and not a lot of mowing. It’s especially susceptible to foot traffic so be careful not to walk on it too much. Zoysia grass grows in full sun although some of its hybrids can handle shade. Its drought tolerant and turns brown in winter.
So, now that you know some elementary grass facts, do you think you can handle your lawn better? If not, Emerald Lawns can maintain a beautiful lawn for you. We can be reached at 512.990.2199. We’re happy to help.
