Lawn care involves a lot of work and time.

- From early spring clean up
- Timed fertilizations
- Topdressing
- Weekly mowing
- Weeding
- Watering
...to late fall leaves pick-up

Lawn care
Watering Lawns

Factors Involved in Choosing Lawn Grasses

With the many lawn grasses described in gardening magazines and books, how do you choose which is best for lawns in Montreal? The choice depends largely on characteristics of the grass and the intended site for it to grow. Grasses vary in growth habit, appearance quality, ease and rate of establishment, maintenance needs, adaptability to shade, wear tolerance, ability to recover from damage, cold hardiness, susceptibility to pests and diseases, and other factors.

Consider a variety of factors when choosing a grass for your lawn, including:

How much light is available on the site? Full sun areas dictate use of different grasses than areas receiving shade from trees or buildings.

Are there problem areas within the site, such as slopes facing south or west (more heat stress), poor drainage, or heavily used areas (lots of traffic)?

What is the anticipated level of maintenance (fertilizing, watering, pest control) the lawn will receive? Grasses can be classified as high, medium, and low maintenance.

What standards of quality are desired? In general, high anticipated quality usually means higher maintenance requirements while fair to moderate anticipated quality usually calls for less maintenance.

What are the expected costs? In addition to the initial establishment costs, there are ongoing maintenance costs. Higher maintenance levels mean higher costs.

Ideally, all of these factors would be considered prior to putting in the lawn. However, reviewing these factors can also be useful when evaluating existing lawns that have chronic problems. Consider that the source of the problems may be the wrong grass for the site.

Each species has a specific growth habit. Bunch-type grasses grow in clumps and spread very little via tillers from the base of the plant, so do not readily recover from damage or fill-in bare areas on their own. Other grasses either have rhizomes, stems that grow horizontally underground; or stolons, horizontal stems that grow above the soil surface. Grasses with either of these types of growth can readily fill-in adjoining bare areas and recover more readily when damaged.

There are many types of grasses out there and in order to have a nice lawn you must know the type of grass you have or which is best suited for your area. There are some that thrive in sunny or shady areas, wet or dry areas, these are just a few conditions that affect the growth of a lush thriving lawn.

In our Montreal climate the types of grass that do the best are:

Kentucky bluegrass
Ryegrass
Bentgrass

Kentucky bluegrass is by far the most popular species used in home lawns in northern Illinois, due to high quality appearance, hardiness, and recovery ability. Kentucky bluegrass spreads by rhizomes. Most cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass require moderate to high levels of maintenance (such as fertilizing and watering) to maintain high quality. Kentucky bluegrass prefers full sun, although a few cultivars have tolerance to light shade. Kentucky bluegrass is slow to establish by seed, and is also readily available as sod.

Fine fescues require less maintenance and many adapt to shade. The fine fescues include red and chewings fescues, sheep fescue, and hard fescue. Leaf width is narrow, and most are bunch-type grasses (red fescues have weak rhizomes). Wear tolerance (such as foot traffic) and recovery ability of the fine fescues is fair. Maintenance levels are generally low, especially fertilizer needs, and fine fescues may decline in full sun when mowed frequently. Fine fescues are seeded.

Perennial ryegrass offers quick establishment and good wear tolerance. Perennial ryegrass is a bunch-type grass with quality very similar to Kentucky bluegrass. Maintenance needs are moderate to high. Perennial ryegrass is not suggested to be used alone as a lawn grass; but as part of a lawn seed mixture instead.

These lawn species are cool-season grasses, growing most actively in spring and fall.

Other turf grass species may be used, or are often promoted for use, for certain situations in Montreal. Each has limitations when considered for lawns, however.

Tall fescue features good heat and wear tolerance. Newer turf-type tall fescue cultivars are much improved in appearance as a lawn grass compared to the old types (such as Kentucky 31). There is some concern over winter hardiness. Tall fescue has a bunch-type growth habit, so it does not recover well after being damaged. Tall fescue would be a good choice for a warm, dry site, but may require over seeding periodically to maintain a quality stand. Tall fescue prefers full sun but also tolerates shade.

Now Available, New All-Natural Weed killer Fiesta Approved.

For use on lawns and turf (on rights of way, non-crop areas, golf courses, parks, cemeteries and athletic fields) consisting of one or more of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fescue (tall fescue, chewing's fescue, and /or creeping fescue).

• Kills Broadleaf Weeds in Lawns.
• Controls Down to the Root!
• Derived from Iron, which occurs in nature.
• Water based, no unpleasant odour.
• People and Pets can enter area once the spray has dried.
• Rain-fast in 3 hours.
• Works fast -- see results in hours.
• Works in cool weather!

Fiesta Herbicide contains Iron (4.43%) in the form of FeHEDTA. Fiesta controls broadleaf weeds!