lawn question

[heatherindeskies]

I have a country lawn and told my roommate that i didn't want to mow it anymore because even though it is short, it has many seed heads growing in there. He said i should mow it anyway... that grass grows more grass through the root system. I'm thinking if this was totally true, nature wouldn't be providing those seeds each fall. I think I should take advantage of the free seed. I don't care if it gets long and looks bad this fall.
Anybody have an opinion? other than it's gotta be mowed, I don't know much about lawns.

 

[Miltonchix]

But you'll also let any weeds go to seed too.

 

[StupidBird]

So what comprises your "country lawn"? fescue? Clover? I second the weeds thing, but if its the only green thing in the yard, then...
Here in Atlanta there's such a variety of lawn grass species. I personally prefer fescue; its dormant in the heat of summer but who wants to mow then anyway? Bermuda is dormant in winter. But I have lots of weeds, it could be classed as a country lawn too. If fescue gets cut too short, it dies and the crabgrass takes over. If it grows too tall, the plants crowd each other out and coverage gets spotty and crabgrass takes over. Since we still drive and park on the front lawn, I still only care that its green. No HOA to worry about.

But if it gets tall, we get LOTS more rodents. See my thread about dead mice in the truck.

So I guess with this argument, how's your pest and predator situation? Seed heads = mouse food?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Different types of grass do better at different heights. However, in general, a taller height provides more shade for the roots and thus grows better roots. Once you know what kind of grass you have and the recommended heights, you can mow at the taller end to keep it looking neat. Some grass grows more by roots and others more by seed, so it really depends.

 

[Laurajean]

I could care less about perfect manicured lawns. I leave mine to be all natural, no pesticides, no mowing, no killing or pulling weeds. My neighbors' geese help keep it low, and to me, weeds are just flowers that someone decided to call something else. But I'm in the country and I don't care what anyone thinks of it, I do my own thing.

Sorry, I guess I'm not much help.

 

[Muggsmagee]

Quote:
Your roommate is correct. My husband went to school for turf grass management...if he wasn't sleeping, I'd ask him right now...he tells me grass has rhizomes that act as a new plant. You can cut your grass and have more grass come up. Seeds aren't the ONLY way a plant can propagate itself. You can look at it as the seeds can drop, but if your grass roots are "tight" they will not germinate, or will crowd out the roots currently existing. On most golf courses they aerate the turf...they take out finger sized plugs a few inches apart...then topdress the course. This gives air to the roots and also room for the roots to grow.

There are a number of plants that have more than one way to propagate. Look at strawberries...they have seeds AND runners.