Selecting the Right Grass Seed

Spring has arrived, which often symbolizes change and transformation. And creating beautiful and healthy landscapes is more than a career path for many lawn care professionals – it’s a labor of love. Landscapers are continually moving toward more eco-friendly solutions and trying to innovate their services to stay ahead in a crowded market. Providing your clients with a healthy, durable, and low-maintenance landscape is a great way to achieve this. What Makes Grass High Maintenance? Most cool-season grasses, which are common to New Jersey, cannot thrive on their own. Some are prone to the growth of organic matter (thatch), more susceptible to disease, or intolerant of things like too much shade. That’s why it’s common for wholesalers to offer lawn and landscape professionals application programs – to prevent these more fragile grasses from breaking or even dying. Such programs allow the grass to grow to its full potential, even in unfavorable conditions. Working with organic products can also improve the quality of the soil.

What Are Some Low-Maintenance Grass Types?

There are a variety of low-maintenance grasses out there for landscapers to use based on the region they’re working in. There are grasses for warmer seasons, cooler seasons, and even some designed specifically for transition zones. What you choose for your landscaping projects will largely depend on factors like how heat tolerant the area is or whether the land is prone to drought. 

Some popular low-maintenance grasses include Bermudagrass, Buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass, Bahia grass, Zoysia grass, and Fescue grass. 

Why Does It Matter?

Consumers love convenience, and low-maintenance grass gives them time back in their day. That frees them up to spend more time on work and with their loved ones and makes upkeep less labor intensive. Less upkeep also means lower electricity bills on an ongoing basis. 

A larger case can be made about the extraction of resources and the adverse effects of using pesticides. Not only do resources get scarcer as time goes on, but using chemical solutions on the healthy landscapes we do have can contaminate soil, water, vegetation, and more. It can also be toxic to insects, wildlife, pets, and humans.

Researching Alternatives

Researchers from two Big Ten universities are in the process of developing a five-year plan to create “an environmentally friendly grass that is more resistant to disease and drought and a better economical choice for homeowners.” The end result would be a fine fescue that is less dependent on water and fertilizer, less vulnerable to disease, and more tolerant to everyday wear and tear. 

While research is proving that fine fescue is a better alternative to what’s available on the market, most consumers aren’t ready to invest. That is why it is becoming increasingly important for landscapers and wholesalers to educate the public about the benefits of these low-maintenance alternatives. And in time, they should be willing to add them to their product and service offerings. Things like fine Fescue might have a bigger price tag, but the long-term benefits to the environment are arguably worth it.

Regardless of the grass you choose to work with, be open to exploring alternatives. As a landscaping professional, you’re in a unique position to help drive change that could benefit the planet for years to come.

Tech Terra Environmental offers ecological solutions for tree and turf care professionals. We specialize in environmentally conscious application products to improve plant and soil health for lawn care providers, landscape contractors and municipalities & schools in the tree and turf care industry. Please call to speak to a specialist at 609.468.1905 or contact us HERE