Types of Cool Season Grass for Maine Lawns

August 14, 2015 by Justinhay

Types of Cool Season Grass for Maine Lawns

There are a variety of cool season grass commonly used in Maine lawns. Read more to learn about the different types.

Perennial ryegrass is a dark green, fine-to-medium textured grass. It performs best on well-drained, fertile soils. It is usually grown either alone or in combination with Kentucky bluegrass. When seeded with Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass should not exceed 10-15% of the seed mix, in order to prevent the bluegrass from being out-competed during the seed germination process. Perennial ryegrass tolerates heavy foot traffic and develops into a durable sod, but it requires more fertilizer and water than other turf grasses. It is a bunch-type grass, and does not quickly form a solid turf when it is grown alone. Also, because perennial ryegrass is fibrous, it is important to mow with a very sharp blade. Not all perennial ryegrasses are winter-hardy in Maine. Over time, they can thin out or even be killed during a cold, open winter. Perennial ryegrass often comprises 5-10% of seed mixes. It functions as a “nurse crop” by germinating in 5-7 days, and protecting the slower germinating grasses.

Fine fescues include red fescue, chewings fescue, and hard fescue. They have finer texture than Kentucky bluegrass. They are quite tolerant of dry soils, acid soils, and low fertility, and perform well in shady sites. However, fine fescues do not support as much foot traffic as other turf grasses. Red fescue is widely used in grass mixes, but it can be used alone as an unmown meadow grass, or for erosion control on slopes, or for a low maintenance/low traffic shady lawn. It knits well into a lawn because it grows from rhizomes, but its leaves are shiny and fine-textured, and it does not mow easily when it is grown alone. Red fescue is the only common turf grass that is native to Maine. Chewings fescue and hard fescue are bunch-type grasses. They do not knit into a solid turf as quickly as red fescue.

Kentucky bluegrass is the dominant grass type in traditional northern lawns. A blend of three or more varieties of Kentucky bluegrass forms an excellent lawn in a full-sun, well-drained site with moderate-to-high fertility and regular irrigation. Kentucky bluegrass knits together well because it spreads by underground rhizomes. It tolerates cold winter temperatures and heavy wear, making it an excellent athletic field choice. In the heat of summer, it sometimes becomes dormant and turns brown, but it greens up again when temperatures drop. When this grass is over-fertilized or over-watered, it can develop a layer of thatch (dead tissue at the base of the plants) that interferes with water movement and grass growth.

Tall fescues have been improved in recent years, and are now used as stand-alone blends for low-maintenance lawns in many parts of the country, including Maine. Tall fescues germinate best in very warm soils and are slow to establish into a turf because they are bunch grasses. It is important to control the weeds that can establish in the open spaces among the grass clumps during the first one or two seasons. Tall fescues tolerate heat and drought, and perform well in sun or light shade. However, not all tall fescues are fully hardy throughout Maine. After a cold, open winter, the spring cover may be reduced, allowing weeds to establish and making it necessary to overseed.

Grass mixes are composed of two or more types of grass. Traditional home lawn grass mixes are composed of Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Such a mix adapts to the range of conditions found in a home lawn; the Kentucky bluegrass tends to dominate in sunny areas, while the fine fescues dominate in shadier and less fertile areas, and the ryegrass is competitive in high-moisture areas.

Endophyte-enhanced grasses have fungi living in them. Endophyte-enhanced varieties of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and fine fescues are available. They perform well in low-maintenance and high-stress situations, and resist leaf-feeding insects such as chinch bugs, billbugs, and sod webworms. They do not resist root feeding by white grubs.

Other grasses: Bentgrass is a very fine-textured grass planted on many golf greens, but it is not recommended for home lawns. Annual ryegrassis sometimes added to inexpensive seed mixes, but it is not perennial and is not recommended as a lawn grass for Maine. Warm-season grassessuch as zoysia and St. Augustine grass are sometimes advertised for use in the northern part of North America, but they are not hardy and are not recommended for use in Maine

Pruning a Rhododendron

June 22, 2015 by Justinhay

Pruning a Rhododendron

Here is a review on the pruning of a common foundation planting found around homes in Maine, the rhododendron. Pruning a rhododendron is normally done for maintenance, shaping, and rejuvenation.

Maintenance pruning is the removal of spent flowers and old, dead wood. It is important to remove the flower stems from the shrub once blooming has stopped. Allowing these dead flower clusters to remain on the plant can actually decrease the following year’s flowering. Cut near the bottom of the old flower cluster. Also, remove dead parts of the shrub, following the branch back to healthy wood and making your cut at that location.

Between the first frost in fall and the last frost in spring will work for trimming rhododendrons. As the flowers diminish, prune no more than 15-20 inches off the most resilient branches. Cut back the plant to uncover the inner branches. Follow the branch down to the last whorl of leaves you want to keep and cut just over those leaves, about 1/4 inch above the topmost leaf in this cluster.

Large, unkempt rhododendrons can be cut 12-15 inches from the ground when necessary. Rhododendrons often have three or more central branches rising from the crown of the plant. Each of these primary branches should be cut at differing heights to produce a more natural-looking shrub. Cut about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch just above a dormant bud. Pruning above a cluster of two or three buds is even better.

Sometimes more severe pruning may be required, cutting to about 6 inches or so from the ground. Their adventitious buds at the bottom of the plant will send up new shoots, but keep in mind that flowering usually won’t occur for up to 2 or three years after this substantial pruning.

Lawn Mowing Tips

May 18, 2015 by Justinhay

Lawn Mowing Tips

Starting up the lawn mower signifies the start of Spring for many Portland Maine residents. We are here to provide some helpful lawn mowing tips to reap the benefits of a healthy lawn in 2015.

Grass height should be cut 2 1/2″ to 3″ (we recommend 3″)
Do not cut more than 1/3 of the height off in a single mowing.
Once per week is the preferable schedule to keep the grass manageable although this will be determined by growth.
Keeps lawn mower blades sharpened and balanced to avoid injury to the grass.
Mulching grass clippings (leaving on the lawn) returns valuable nutrients to lawn, when not excessive.

Call AC Yard Services today to have your property mowed by a professional local Maine company.

Spring Clean-Ups in Portland Maine

April 17, 2015 by Justinhay

Spring Clean-Ups in Portland Maine

Spring is a beautiful and exciting time in Maine! Now is the time of year to prepare your lawn and landscaping for the season with a Spring Clean-Up.

To ensure your lawn looks good, it should be cleared of debris left over from fall and winter including leaves, branches, pine cones, and pine needles. Lawn dethatching will reduce that layer of spongy dead grass and fluff up the lawn for summer.

The city and town plow trucks provide a valuable service making the roads safe during our harsh Maine winters, however there are some after effects. Sand from the street needs to remove from the lawn to promote healthy grass growth. Any lawn dug up by the plow also needs to be graded and may need to be seeded in order for the grass to come back.

Flower beds should also be cleaned out including cutting any perennials not completed in the fall, weeding, pruning broken branches prior to spreading mulch. Shrubs that flower on new wood should be pruned in early spring. Mulching improves appearance and helps discourage weeds from growing. A layer of 3”-4” should be applied for weed prevention. Mulch beds should be edged to provide a clean border and prevent mulch from spilling into the lawn. This also helps put a stop to grass and weeds growing from your lawn into the flower beds.

Your property will look beautiful in 2015 with proper spring clean-up preparation and continued maintenance throughout the season!

Blog