How Grass Works (2024)

Finally, we get to the meat of the matter. If you've got the right soil, and you've planted the right grass, how do you keep your lawn mean and green?

There are eight major components to lawn maintenance:

Advertisem*nt

Watering
Mowing
Fertilizing
Fighting weeds
Fighting pests
Fighting disease
Aerating
De-thatching

Watering is simple. The general rule is to water heavily, when the lawn really needs it, rather than watering lightly more frequently. If you water lightly, the water won't make it down into the soil so it won't do much good. You should water enough to soak 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) deep, encouraging the roots to grow deep into the ground. Watering recommendations vary between different soil types, but as a general rule, water until there is about an inch of water (2.5 cm) over the ground surface.

Water as soon as the grass starts to dry out. Its color will change from green to bluish grey, and it will lose some of its bounce. If the grass doesn't spring back a few seconds after you step on it, it needs water. The best time to water is in the early morning; the water won't evaporate as easily as in the afternoon, and it will cool the lawn down as temperatures start to climb.

Periodic Maintenance

In addition to mowing and watering regularly, you'll need to make time for several larger jobs throughout the year.

Fertilizing

Fertilizing adds nutrients to the soil so that the soil can provide nutrients to the grass. If you mow regularly, your grass will grow very quickly, which means it needs more nutrients than an average plant. Your soil can provide nutrients for most native plants by itself, but it may need some help to feed your grass.

The most effective way to fertilize is to spread slow-acting commercial granular fertilizer once or twice a year. Unlike water-soluble spray fertilizer, which acts on the leaves directly, granular fertilizer releases nutrients gradually over several months. If you spread the fertilizer in the fall, it will strengthen the plant's root structure, making it more resilient to drought and more resistant to weeds. You can also add natural fertilizer, such as compost and manure.

Aerating

When soil gets compacted -- from foot traffic, mowing and the like -- oxygen can't reach the microbes that break down organic matter to enrich the soil. To keep your lawn healthy, it's a good idea to aerate it periodically -- to open up the compacted soil.

Manual and power core-aerators remove narrow sections of soil to form shallow holes. Air, water and organic material spread into the ground through the holes, revitalizing the soil. If heavy traffic compacts your lawn severely, it's best to aerate it every spring or fall.

De-thatching

In any lawn, thatch material collects around the base of the grass plants. Thatch is not made up of mowed grass clippings, as is commonly believed. Clippings usually break down in a week or so. Thatch is actually made up of culms and crowns that have died naturally.

A small amount of thatch helps conserve water in the soil by blocking evaporation, but heavy thatch build-up (more than a quarter-inch / 6 mm thick) keeps air and water from ever reaching the soil. If there's too much thatch on your lawn, rake it up or rent a power de-thatcher.

Weeding

Weeding is an ongoing process, but it shouldn't take much time once you establish a healthy lawn. Grass, especially modern mixtures, is extremely competitive and will crowd out most weeds itself. If a lot of weeds do pop up, take it as a sign that your grass is weaker than it should be. This could mean your soil is deficient or water-logged, or it could mean you're cutting the grass too short.

Weeds will also pop up in a healthy lawn, of course. For the most part, this isn't anything to worry about. Almost all lawns have weeds, and they don't do much harm in small numbers. Simply pull up any weeds that detract from the lawn's appearance. If you have a larger weed problem, spray the individual weeds with a low-toxicity herbicide. Don't spray the entire lawn unless you have weeds throughout.

Pest Control

Pest control is similar to weed control. If you have a healthy, thriving lawn, you shouldn't have to worry about it. Bugs will make their home in your lawn, but they won't be able to damage the grass much.

From time to time, however, bugs may destroy some of your grass. You can treat infestations by spraying insecticide or certain bacteria (namely, Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt). Only use insecticides that kill harmful insects specifically. Ants and spiders prey on lawn pests, so you certainly want to keep them around. Check out this site for more information.

Fighting Disease

Diseased lawns are usually caused by fungi feeding on the grass plants. Healthy grass stands up to fungus very well, but it develops disease now and then. Fight persistent or widespread fungi with a fungicide, available at any garden center. This site explains how to identify and fight common lawn diseases.

Lawn care is as complex as you want to make it. If you must have your own personal golf course in the backyard, you might devote many hours a week to your yard. If you just want something covering the ground, you could plant native grasses that pretty much take care of themselves. The links in the next section will show you the available options and expand on these basic guidelines for proper maintenance.

What's Weed and Feed?

"Weed and feed" products are simply a combination of herbicide chemicals and fertilizer chemicals. These products may contain pre-emergent herbicides, which kill weeds that haven't sprouted yet, or post-emergent herbicides, which kill grown weed plants. Some weed and feed mixtures also contain pesticides. Just like "shampoo and conditioner in one" products, the idea of weed and feed is to cut down on lawn care time by giving you everything you need in one bottle.

Garden experts warn that this usually isn't the best approach to feeding and weeding. For one thing, the optimum fertilizing time is different from the optimum weed-killing time in most areas. More importantly, applying herbicide all over your lawn is overkill when you only have isolated weeds, and the chemicals can damage the environment. In most cases, applying fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide more precisely, when it is needed, is a better lawn care strategy.

FAQs

How does grass work? ›

Turf Grass Growth: Leaves, Roots and Stems

Starting underground with the grass roots, nutrients and water are absorbed by the tiny root hairs that protrude into the soil. The roots then transport this life-sustaining nutrition to the shoots and leaves. At the tip of the root is the meristem, which is where grass grows.

View Details ›

What is the grass long answer? ›

Grass is a very common plant consisting of large numbers of thin, spiky, green leaves that cover the surface of the ground. Small things stirred in the grass around the tent. Synonyms: turf, lawn More Synonyms of grass.

Learn More ›

What three things does the grass need in order to survive? ›

There are three top nutrients grass needs to grow; potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Though all plants need these three key nutrients to thrive, grass requires higher concentrations for proper growth. Of all three, nitrogen is the most important as that is what gives grass its vivid color and tremendous growth.

View Details ›

How is grass so successful? ›

In the eons before they formed these priceless expanses, grasses evolved several traits that would secure their eventual success. They are wind-pollinated, tossing their pollen to the air. The wind spreads it far and wide, creating a lot of opportunity for pollination over a large area.

Discover More Details ›

What process does grass use? ›

Photosynthesis is the process of turning carbon into plant energy and takes place in the chloroplast.

Read On ›

How does green grass work? ›

Grass appears green because Chlorophyll absorbs light at two wavelengths, both red and blue, while reflecting green. If grass is kept in complete darkness it will turn white and die.

Why is grass so important? ›

Lawns are for more than just looks. Maintaining a healthy, thick lawn also benefits the environment. Unlike hard surfaces such as concrete, asphalt, and wood, lawn grass helps clean the air, trap carbon dioxide, reduce erosion from stormwater runoff, improve soil, decrease noise pollution, and reduce temperatures.

Know More ›

Is grass a plant, yes or no? ›

Grasses are herbaceous (er-bay-shus) plants. Herbaceous means that they have tender green stems, rather than woody stems like those of trees and shrubs. WHERE DO GRASSES LIVE? Grass grows on every continent—including Antarctica—and there about 1,000 different grasses in North America.

Get More Info Here ›

What is a few lines about grass? ›

Grasses are a family of plants with leaves that usually look like blades. Most of them also have hollow stems and many branching roots. The green grass found in yards, the grasses growing on open land, grains, and bamboos all belong to the grass family.

How long can grass go without water? ›

Without water, the grass eventually goes dormant, turning brown and staying that way until revived with adequate moisture. In general, grass can go up to six weeks without water, depending on the condition of the lawn, soil and other environmental factors.

Explore More ›

What makes grass alive? ›

Why Grass is a Living Thing. Just like other living things, grass eats and breathes. To stay alive, it needs sunlight to photosynthesize and make its own energy, water, and vital nutrients from the soil. Its roots also need access to oxygen, just like you and I (this is where lawn aeration comes in handy).

Is grass a living or nonliving? ›

All plants and animals are living because they can grow and reproduce, need food, water, and air, move and respond or adapt to their environment.

Learn More ›

What is grass full explanation? ›

grass. / grăs / Any of a large family ( Gramineae or Poaceae ) of monocotyledonous plants having narrow leaves, hollow stems, and clusters of very small, usually wind-pollinated flowers. Grasses include many varieties of plants grown for food, fodder, and ground cover. Wheat, maize, sugar cane, and bamboo are grasses.

Read The Full Story ›

How does grass multiply? ›

While some grass does 'spread' via underground roots (rhyzomes), most lawn grass does not. The only way for it to actually spread is if it reseeds itself.

See Details ›

Does grass produce oxygen? ›

Grass is one of the biggest oxygen producers of the planet. It is said that it even produces 3 times more than trees! In fact, a lawn of 2,500 square feet (762m²) produces enough oxygen for a family of four. Grass roots prevent soil erosion.

Discover More ›

What happens to grass if you never cut it? ›

When grass isn't cut, it grows taller and begins to clump together. This causes the stems to become woody. Tallgrass consumes more nutrients from the soil and weakens the lawn. This causes patches across the lawn and eventually, it will be overrun by weeds and insects, becoming very unhealthy grass.

Show Me More ›

How does grass grow on its own? ›

The way that grass grows (or spreads) depends on the specific grass type that you're dealing with. Some grass grows laterally and will naturally fill in bare spots on the lawn. These are either Rhizome grasses or Stolon grasses. Rhizome grasses grow with spreading root systems underneath the soil.