Do you have sandy soil in your lawn? Do you want to grow grass in your lawn but don't know about the best grass seed for sandy soil?
Many times, people want a lawn full of green natural grass, but unluckily they have sandy soil instead. This might limit the options of seeds available for growing good grass in your lawn but, thankfully, there are seeds available which might help you to accomplish your task. Sandy soils have trouble retaining water content, which can result in grasses dying out. Getting a lawn full of green grass can be hard especially on sandy soils but, with certain grass seeds, you can have a garden that delights you!
What Is Wrong In Sandy Soil?
Sandy soil is very good for growing fruit trees and plants but, when it comes to growing grass, it can be pretty troublesome. Sandy soil contains irregular round particles, which contain air pockets in the soil.
Due to this, the soil is unable to hold on to the valuable water and mineral content required by the roots of grass. Water drains out from such kind of soil too quickly, even before the roots can absorb it, moreover sandy soil also doesn't provide stability to the roots.
Which Type Of Grass Seeds Can I Use For Sandy Soils?
Growing grass or turf on sandy soil can be a tricky thing to do. Not all grass types can survive on such soil conditions, but there are few grass types which can be used in such conditions.
Below are some of the types of grasses which you can use if you have sandy soil. These grasses all have similarities: they requires less water, less nutrients and you don’t have to mow them frequently.
Mowing for grass in sandy soil therefore can be reduced, but it doesn’t mean to not mow at all. In contrast, mowing at a certain time and frequency can help the lawn to eliminate weeds. Remember to water the grass and sharpen your mowing blade before cutting or just pick up a new mulching blade every year like I do.
Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass requires well drain soils or soil types with less water content since it is a warm season grass and if you have sandy soil, then this grass type is best suited for it. Bermuda grass is a very fast growing grass. It has a dark green shade to it and is very thick. It's also the best grass for clay soil.
Bermuda grass can easily survive both conditions of flood and drought, but it can't live in conditions of no sunlight or shade. So make sure you plant it in regions having continuous exposure to bright sunlight during the day time. Its color changes to straw colored during the period of dormancy. It was originated from South Africa and now has become enough popular in South America.
Via amazon.com
Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass Seed
Centipede Grass
Centipede grass gets its name from the insect centipede, as it resembles it in appearance. It is slow growing and coarse textured. It is light green in color and needs stolons to spread. The mowing and fertilizing requirements of this grass are very infrequent. This grass can’t stand high pH of soil, traffic and shade, so make sure you plant it in only sunny areas.
You can buy centipede grass seeds from here
Via amazon.com
Bahia Grass
Bahia grass doesn't require much water to grow but when it faces water shortage for a longer period, its color starts to fade away. It has a deep root system which helps it to penetrate its roots much deeper in the ground making it excellent for sandy soils. It doesn't require much water and fertilizers but when dormant, starts to turn brown and die.
Bahia is good for sandy soil but it also has some disadvantages such as it doesn't make a very attractive lawn to look at when planted, since its color is dull and it is not much dense as compared to other grass types. It should be only used when the area needing plantation is large and sandy in nature.
You can buy Bahia grass seeds from here
Via amazon.com
Scotts 18103 Pensacola Bahia Turf Builder Grass Seed
Cool Season Fescue
Fescue grass can be used in drought prone areas or areas having low water content, and it is all because sandy soil is an optimal choice to plant this grass. It has deep root system which can easily stand stable even in sandy soil.
Fescue doesn't have issues with light or dark and so it can grow very well in both sunlight and shade. Red, tall and hard Fescue grows the best in sandy soils. The creeping red Fescue is the most popular of them all as it grows fast and occupies empty patches in lawn quiet fast. Tall fescue is best for providing a good color for the lawn and if you need a low maintenance grass, Hard Fescue is the best.
You can buy Fescue grass seeds from here
Via amazon.com
Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed - Dense Shade Mix for Tall Fescue Lawns
Zoysia Grass
Zoysia is the best for highly porous sandy soils. It has long roots which go deep in the soil. Once the roots make their place in the soil, they make the grass drought tolerant. It’s roots also helps to make it less dependent on the fertility of the soil to get its nutrients from.
Zoysia grass provides high density lawn with a lush green color which even lasts longer as compared to some other grass of same region. When in dormant state, it turns golden brown which looks good enough. It requires full sun exposure for growth but can also do fine when grown in shade.
You can buy Zoysia grass seeds from here
Via amazon.com
You can refer to a great article on LawnStater to know more about grass seed for sandy soil
Conclusion
Having sandy soil can be a lot of trouble for getting your lawn prepared but with these grass turfs, you can easily get a lush green and dense garden in a matter of months. Sandy soil doesn't hold water for a long time so the grass should be chosen accordingly. Grass plants which can be suitable for such soil conditions are:
- Bermuda Grass
- Centipede Grass
- Bahia Grass
- Cool season Fescue
- Zoysia Grass
These grass types do well in sandy soil as they don't require more water as compared to other type of grasses. They all have their own pros and cons so choose wisely! Of all the options Zoysia is probably the best option as it doesn't require much water and can grow well in both sun and shade.
Read more:
Different Types Of Seed Spreaders
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