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Best type of grass in Ontorio

What is the best type of grass to plant in Toronto?

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada, and if you include some of the major nearby areas (like Mississauga, Markham, Hamilton, Oshawa, Peterborough, Guelph and Kitchener, to name a few) the total population is in excess of three million people, according to Wikipedia.

The Toronto area has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years and given its wonderful location, likely since the end of the last ice age. The city’s location, on a lake with favorable weather patterns, allows lawns, grass, trees, and all landscaping to thrive.

Grass, specifically, flourishes in Toronto, but only if the correct variety is used. There are four primary types of grass that do well in Canada, including Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, Fescue, and Canada Bluegrass.

Your garden is not aging, it just needs regular nurturing. Call us and we will nurture it.

Kentucky Bluegrass

It is often considered the ideal lawn grass, says American seed company, Nature’s Seed. When properly grown and cared for in the Toronto area, the grass produces a dense, lush, durable lawn. This grass requires a relatively high level of maintenance (including organic fertilization, and landscaping to ensure proper light levels) to looks its best. It is a cool season grass, with excellent winter hardiness (even in snow plow season!). It can be susceptible to drought, and it needs full sunlight (shade can stress this grass).

Kentucky Bluegrass

Ryegrass

It is widely used, but how it is used varies throughout Canada. This grass germinates quickly and establishes itself well in the Toronto area. The grass is lush, with fine blades that keep color throughout the winter. It is a cool season grass, fast germination, good cold tolerance that can handle shade. It definitely helps provide that fresh cut grass smell! Because of its germination, frequent grass cuts are needed to properly maintain.

Fescue

It is a very adaptable grass variety that does well in cold, and can withstand heat and drought, according to Seedland.com. This grass is highly durable and also can withstand some stress. It is best in cool season areas, does well in the Toronto area, as well as most of Canada. It also is heat/drought and shade tolerant, and is one of the best grasses at resisting disease. Lawn mowing pros love this grass because it can be cut without fear of damage, and looks great!

Canada Bluegrass

It is a great choice as it is shade tolerant and can withstand moderate drought. It is useful in a mix with Kentucky Bluegrass or Ryegrass for the different texture in the lawn. It does well in the Toronto area and landscapers appreciate its resistance to frequent lawn cuts.

For any of these types of grass, it is important to maintain the grass and yard throughout the growing season. This should be done as frequently as every few days in the early growing season, and as infrequently as weekly during the warm summer months. Grass Cuts, on a consistent basis, are critical for lawn health.

Some of the types of grass described above are not tolerant of shade. In those cases it is critical to complete tree work to keep your yard looking its best, including pruning, proper chemical balance, and ensuring proper limb shape and balance.

If you don’t have the time, equipment or knowledge to take care of these types of grass. Landscaping services are a great way to keep your property looking great throughout the year.

Planting the right grass in Ontario

Growing a lush, green grass anyplace in Canada is difficult at best – and nearly impossible at worst, as many landscape professionals and homeowners will tell you. Winters in the Greater Toronto Area play a role, as we are regularly pounded by several feet of snow and see temperatures in January that seldom rise above 29 degrees Fahrenheit and frequently fall below 17 degrees Fahrenheit. February isn’t any better.

The type of seed best suited for a given soil, where the seed should be sown, and what kind of irrigation system will be most advantageous and cost effective are all factors to consider while landscaping for a green, thick grass.

Our talented and experienced design professionals at Eden Landscaping can assist you in determining the ideal type of lawn for your needs and creating an overall landscaping design plan that fits your goals and budget. Because summers are short and winters may be brutally severe with loads of snow and bitter winds, the best sorts of grasses to grow in Canada are those adapted to cool-season temperatures. Cool-season grasses grow the greatest in the spring and fall when properly cared for, slow down in the summer, and go dormant in the winter. In many ways, this resembles how some mammals hibernate over the winter.

The greatest grasses in Canada flourish in temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but they’ve also developed to withstand subzero conditions in the winter.

What are the best grasses to plant in the Greater Toronto Area?

Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescues, Bent Grass, and Perennial Rye Grass are the main competitors.

Ryegrass

Our consumers adore Kentucky Bluegrass for its dark blue-green colours and canoe-shaped blades, as well as its capacity to grow in lower conditions. This variety of grass should be kept at a height of two and a half to three and a quarter inches tall.

Characteristics to look for:

  • Because it is hardy but not drought resistant, it needs to be watered on a regular basis.
  • Resistance to disease and pests.
  • More fertilizers is required.
  • The thin roots make it a wonderful “showplace” lawn, but it doesn’t do well in high-traffic locations.
  • Fescues have bristly, medium green leaves and are fine and tall.
  • Fescues, like Kentucky Bluegrass, should be managed to a maximum height of three and a quarter inches.
  • Deep and frequent watering is required, but not to the point where the soil becomes noticeably wet.
  • It thrives in the shade.
  • Foot traffic resistant.
  • It’s frequently mixed with other grasses by landscape designers, and it thrives in less-than-ideal soil conditions.
  • Bent grass gets its name from the fact that its fine-textured, deep green blades bend even when only a few inches tall. Despite its small size, this grass is widely used on golf courses and grass tennis courts.

Characteristics to look for:

  • During the growing season, it must be watered once a week.
  • To avoid stems creating thatches and dense mats, it must be pruned on a regular basis.
  • A lawn mower with a razor-sharp blade is recommended.
  • Perennial rye grass is a popular choice among Toronto homeowners because of its fine texture, dark green colour, and glossy appearance. Perennial rye grass, like Kentucky Bluegrass, should be managed to a maximum height of three and a quarter inches.

Characteristics to look for:

  • Roots are shallow.
  • Watering should be done on a regular basis.
  • Tolerance to disease.
  • In high-traffic regions, it holds up nicely.
  • It thrives in both full sun and partial shade.
  • It swiftly germinates and thrives, and it’s frequently blended with other grasses.

Before planting seed, follow these six basic actions to prepare the soil:

Loosen the soil to a depth of four to six inches with a rake or other yard tool. Breaking up clumps of hard soil, as well as removing rocks, roots, and other material that could impede seed from developing properly, may necessitate the use of a hand tool or shovel. Don’t be afraid to wet the soil to help removing clay, rocks, or hardened dirt easier.

Get a soil test from your local university, community college agricultural department, or garden supply center to evaluate the pH and fertility of the soil. Based on the findings, fertilizer or other soil amendments may be required before planting to make the soil healthy.

Rake the soil to create a flat surface for the seed to be sown. If you’re going to sow seed near a house or another structure, ensure sure the grade slopes away from the house. Low places should be filled and compacted as much as possible.

Distribute a layer of top soil evenly across the planting area.

Distribute the seed of choice with a mechanical spreader, raking gently and covering the seed with a thin layer of dirt.

The third step is to lightly water the grass seed up to twice a day until it reaches a height of two inches. With each watering, an inch of water can be supplied, with the frequency increasing as the roots take hold and the grass becomes more resilient.

Your garden is not aging, it just needs regular nurturing. Call us and we will nurture it.
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