Q. Will Buffalograss grow in the desert?
A. Buffalograss grows perfectly well in the Mojave desert. The major problem is finding a source for it. I would not start it from seed if you want a good quality lawn. The best method would be to use sod but without a source of sod locally, you could have plugs shipped in from a reputable supplier.
Buffalograss is native to our dry grasslands and prairies of the United States. Like Bermudagrass and zoysia grass, it is a warm season grass which means it will become dormant or go to sleep during the winter months. It is best planted when soil temperatures have begun to warm in the spring or very early summer.
Preparation of the soil is very important for good establishment. Plugs are normally at least 2 inches in diameter and spaced 12 to 24 inches apart in the lawn area. Because Buffalo grass is a sod forming grass it fills the bare soil between plugs with stolons or surface runners. With good management the lawn area should be completely filled before it gets cold in the fall.
This is a bit controversial but research in Arizona has demonstrated Buffalo grass to use about the same amount of water as Bermuda grass but it does not require the fertilizer or the same level of management.
A reputable supplier out of Nebraska is Todd Valley Farms. Give them a call and talk to them if you are thinking about Buffalo grass.
A. Buffalograss grows perfectly well in the Mojave desert. The major problem is finding a source for it. I would not start it from seed if you want a good quality lawn. The best method would be to use sod but without a source of sod locally, you could have plugs shipped in from a reputable supplier.
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| Buffalograss can make a good quality lawn if you started from sod or plugs but not from seed.. |
Preparation of the soil is very important for good establishment. Plugs are normally at least 2 inches in diameter and spaced 12 to 24 inches apart in the lawn area. Because Buffalo grass is a sod forming grass it fills the bare soil between plugs with stolons or surface runners. With good management the lawn area should be completely filled before it gets cold in the fall.
This is a bit controversial but research in Arizona has demonstrated Buffalo grass to use about the same amount of water as Bermuda grass but it does not require the fertilizer or the same level of management.
A reputable supplier out of Nebraska is Todd Valley Farms. Give them a call and talk to them if you are thinking about Buffalo grass.
Check out High Country Gardens.com in New Mexico, they sell several kinds of grass plugs for those of us in the So Western areas or go to Outside Pride, a huge seed company in Oregon that sells several types of grass seed for our area also.
ReplyDeleteTakao Nursery in Fresno is the best source https://ucverdebuffalograss.com/.
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