Tips in growing green grass in the hot Arizona weather.?

Question

When I moved into my home, it was a new home with just dirt in the backyard. We hired a company who did lawns. The grass we had was called blackjack grass and it was initially sprayed onto our yard. (a solution mixed with seeds.) It was odd growing grass, it grew like a vine through the dirt. But it did give us green lush grass. Only problem was it only was green during the summer then would die in the winter. Last winter we decided to plant rye grass so we could have a winter lawn. Our lawn looked great last winter but it seems that the rye grass killed off all of our original lawn. When summer came the original grass never grew back in and you can see that it had all died. So, we then decided to plant bermuda grass for the summer, some grew in but our lawn is nowhere green and lush like it once was. Lot's of bare spots, dead and crispy patches of lawn throughout the yard. I'm hoping in October that we can plant rye again and have a green lawn for the winter months. Anyways, any tips on how to keep a nice lawn in such hot weather. I'm hoping I don't have to tear up my whole yard and start fresh. How can I continually have a green lawn all year round? Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

The problems you are having is the main reason why most people just have the "desert" landscaping.   Too many problems and end the end a lot of money sunk into the clay.

Answer 2

I live in inland Australia and have the same problems you have.  Most grasses that look good in heat, go brown and dormant when the cold hits them.  Most people here just accept a brown lawn in winter and it recovers in spring.

The trick to growing a lawn in hot climates is to mow a bit higher.  This allows the roots to get shade in the hottest times and the longer grass blades encourages deep root growth.  If you regularly 'scalp' or lawn you will always have dead patches and weed growth.  Growing a running type grass is good also.  If there is a drought or a water shortage most of the lawn will survive but die back and when good weather arrives will regrow to fix up the damaged areas itself.

If you water deeply this cuts back on the number of waterings and makes grass more drought tolerant.  A healthy lawn then survives winter better and gives a better start in spring.

We don't even bother trying to have a green lawn all year round.  

Answer 3

Hi Steph

I live in SE Arizona and only have grass in part of my backyard for the dogs to lay in.  The climate here just isn't condusive to good grass growing unless you don't mind high water bills.

But, if you want grass I still prefer the Bermuda.  The Blackjack you had sprayed on your lawn is just a variety of Bermuda.  It's a hot weather grass that goes dormant (brown) in the winter.  And since it grew in so green that first year, I want to speculate that the landscaper used a high-nitrogen fertilizer to get the grass growing fast aand green for the new homeowners.

I'm not sure why the grass died though.  Bermuda propagates via seed, stolens and rhyzomes underground and is a rather hardy grass. Birds could have eaten many of the seed--birds love my Bermuda grass seeds, too--or there were rocks underneath the soil that prevented root development or seeds ran off during rains.

Rye grass is a good alternative for the winter months here, and as an annual will die back every spring and make way for the Bermuda.

Please look at the links below.  There is an extension link for you to check out.  Phoenix and Tucson are lower desert than here in Sierra Vista but the grasses are still pretty much the same.

BTW, my backyard also is patchy and I spent all summer long fixing the bald spots.  Bermuda can grow 18 inches a year around, so it will take a year to fill in my lawn's bald spots.

Answer 4

Why don't you consider growing something like Mercury Bay Weed which you won't have to mow? Or a Chamomile lawn, chamomile been a herb.I don't know if that would work where you live? I would try your local garden center for advice for your district.