Buffalo Grass
This native is a natural for sunny, high-traffic areas!
Buffalo Grass is a native, low-growing, perennial warm-season grass. It is an important range grass, pasturing native animals prior to and since the last ice age. Now, a renewed interest in this living prairie "antique" is being shown as people begin to use this grass for ecologically sound, low maintenance lawns and landscapes.
Advantages Buffalo Grass is excellent for people who want an attractive lawn during the summer with a minimum of work involved. Other advantages of Buffalo Grass for lawns include good tolerance to drought, sun and heavy traffic. Buffalo Grass has a low fertility requirement and will maintain good density without supplemental fertilization. Because the grass is low growing, it maintains a very uniform appearance and requires little if any mowing. Challenges The species' toughness is largely because it is a native, warm-season grass. Like all warm-season grasses, Buffalo Grass turns brown with fall's first freezing weather and will not green-up until warm spring weather returns. Most urban lawns, by contrast, are composed of cool-season Kentucky Bluegrass and have a deep green spring color. Additionally, Buffalo Grass will go dormant and turn brown during extended dry summer periods if no supplemental water is provided. The grass has poor shade tolerance and requires warm soil temperatures through its growing season so it is not a good choice for a treed area and is seldom found thriving above 6,000 to 6,500 feet above elevation. Because of aggressive runners, Buffalo Grass can require edging along walks, driveway and flowerbeds. Preparing the seedbed Proper seedbed preparation for planting a home lawn is essential. Buffalo Grass will grow on heavy and compacted soils, but it is easier to start and keep on good loamy soils. Heavy soils may be improved by applying a good quality, organic matter such as peat moss, aged manure or compost. Applying a phosphorus fertilizer stimulates seedling root growth, even on soils testing high in phosphorus. For poorer soils, use a commercial lawn starter at the recommended rate. Work the soil to a depth of four to six inches. This may require plowing, disking or tilling. The seedbed should be uniform, friable, well packed and weed-free before seeding. Planting and fertilizing the seed Proper seeding technique is very important. Drilling the seed about ½ inch deep provides a firm contact between the seed and moist soil and is the preferred method. The seed may also be broadcast. When broadcasting seed, harrow or rake the area in two directions immediately after seeding to work the seeds into the soil. Broadcast seed must be covered with soil for the seeding to be successful. With any method, the soil must be firmed against the seed. Seedlings begin to appear 14 to 21 days after planting when moisture is available for germination. The amount of seed needed to ensure a stand at the end of the first year will depend on the method of seeding, the quality of seedbed preparation, the availability of water for establishment and certain climatic uncertainties. Use approximately two to three pounds per 1,000 square feet of surface. All planting should be delayed until the danger of frost has past and the average soil temperature is 55 degrees or above. With supplemental watering, lawns may be planted as late as July 15th throughout the Midwest or until August 1st in lower latitudes. If fertilizing is planned, application of nitrogen fertilizer between June 1 to June 30 will give optimum results. Stolon development begins during this time and new tissue growth will be stimulated throughout the summer. Large-scale plantings A seeding rate of 20 to 40 pounds per acre is recommended for large-acreage areas such as parks, golf courses, airfields, cemeteries, athletic fields or highway rights-of-way. Prepare the seedbed as recommended for any grass planting and plant seed ½ inch deep. Only after the seedlings are established should broadleaf herbicides be used to control invading weeds. Mowing several times during the season is preferable. Do not reduce the total height by more than 1/3 at any one mowing. Once Buffalo Grass lawn is established it develops into an energy efficient turf with minimal requirements for added fertilizer or water with little or no mowing. Buffalo Grass is excellent for people who want a lawn but really do not want to work at it! Contact Sharp Brothers Seed for more information about native Buffalo Grass, like one of their native cultivar selections listed below: Buffalo Grass - Range Quality
- Texoka w/ KNO3
- Cody Buffalograss w/ KNO3
- Sharp's Improved II w/ KNO3
- Sharp's Improved w/ KNO3
- SharpShooter w/ KNO3
Care and Management Summary: Requirements: Grows best in full sun. Should have at least six to eight hours per day of direct sunlight. Good soil drainage is essential. Not suited to sandy soils. Planting: June – August with irrigation. April – May if irrigation is not available. Apply 1 - 2 pounds seed per 1,000 square feet. Plant ½ inch deep. Mowing: Mow two to three inches for home lawns (approximately once per month). Low maintenance areas may be left taller and mowed less frequently or not at all. Mowing frequency is affected by amount of watering and fertilizing. Catching clippings is optional. Fertilizing: Fertilize between mid-May and June is best to stimulate new root growth. Second application, if used, should be between July and August. Use 1 to 1 ½ pounds actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. per year. Use less or no fertilizer on low maintenance and natural landscape areas. Weed Control: Avoid frequent watering, short mowing and over-fertilizing. Provide minimal early season watering. Avoid 2, 4-D and related products in the spring when temperature is above 90 degrees F and on first year turf. Control broadleaf weeds in the fall.
