If our lawns are looking a little unusual lately, and they’re not looking sickly at all, then a closer inspection may just reveal that they are seeding. Seeding is normal in all grass types and can occur at different times of the year dependent on the type of grass we grow as lawns and where we live.
The seed heads of different lawn varieties all appear different to each other, and the different brands or cultivars of a given turf variety such as Couch or Buffalo can once again be different dependent on the brand itself. We’re going to take a very brief look at the most common lawn varieties in use in Australia today with respect to their seeding.
Buffalo Lawns In Seed
Many cultivars and brands of Buffalo can seed quite differently from each other, though they all have some similarities. The seed heads on Buffalo grass appear as thick stalks that pop up all across the lawn surface, and on top of those thick stalks are the seeds clusters themselves which eventually finish off to a pointy tip.
A Buffalo lawn in seed will be uncomfortable to walk or play on barefoot, and will weigh down a lawn mower catcher very significantly, so more frequent emptying of the catcher during seeding is recommended.
The worst seeding Buffalo in Australia has to be singled out as Sir Walter, which seeds profusely, with thick stalks, in abundance. Most other Buffaloes can produce much less seeding and with a thinner stalk.
Couch Lawn In Seed
Couch lawns will produce a fine stem, on top of which will be three arms on which the fine seed will grow. There is nothing really offensive or any nuisance factor in Couch lawns in seed, only that we may notice the lawn is in seed and looks a little different.
Kikuyu Lawn In Seed
Kikuyu always produces a very soft and very fine seed stem and head, and will usually appear as wispy and white in colour, sometimes leaning horizontally onto the turf, which most often occurs after lawn mowing when the seed stems will not be properly cut or removed and they instead bend over. Next time we’re at a park which grows Kikuyu on its oval, and after its been mowed, we may just see these tiny white bent over and weak stems should the lawn be in seeding season.
We must separate the old common Kikuyu from the new modern Male Sterile Kikuyu turf types in this situation. The old common Kikuyu seed can stick to the fur of pets or on our clothes and shoes and then be transferred onto our own lawns or other lawns, creating a real weedy nuisance. Whereas the new modern Male Sterile Kikuyu lawns are as the name suggests, STERILE, and their seed will not propagate anywhere else where it’s not wanted.
In this age we should always choose to purchase a greatly improved Male Sterile Kikuyu over the old common Kikuyu when choosing this lawn type. Not only do we not spread Kikuyu anywhere it’s not wanted, but we also get a Kikuyu which has been incredibly improved over all the old common Kikuyu types.
Zoysia In Seed
Once again there are many different types of Zoysia lawns, originating from many different origin sources, and all bred differently too. So their seed heads will all appear different from each other much in the same was as Buffalo lawns do.
The Zoysia seed head and stem will be a little coarser than Couch and take on a different overall appearance and colour, sometimes even being purple. Also like Couch there is nothing at all offensive or worrisome about the Zoysia lawn in seed, other than it may look a little different and may present as a different hue to the lawn surface.
Can New Lawns Be Grown From Seed
Yes and No.
Buffalo, almost always no. Buffalo is naturally terrible at propagating from seed.
Common Kikuyu, yes, absolutely, and it remains a problem for this reason.
Male Sterile Kikuyu, no. That’s the whole point, as well as much improved turf breeding of course.
Couch, yes, most likely. Though it can depend on the cultivar.
Zoysia, yes, most likely. Though it can depend on the cultivar.
Seriously though, the thought of the homeowner trying to harvest lawn seed presents the imagination with a little chuckle as to how it would be done, it’s really not feasible to do so, so best to forget about it altogether.
If we wanted to grow new lawn from an existing established warm season lawn, for free, just like every generation of home gardeners did before we came along with our fancy new-age grass farms, then removing the overgrown runners from the garden beds of a quality lawn in our area (with the owner’s permission obviously), and planting them out into our own lawn area is by far and away the very very best option to establish a new lawn from an existing one, and it’s 100% free !!
How Often Do Lawns Seed
Most lawns will finish their seeding within a few weeks, it’s all just a part of owning a natural carpet of grass in our yards, and it’s really no big deal at all, no matter the lawn type, and it can be quite nice to see a lawn in seed as we watch it going through its natural lifecycle of changes.
Seeding will occur in lawns at different times of year too. It really does depend on the type of lawn we grow, including the cultivar or the particular brand of turf itself. One type of Buffalo may seed at one give time of year and another brand of Buffalo may seed at the opposite time of year. Some grasses can seed twice a year as well.
Generally the greater the health of a lawn, then the more seeding we should also expect from our lawns too. When the lawn is growing in its optimum position and at its optimum health, we’ll get more seed.
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