"Pete Stephenson" wrote in message
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Sorry for the large amount of vagueness in this question...I'm not
terribly familiar with the types of grass that the army uses in
Washington State. Needless to say, I'm trying to keep the lawns as green
as possible with the least amount of effort (gardening is not my primary
job, but I try to do what I can).

Many thanks!

Pete, most lawn grasses in the PNW are a blend of cool season grasses that
do best in our climate. 'Cool season' is a key - these are grasses that want
to go dormant during the heat of summer. Water is an extremely valuable (and
expensive) resource here in WA state and I would encourage you to allow the
lawns to go dormant if at all possible - attempting to maintain a large
expanse of lush green lawn through the heat and dryness of our summers is
often an exercise in futility, not to mention a huge drain on one's
pocketbook, paying premium rates for water. The lawn will green up rapidly
once cooler temps and fall rains resume.

If maintaining the greenness is essential, the lawn will need one inch of
water per week, preferably delivered in one or two significant waterings
rather than daily small doses. If puddling occurs, it is an indication you
need to aerate the lawn so that the water will percolate well down into the
root zone. And don't mow too short - too tight a cut exposes roots to too
much sun and further dries out the lawn, as well as allowing the germination
of weeds.

pam - gardengal
WA state



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Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com