Pam - gardengal wrote:
"Tony" wrote in message
om...
We live in the wet PNW. Is there a grass like St. Augustine that will
crowd out weeds that does well in a wet area?

Wet area like a bog or wet area just because it's the PNW with a
reputation
for rain and damp? If it's the first, there are no turf grasses that
will
grow in a perpetually wet spot - you will need bog plants for this
purpose.
If it's the second, most nurseries in the area carry blends of lawn
grass
seeds that are recommended for the PNW. These are cool season grasses
that
thrive in our climate, which is not nearly as wet as most folks think.
Any
lawn that is healthy and well prepared ( good soil, drainage, proper
seed
bed) and properly maintained (frequent light mowings, periodic deep
waterings and moderate fertilization) will be extremely able to crowd
out
weeds.

As Pam noted, the PNW isn't as wet as many people think. Between 40-50%
of the rainfall comes from October to January, so if you weren't here
for the dry summer, you may have a distorted view of the weather here.
Also, there are lots of localized micro-climates. Along the Coast, the
Willamette Valley, foothills of the Cascades... all very different.
Medford, OR and Bellingham, WA are very different, too. And if you
happen to be east of the Cascades, well, all bets are off.

So when you head out to the nursery for advice, make sure it's a
respected local nursery, and not just the garden department at Home
Depot.

BTW... Depending on your specific micro-climate, you may be at the
tail-end, or just missed the perfect time for overseeding and lawn
renovation. Spring won't be quite as good, but if you did miss the
autumn window for your area, make sure you start early enough in the
spring. In most of the PNW, once June hits, the only way you're going to
renovate a lawn is if you run up a water bill as big as your property
tax bill. In much of the region, even keeping an existing lawn green in
July and August can be very expensive. You'll be praying for those
autumn rains to come!

--
Warren H.

==========
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