How deep do grass roots go?
 

I have read that some grasses (perhaps not our typical lawn grasses)
send roots down many feet into the earth.

Can anyone confirm or refute that or refer me to a source of info
about it?

Thanks. vince norris

prairie grasses do, as do some of the common taprooted weeds, such as
dandelion, burdock or dock. That is why a mixed lawn tends to be
healthy, those tap roots bring up nutrients, create vertical drainage
channels, and generally make deeper topsoil. prairie grasses is
something you don't need in a lawn, they are extremely coarse, thick,
and no fun to walk on.

vincent p. norris wrote:
I have read that some grasses (perhaps not our typical lawn grasses)
send roots down many feet into the earth.

Can anyone confirm or refute that or refer me to a source of info
about it?

You want "Tall Fescue", not red fescue or other ordinary types. It
has worked well for me. Reference http://www.paulparent.com . Use
the "Search this site" box in the upper right to search for "Tall Fescue".

Lofts "Rebel II" is 100% Tall Fescue. I believe Scotts has some also.
Read the labels carefully.

On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:29:46 -0400, vincent p. norris
wrote:

I have read that some grasses (perhaps not our typical lawn grasses)
send roots down many feet into the earth.

Can anyone confirm or refute that or refer me to a source of info
about it?

Thanks. vince norris


Bermuda grass, 40 ft.

Saint Augustine grass, 80 ft.

Reference? the back of my mind, something I read somewhere and it
stuck.

Charles wrote:
On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:29:46 -0400, vincent p. norris
wrote:

I have read that some grasses (perhaps not our typical lawn grasses)
send roots down many feet into the earth.

Can anyone confirm or refute that or refer me to a source of info
about it?

Thanks. vince norris


Bermuda grass, 40 ft.

Saint Augustine grass, 80 ft.

Reference? the back of my mind, something I read somewhere and it
stuck.

Wow! Are you sure you didn't mean inches?

Doing a quick Yahoo search,
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/bermuda_grass.htm says "...in drought
situations the root system can grow 47 to 59 inches (120-150 cm) deep.
Most of the root mass lies 24 inches (60 cm) under the surface" about
Bermuda grass.

Also, according to http://floridaturf.com/bahia/, Bahiagrass roots go 8
feet deep.

HTH,
Lisa

On 12 Aug 2005 10:11:45 -0700, wrote:


Charles wrote:
On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:29:46 -0400, vincent p. norris
wrote:

I have read that some grasses (perhaps not our typical lawn grasses)
send roots down many feet into the earth.

Can anyone confirm or refute that or refer me to a source of info
about it?

Thanks. vince norris


Bermuda grass, 40 ft.

Saint Augustine grass, 80 ft.

Reference? the back of my mind, something I read somewhere and it
stuck.

Wow! Are you sure you didn't mean inches?

Nope, feet. If it had been inches I would have thought nothing of it
and forgot it. Again it is just something I picked up along the way
and would not attest to any accuracy beyond saying that it is the way
I remember it.

Doing a quick Yahoo search,
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/bermuda_grass.htm says "...in drought
situations the root system can grow 47 to 59 inches (120-150 cm) deep.
Most of the root mass lies 24 inches (60 cm) under the surface" about
Bermuda grass.

Also, according to http://floridaturf.com/bahia/, Bahiagrass roots go 8
feet deep.

HTH,
Lisa

Thanks for the responses.

vince norris