weeds vs. grass

[Tony]

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?

[Pam - gardengal]

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.

pam - gardengal

[Warren]

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!

[gregpresley]

[Tony]

Thanks. We've got creeping buttercups and NOTHING I do gets rid of them but herbicide (which I'd rather not use.)

[Pam - gardengal]

Buttercups are tough :-( They're an indication of poor soil fertility and less than ideal drainage, so you need to do some work on your soil. The good news is that in doing so, you should be able to remove most if not all of the buttercups. Without understanding what is causing the drainage problem, it's tough to suggest remedies for that specifically, but at the very least you need to add some organic matter like compost to increase soil fertility. It won't hurt the drainage, either. Once you improve soil conditions, you'll have a much better chance of growing a decent lawn.

pam - gardengal

[Rogan]

good comment