Types of No-Mow Grass Alternatives

Caring for a lawn and be extremely time-consuming. Not only is it mowing but you also need to take into account watering and feeding. Wouldn’t it be great to remove one of those items from your lawn care to-do list? Of course, it would and we know exactly how you can do it. No-mow grasses are great because they either grow really slowly during the mowing season or they reach a maximum height that does not require mowing. This way you can save yourself from having to do the tiresome activity of mowing your precious lawn. Here are some of our choices for the best low or no-mow grasses:

 Buffalo grass

This is an excellent drought-resistant, slow-growing grass that can be found in the North American Plains. When given minimal watering, the grass can potentially grow to 4 inches tall. Whereas, if given heavier watering, the grass can possibly grow to 6 inches tall. The grass creates a gray-green colored turf that can be mowed at the end of winter to remove any brown, dead foliage and to encourage spring green-up.

It is coarser than most lawns and has a short, broadleaf. As mentioned before, it is known for its extraordinarily slow growth process and that is why most people choose it. Not only that, but it is also a great slow-growing grass.

They are a warm season turf but still have the ability to resist the cold much better than other warm-season grasses. Along with this, the grass is seen as quite tolerant of a variety of conditions and establishes with seed, sod, or plugs. Bermudagrass can be used as a warm-season residential turfgrass of as forage for livestock. 

Mondo Grass

There are two types of Mondo Grass that are suitable for no-mowing to occur. These are Black Mondo and Kyoto Dwarf Grass. Black Mondo Grass has the potential to grow to a height of 6 inches or less as it is a slow-growing grass. It has an appearance that is dense and purplish-black in color. For grass that is even shorter, the Kyoto Dwarf Grass is the right choice for you. It only grows to about 3 or 4 inches high. Along with this, it is drought-resistant and features a very low growth that makes it suitable for xeriscaping.

This species of grass has thin, curved, ribbon-like leaves that help in creating a dense-looking turf. They are used primarily as ground covers. Along with this, the produce tiny, bell-like flowers on short stems in the summer, they are evergreen and are exceptionally hardy. The lawn is seen as highly thought-after due to its feature of being evergreen. This plant also performs well in almost any soil and lighting condition. It is truly an outstanding and attractive landscaping tool that holds a magnitude of uses.  

Centipedegrass

This apple-colored, coarse-textured slow-growing grass forms dense turf due to its slow rate of growth. Due to this, it is often also called the lazy man’s grass. When it is not mowed, it has the potential to reach anywhere between 4 to 6 inches in height. Another amazing feature about this grass is that it remains a green color all-year-round when put in mild climates and at least 6 hours of full sun. It is best suited for low-maintenance turf areas as it does not take too well with heavy traffic. 

Centipede grass is seen as having very attractive features due to its excellent heat tolerance and having very low maintenance requirements. This type of lawn requires far less attention than any other lawn found in its growing region. Added to this, the benefits of having this lawn are easily achieved and are heightened by the fact that you need to do very little to ensure the upkeep of these benefits. 

Seashore Paspalum

Seashore Paspalum is a salt-tolerant grass that works well in ditches or other areas where height is not an issue. It can grow up to 20 inches and is seen as a medium to coarse-bladed grass. The lawn also has a deep-rooted system. The grass reacts well to traffic and recovers relatively quickly, especially during the spring and summer months. It is light to medium in color and requires moderate amounts of water and fertilizer in order to grow prosperously. 

The lawn creates a dense turf and requires very little upkeep. It is best known for its salt tolerance. In saying this, the Seashore Paspalum has a reputation for being extremely sustainable. Paspalum outperforms other turfgrasses in its ability to thrive and grow from a lack of proper water irrigation, in sodic soils, and in areas that have heavy sea spray.  

No-Mow Commercial Brand Blends:

There are a variety of grass blends that are available on the market due to no-grow mixes. These grass are commonly blended with either fescues or bentgrass. An example of one blend of slow-growing grass is called Dwarf Fescue Lawn Seed Mix. There are two versions that are No-Mow-Grass brands. The one is called Creeping Bentgrass which is specially designed for areas with hard freezes. They grow between 3 to 6 inches and can tolerate shade quite well. The other version is a blend of buffalo grass and fine fescue that is designed for hot, dry areas. 

Rob Boirun( Writer )

Rob started his passion for lawn care before he was 10 years old when we would regularly help his grandfather tend to his yard in Jupiter, FL which got him involved with learning all about St. Augustine and Floratam grasses.