03-07-2006, 10:09 AM
I thought this topic was going to be about something else.
Anyway, the closest I've come to duplicating what's often referred to as "Hilo grass", is a seed product from the Garden Exchange called Carpet Grass. The last bag I bought was grown in Australia. The blades are wide and course so the plant is not drought resistant, nor does it need to be, as you'd expect. The natural stuff does sometimes grow a vine, but it edges well with chemicals that don't seem to kill it back all the way to the original root. It grows quite quickly, and in the very thinest of soils. It doesn't do well in full shade. Locals often fill in thin or damaged spots by allowing healthy areas to go well into seed, collecting the cuttings, and dumping them on the desired spot. I've seen lawns planted by using plugs as well as seed. It responds well to fertilizer. Most folks with large ares to cut use lawn mowers, but weed wackers are very popular (it's just hard to find a weed wacker with a cup holder).
All that being said, there are many varieties of lawn grass that would do well here.
Anyway, the closest I've come to duplicating what's often referred to as "Hilo grass", is a seed product from the Garden Exchange called Carpet Grass. The last bag I bought was grown in Australia. The blades are wide and course so the plant is not drought resistant, nor does it need to be, as you'd expect. The natural stuff does sometimes grow a vine, but it edges well with chemicals that don't seem to kill it back all the way to the original root. It grows quite quickly, and in the very thinest of soils. It doesn't do well in full shade. Locals often fill in thin or damaged spots by allowing healthy areas to go well into seed, collecting the cuttings, and dumping them on the desired spot. I've seen lawns planted by using plugs as well as seed. It responds well to fertilizer. Most folks with large ares to cut use lawn mowers, but weed wackers are very popular (it's just hard to find a weed wacker with a cup holder).
All that being said, there are many varieties of lawn grass that would do well here.