The key to good buffalo grass lawn care is to go easy on the maintenance. Over-management isn’t a friend of this native prairie grass, and it can result in competitive weeds becoming a problem. When in doubt, a professional lawn care company near you can help you strike the right balance with maintenance.
Sunlight
Typically, buffalo grass performs best in areas with full sun exposure. However, you can plant it in areas with as little as six hours of direct sunlight per day. Because buffalo grass is a drought-tolerant grass, the fact that it works well in full sunlight is no surprise.
Partial shade is OK, but the turf density will be thinner if the grass doesn’t get a lot of direct sunlight. A thin lawn probably isn’t what you’re going for, so avoid buffalo grass if your lawn has any major shady patches.
Climate
North American buffalo grass can tolerate climates with limited rainfall, hot summers, and cold winters. It can thrive in a variety of locations throughout North America.
Buffalo grass is native to America’s Great Plains area, which typically includes locations west of the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains in the north and Texas and New Mexico in the south. Central Canada also has native buffalo grass.
Watering
Buffalo grass is perfect for those who live in water conservation areas or who may not have time to water the lawn every day. Once established, this drought-tolerant grass can survive with no supplemental watering. In fact, overwatering promotes weeds.
However, in hot, dry summers, a deep soak every two weeks or so helps keep a dense cover and prevent early dormancy, color loss, and weed invasion.
Soil
Although a well-drained, loamy soil encourages the healthiest growth, buffalo grass can handle compacted clay and dry soils. However, when you’re planting, avoid sandy soils and those with poor drainage, which can lead to the development of plant fungi.
Buffalo Grass Fertilizer
When it comes to fertilizing your lawn, well, you might not need to do it at all. Buffalo grass doesn’t need a lot of additional feeding (if any), but one or two light, slow-release applications (one in late May or early June and one in mid-July) can help improve color and growth rates.
Avoid over-fertilization and using too much nitrogen to prevent weeds from taking control of your lawn. One pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is usually more than enough.
Mowing
Buffalo grass typically reaches heights of 4 to 12 inches. For a naturalistic, low-maintenance ground cover, you can get away with not mowing at all. Even if you want a slightly neater lawn with a height of just 3 to 4 inches, you won’t need to mow frequently.
If you do mow, however, make sure you’re not mowing too close to the ground, as this can make the grass more susceptible to drought and weeds.
Aerating
Soil for buffalo grass does not need regular aerating, although you can aerate it, if desired. The Turfgrass and Landscape Research and Extension Department at Kansas State University recommends aerating buffalo grass when applying phosphorus or potassium to the soil. Because buffalo grass needs very little fertilizer, you may never need to aerate.