In the world there are a huge variety of plants of the genus Polevitsa. They refer to can be annual or perennial. Some of them are weeds, and some of them are very useful for people in the economy, because they are fodder or used as an ornamental plant.
In total, this genus includes more than 50 species: oat bent, alpine, club-shaped, dog, giant, openwork, rock and others. A very interesting species is the thin bent, which is sometimes mistakenly called a broom among the people. About it and will be discussed in the article.
Description
The bent grass is a herbaceous plant. It belongs to the genus Polevitsa, of the Cereals, or Bluegrass family, the second name is the filiform bent field. This perennial plant has a short creeping rhizome, often forming loose tufts. The height of the stem is usually from 10 to 60 cm, it is slightly rough to the touch, covered with small villi. The leaves are long and narrow, but sometimes under the influence of external factors they can curl slightly. They reach 20 cm in length and only up to 4 cm in width. The stem and leaves have a juicy green color, but the inflorescence is most often brownish or lilac.
The inflorescence of the plant is inconspicuous in appearance. This is a loose panicle, sprawling during flowering, consisting of many strongly elongated thin branches, reaching a length of 15 cm, covered with small flower scales. Spikelets of bent grass thin single-flowered of the same color as the inflorescence, covered with spikelet scales. This plant is pollinated by the wind. Dust particles can be of two colors: yellow or purple-lilac. After maturation and pollination, the plant sheds its seeds into the soil. The thin bent grass begins to bloom in June and blooms until early July. And from July to August, it begins to bear fruit and multiply.
Spreading
You can meet thin bent grass in Eurasia, North Africa. Also, this plant is often noticed in the southern and western parts of Siberia and the Far East, the Caucasus, the northern part of Central Asia, Scandinavia, Iran, and the Atlantic. The bent grass grows on almost all types of soils and is quite unpretentious in choosing places. It can be found both in fields, mostly short grass, and just along the road. It adapts very easily to the terrain and grows on poor soils. It can be seen even on riverside sands, meadows, pebbles and on dry soil.
Properties
As mentioned above, there are a large number of species of this plant, however, the bent grass is thin, unlike its other relatives, it is more stable and less whimsical to growing conditions. It can withstand drought, with prolonged heat does not fade. It tolerates frosts well, this plant is not at all afraid of the cold, it can easily endure an early cold snap and late spring. It does not rot in heavy rains and abundant irrigation, it accepts various fertilizers well. Also, this plant is quite resistant to various types of fungal diseases, to most pests and insects, and rather patiently demolishes a heavily polluted urban environment.
Usage
Recently, thin bentgrass has been widely used as a fodder crop and for arranging lawns - in summer cottages, household plots, city flower beds, and in parks. Often it is grown on sports fields (for example, a football field or a golf course is planted with this plant). That's what they call it - lawn grass.
Creation of the lawn
It is quite easy to equip a lawn with a thin bent field. This plant will help you get a beautiful, neat lawn without much effort. You can plant bent grass with the help of seeds or vegetatively. If you decide to decorate your site with a “living carpet”, then it is best to plant this plant in the spring, when the average temperatures are at +12 ... +15 ° С.
You should separate the young shoots from the adult and cut them into pieces, however, the cutting must be carried out correctly and ensure that each segment has several internodes, at least three. Next, ready-made chopped young shoots should be laid out on the site and covered with earth for 2-3 cm, then the soil must be compacted. You will be able to observe the result of your work in a couple of days, since the thin bent grass rises in a fairly short time. unlike others, it does not grow up, but to the sides, forming undersized bushes. The bushes will begin to grow about a month after the first shoots appear. Over time, this plant lets out tendrils, forming a “green carpet” with their shoots. These tendrils, after a short period of time, take root and grow. New bent grasses grow from these roots, thereby compacting the grass floor. This ability of "self-propagation" is very convenient for arranging large areas, since it is not necessary to plant new plants every year.
Lawn care
Such a "carpet" will serve for about 5-6 years. However, bent lawn needs to be looked after. In the first year of the formation of the carpet after planting the bent grass, it must be mowed once, but in the second and third years of the growing season this must be done more often, namely three times per season.
On a thin bezel, felt may form over time. To avoid this unpleasant fact, the plant must be periodically combed out with a wide rake. This grass is low, so this process does not require much effort.
Polevitsa thin: reviews
Those who have already tried to arrange a lawn on their plots from this say that the lawns are soft, pleasantly springy underfoot, and do not require much maintenance.
According to summer residents, thin bent grass is great for a lawn, because even in extreme heat it does not fade and does not fade, the lawn remains a pleasant green color.
Small one-flowered spikelets are collected in a loose, paniculate inflorescence. About 200 species growing in the temperate and cold zone, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, and in the mountains of the tropics. There are about 30 species in the Russian Federation, mainly in the forest zone; grow in meadows (often in mass), glades, shrubs, banks of reservoirs. There are many fodder plants among bent grasses.
(Agrostis stolonifera, formerly Agrostis alba) and giant bentweed
(Agrostis gigantea), common in wet meadows, - pasture and hay plants; both species are used in grass mixtures for lowland meadows.
bent dog
(Agrostis canina), growing in the European part, Siberian species - bent grass clavate
(Agrostis clavata) and bent Trinius
(Agrostis trinii), Caucasian flat-leaved bent grass
(Agrostis planifolia) and others are also of food importance.
bent grass thin
(Agrostis tenius, formerly Agrostis capillaris), often found in upland meadows, is almost not eaten by livestock.
dog bent, bent grass thin used for lawns alpine bent grass(Agrostis alpina), openwork bent(Agrostis nebulosa), bent rock(Agrostis rupestris) - as ornamental plants.
(Agrostis stolonifera L.)
Perennial undersized short rhizomatous grass, forming numerous stem shoots 30-40 cm long or more creeping along the soil surface, with rising ends. At each stem node, they easily take root, forming in turn similar flattened shoots.Leaves 3-7 cm long, 1-4 mm wide, flat, thin, bright green, numerous, tender. The plant is shallow rooting, the main mass of roots is distributed in the most superficial soil layer (0-6 cm).
Prefers rich soils, rarely found on poor sandy and saline ones. - moisture-loving cereal. At the same time, it is resistant to abrupt changes in moisture conditions - from flooding to more or less significant drying of the soil.
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White bent. A rhizomatous rhizomatous plant. The height of the generative stems is 60-105 cm, and the bulk of the greenery is 27-67 cm. The inflorescence is a loose panicle, 12-26 cm long and 11-14 cm wide. During spring sowing, the seeds germinate in 8-9 days, and during winter sowing, from April 23-25. On the 22nd day after germination, the height of the plants is 7 cm, and on the 36th - 15 cm. It blooms and bears fruit in the second year of life. It grows from April 1-9, turns green from April 23-30, earing occurs on June 2-6, blooms from June 15-30 for 8-9 days, seeds ripen on July 5-13, leaves die off on October 25-28. Propagated by seeds and turf. After shearing, it grows back slowly. Drought tolerant and winter hardy. Decorative during the entire growing season and without cutting. Recommended for creating meadow and Moorish lawns.
bent hairy. Grassroots, rhizomatous-loose bush grass with succulent little leafy stems, 52-79 cm in height and dark green narrow-linear leaves up to 18 cm in length. Panicle loose, spreading, 7-12 cm long and 3-7 cm wide. With spring sowing, seedlings appear on the 9th day, and with winter sowing - from April 23-24. When spring sowing, some specimens bloom in the first year of life, but do not form seeds and reach up to 35 cm in height. It blooms and bears fruit during the winter sowing of seeds, while the generative stems have a height of 46 cm, and the vegetative mass is 18 cm. from June 4 to 22 for 8 days, the seeds ripen on July 4-12, the leaves die off on November 1-8. Propagated by seeds (the best effect is obtained with winter sowing). Gives self-seeding. It tolerates transplant well. Light-loving plant, grows well in partial shade. Drought tolerant. Overwinters without dropping plants. Forms a decorative dark green herbage with a bluish tinge. After maturation, the removal of generative shoots is required. Recommended as parterre, ordinary, meadow, Moorish lawns.
bent grass. Grassroots short-rhizome grass, forming dense squat juicy green carpets of vegetative shoots and leaves 8-24 cm high. Generative stems - 23-40 cm. Panicle compressed, 5-12 cm long. With spring sowing of seeds, seedlings appear after 9-10 days, and with winter sowing - in the first half of May. In the first year of life, plants only vegetate and reach a height of 21-25 cm. They bloom and bear fruit in the second year. It grows from April 8-30, turns green 11-16 days after regrowth, earing occurs on May 25 - June 10, blooms from June 15 to June 30 for 5-8 days, seeds ripen in July, the end of the growing season - in October. Propagated by segments of underground and aboveground shoots, seeds. Grows profusely in moist areas. Winter hardiness is high. Recommended for creating lawns only in shady places. Does not require a haircut.
bent dog. Grassroots with short thin rhizomes, forming a herbage of soft thin dark green foliage and vegetative shoots 27-30 cm high. Stems are straight, numerous, 65-82 cm in height. Panicle spreading during flowering, up to 20 cm long. When sowing seeds under winter, shoots appear in early May. In the first year of life, plants only vegetate and reach a height of 32-35 cm. Perennial specimens grow from April 6-18, turn green from April 20-28, earing occurs on June 19-26, blooms from July 9 to 16, seeds ripen on July, the end of the growing season from October 15-20. Propagated by seeds and turf. Drought resistance and winter hardiness are high. Takes a good haircut. Decorative during the entire growing season and without mowing. Recommended for creating various lawns, group plantings and dry bouquets.
Creeping bent grass. The stems are ascending, 46-83 cm high. The herbage is dominated by a large number of vegetative shoots 30-52 cm high. When seeds are sown in the second decade of April, seedlings appear in the third decade of May. In the first year of life, plants form only vegetative shoots 18 cm high. It blooms and bears fruit in the second year of life. It grows from April 1-15, turns green on April 9-23, earing occurs on June 6-16, blooms from June 23 to July 2 for 5 days, seeds ripen on July 11-15, leaves die off on October 27 - November 6. A light-loving plant, it develops well in partial shade. It tolerates harsh snowless winters well. In some years it suffers from late spring frosts (below -10°C). At the same time, the leaves turn brown by 80%. It is recommended for the device of meadow and Moorish lawns. Forms an even, green herbage, the decorative effect of which is preserved throughout the growing season and without cutting.
Polevitsy - the genus includes over 100 species. Polevitsy are widely distributed on the territory of Russia, and primarily in the forest and forest-steppe zones. Most of the species have an extensive Holarctic-boreal range, are characterized by wide plasticity and significant polymorphism. The bentweeds are predominantly moisture-loving plants. Only found in the steppe phytocenoses Agrostis syreistschikovii P. Smirn. and in mountainous areas A. Rupestris All. are more drought-resistant species, and the last psychroxero is a lithophyte, like sheep's fescue. A similar ecotype in the mountains of Central Asia is A. vinealis Subsp. turcestanica Drob.
bent grass(A. stolonizane Bess.)
Spreading. Cereal of a vast Holarctic-boreal range, with rooting above-ground shoots. Shows the ability to rearrange its functions in accordance with weather conditions. 
Structure. Grassroots short-rhizome perennial grass. The comparative simplicity and accessibility of creating lawns with the vegetative parts of the shoot-forming bent grass is the key to its successful promotion on the lawn.
Features of growth. Growth, tillering and landscaping in her usually occur somewhat later than in bluegrass.
Sod formation. Forms a felted turf.
Soils. It is unpretentious to soils.
Shade tolerance. Tolerates light shade.
Drought resistance. In drought conditions 85%. leaves on shoots of the 1st-3rd order dry up. With a decrease in hydrometric stress, vegetation resumes and their decorative effect is restored.
Winter hardiness. Winter-hardy.
Trampling. Resistant to trampling, especially varieties "Crawl" and "Prominent".
Diseases. Resistant to diseases and pests.
Application. Comprehensive assessment on a 100-point scale - 82 points. Shoot-forming bent grass can be widely used in the creation of ordinary landscape gardening and meadow lawns, as well as in the construction of playgrounds, lawns for games, strengthening slopes, roads and banks of reservoirs.
Thin bent (common, hairy)(Agrostis tenuis Sibth.)
Spreading. In nature, it is distributed almost throughout Europe, Western Siberia and Central Asia. Cereal of a wide Holarctic-boreal range.
Structure. Perennial, grassroots, rhizomatous-loose bush grass. It grows in small tufts or bushes, formed as a result of intravaginal branching of shoots with shortened internodes. 
Features of growth. Under favorable weather conditions, seedlings usually appear on the 9-14th day, tillering occurs a month after emergence. By the end of the first vegetation period, the projective cover of lawns, created by the herbage, is 90%, by the time of the first mowing - 60%.
Sod formation. The root system is well developed, penetrating the soil with many thin, finely branched, fibrous roots and firmly fastening the arable layer of the soil.
Soils. It is relatively undemanding to soil fertility, grows on poor peatlands and acidic soils pH 4-4.5, prefers rich meadow and leached chernozems with pH 6-7.5.
Shade tolerance. Medium shade tolerant.
Drought resistance. More drought-resistant than white bentgrass, responsive to irrigation and fertilization.
Winter hardiness. The bent grass is thin frost-resistant and resistant to spring frosts.
Trampling. On mowed lawns, it forms an intense green, dense, weed-resistant grass-turf cover. The thin bentgrass is resistant to trampling, tolerates a lower haircut compared to other grasses (at a height of 2-3 cm).
Diseases. Resistant to diseases and pests.
Application. Comprehensive assessment on a 100-point scale - 82 points. A promising view for creating lawns of a wide target and ecological range. In England, highly decorative, stable, long-term ones are created from thin (hairy) bent grass mixed with red fescue.
About 15 types of perennial grasses are used for lawns. For seed production, such species are promising, which, along with high seed productivity, create lawns of good quality.
It happens that with proper care, the lawn still does not please with its density, in some places it freezes out during the winter and requires frequent overseeding. All these are the consequences of an incorrectly chosen herbal mixture. When buying, we usually pay attention only to the information on what type of lawn the mixture is intended for (sports, parterre, etc.). Most have special advantages: shade-tolerant, wear-resistant, drought-resistant, etc. The herbs that make up the composition are of less interest to us, especially since their names will say little to the average buyer. But this information is more important than the rest, because a lot of mixtures are imported into our country from Europe. There the climate is milder, and the criteria for selecting lawn grasses are not so strict. But in our harsh climate, the European lawn often freezes out, because it does not contain frost-resistant grasses. To avoid such problems, lawn grass should be selected according to the degree of adaptability to the climate and soils of your area.
What types of lawn grasses to choose for the lawn device
Promising varieties of lawn grasses are objectively evaluated using a 100-point system. It reflects a complex of decorative and economic features, as well as the biological properties of plants. Grasses scoring 80-100 create stands of superior and excellent quality. These are grasses such as meadow bluegrass, red fescue, variegated fescue, thin bent grass, perennial ryegrass. They are used for arranging parterre and sports lawns.
At 70-80 points, the herbage is satisfactory, and with appropriate care - good. Suitable herbs: common bluegrass, narrow-leaved bluegrass, sheep's fescue, meadow fescue, white bent grass, shoot bent grass, white clover. They are used for the device of ordinary, meadow lawns and turf coverings for special purposes. Grasses rated below 70 points are practically unsuitable for turfing. They are characterized by rough tall stems, broad leaves and top type of foliage.
What requirements should quality grass meet?
Any ornamental lawn grass should be a perennial, because the lawn is created for more than one year, and it makes no sense to sow the site in a new way every spring. Of all the existing plant species, cereals are the most adapted to the conditions of the lawn. But not all, but only those that meet the following requirements:
- Frost resistant.
- Decorative externally (juicy green flowers, with uniform germination of shoots, with the same density of cover, etc.).
- They develop a strong root system that does not collapse as a result of movement, is able to grow on compacted soils, etc.
- After mowing, they quickly build up cover and respond well to mineral fertilizers.
- The ability to reproduce vegetatively, because seeds cannot reproduce on the lawn.
The most adapted herbs to our climate
If we analyze all the plants offered in mixtures according to the five listed criteria, then out of the whole variety there will be only three names of grass for the lawn, which ideally meet the conditions of our weather. This thin bent grass, red fescue and bluegrass meadow. All of them are included in the group of short-rhizomatous cereals and have similar properties.
These plants are not afraid of temperature contrasts, especially during frosts in early spring or late autumn. Their root system withstands severe frosts and forms such a dense turf that it is simply unrealistic to break through it for weeds. For 1 sq.m. develops about 30 thousand shoots. Grasses withstand frequent mowing, have a high rate of vegetative propagation, so with proper care, the lawn will last for decades without overseeding.
Red fescue (Festuca rubra L.)
- perennial rhizomatous-loose bush cereal of winter type. The root system is powerful, well developed, fibrous. It is distributed mainly in the upper soil layer (up to 20 cm), forms a dense elastic turf, strong to break. Generative stems 70-100 cm high, thin, straight, smooth, well leafy, especially in the lower basal part. The leaves are long, 3 mm wide, flat or folded lengthwise, dark green. The inflorescence is a panicle about 10-15 cm long, compressed before and after flowering, more or less sprawling during flowering, turning red during seed ripening. Seeds up to 4-7 mm long, about 1 mm wide, oblong, lanceolate, light greenish. 
For red fescue, fertile light and medium loamy soils (pH 6-6.5) are preferred. It is characterized by high winter hardiness, tolerates late spring and early autumn frosts. Demanding on moisture, grows well even on excessively damp soils, tolerates flooding. In the year of sowing, red fescue grows slowly, in the second and subsequent years of life it grows in early spring and ends the growing season in late autumn. Full development reaches the third or fourth year of vegetation.
Meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis)
Meadow fescue is a perennial loose shrub grass. The root system is fibrous, the bulk of the roots is located in the arable layer. Generative stems are erect, smooth, well leafy, with a large number of basal leaves. The leaves are linear, bright green with a slight yellowish tint, rough along the edges, with a strong vitreous sheen on the underside. Inflorescence-panicle about 20 cm long, compressed before and after flowering, sprawling during flowering, greenish, often painted in reddish-brown tones. There are three to seven flowers in the spikelet. The seeds are quite large (6-7 mm long, 1.1-1.5 mm wide), convex from the back, greenish-gray, fluid.
Meadow fescue grows well on moderately moist, humus-rich loamy soils. Optimal pH 6-7. It is characterized by good winter hardiness and resistance to late spring frosts. Relatively drought-resistant, undemanding to heat.
In the first year of vegetation, it grows rapidly and bushes, forming vegetative shoots. Intensive tillering in subsequent years of life occurs in spring and late summer.
Bluegrass meadow
(Poa pratensis L.)
Meadow grass meadow is a perennial rhizomatous-loose bush grass of winter type. There are several forms that differ in height, color, leaf width and other features.
The root system is well developed, located in the upper soil layer (up to 10-20 cm), which forms a strong sod that is resistant to trampling. Generative shoots 30-60 cm high, straight, sometimes geniculate-ascending. The leaves are long, 2-6 cm wide, green, shiny on the underside. Panicle inflorescence, compressed before and after flowering, sprawling during flowering. Spikelets are small, two-five-flowered, green or purple. The seeds are small (2-3 mm long, 0.5 mm wide), trihedral, light brown, covered with hairs in the lower part, non-friable.
Bluegrass meadow grows well on moderately moist, loamy, fertile soils. It tolerates high acidity, but develops better with a neutral reaction of the soil environment. It is characterized by high winter hardiness, withstands severe winters and late frosts during the growing season, tolerates temporary flooding, is relatively shade-tolerant and drought-resistant. Grows well after cutting.
In the year of sowing, meadow bluegrass slowly grows and develops. By autumn, it forms many shortened vegetative shoots and basal leaves. In the second year, it starts growing in early spring and develops rapidly, ending the growing season in late autumn. It reaches its full development in two or three years; it stays in the herbage for more than 15-20 years.
Bluegrass meadow
do not buy in pure form, because it slowly builds up the root system. It is better to take a mixture where it is the main component.
White clover (Trifolium repens L.)
White clover is a grassroots, tap-rooted plant with rooting above-ground shoots of the legume family (Fabaceae). The root system is strongly branched;
The leaves are rounded, trifoliate, on long petioles. Leaflets 2-4 mm wide are triangular or semicircular, bright green with light spots. The length of the flower shoots is 10-30 cm. The flower heads are round, many-flowered, with white, pale yellow or pink corollas. Fading inflorescences turn brown and droop down. The fruits are beans with three to four seeds. Seeds are small, variegated, red-brown-yellow. White clover is not picky about soils, but avoids acidic ones. It develops well and bears fruit with sufficient and even abundant watering, tolerates a short drought, during which it stops growing. It tolerates cold and harsh winters well. White clover is resistant to trampling.
bent grass (thin)
Agrostis tenuis)
Perennial grassland grass 30-80 cm high, short-rhizome, forming loose tufts with thin, erect or ascending shoots. Leaves 2-20 cm long, 1-4 mm wide, flat or slightly rolled, green; tongue of upper stem leaves 0.5-1.5 (2) mm long, obtuse, truncated, almost absent in lower leaves. Panicles 2-15 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, sprawling before and after flowering, with thin, slightly rough branches. Spikelets 1.7-2 mm long, single-flowered, brownish or lilac, on smooth stalks, usually awnless. Spikelet scales 1.5-2 mm long, usually brownish-violet; the lower floral scale is slightly shorter than the spikelets, 2-3 times longer than the upper floral one. Anthers yellow or purple, about 1 mm long. Cross-pollinated (wind-pollinated). Seeds fall off after ripening. Weight of 1000 seeds 0.06 g. Flowering June - August. Reproduction - seed (mainly), vegetative. 
bent grass thin
famous not only for its winter hardiness and unpretentiousness, but also for its rich dense green color, which gives the lawn a rich look
White bent grass (Agrostis alba L.)
White bent- perennial grassroots rhizomatous rhizomatous grass. The shape and size of vegetative shoots varies significantly in different environmental conditions.
The root system is strongly and thinly branched, densely penetrating the topsoil. Generative stems 80-120 cm high, erect, geniculately ascending at the base, smooth. Leaves up to 20 cm long, up to 8 mm wide, thin flat, rough, bluish or grayish green. The inflorescence is a sprawling, rarely compressed panicle up to 25 cm long, with a greenish or purple tint. Seeds are small, light gray.
Best of all, white bent grass grows on moist, fairly fertile loamy and sandy soils (pH 6-7.5). Relatively frost-resistant, does not tolerate dry conditions. It tolerates moderate trampling and low grass mowing.
In the first year of life, it grows and develops rapidly and is not suppressed by weeds, from the second year it intensively bushes. It stays in the herbage for eight to ten years.
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium regenne L)
Perennial ryegrass is a perennial loose grass grass. The height of generative shoots reaches 50-60 cm, vegetative - 20-35 cm. Inflorescence - an ear up to 25 cm long. Seeds - grains 5.5-6.5 mm long, 1-1.8 mm wide, greenish-gray.
The grass grows well on fairly loose medium loamy chernozem soils of medium moisture. Demanding on soil moisture, in dry years in summer it needs systematic watering. Does not tolerate snowless winters and especially late frosts. Responsive to fertilization, especially nitrogen.
When studying the composition of mixtures in stores, choose for yourself those that contain the largest percentage of these particular cereals. Sometimes the names of the components are written in Latin on the packaging.
Additional components in mixtures
In addition to these cereals, other plants suitable for the climate of our latitudes can also be found in mixtures. All of them will have good frost resistance and undemanding maintenance. But there are some disadvantages that do not allow these herbs to be considered the best for the lawn. And if you find their names in the mixture, then remember that they should not be the main component, but can be used as an addition.
We list the types of grasses often used in lawn mixtures
Sheep fescue Festuca ovina L.
Sheep fescue is one of the grass species with the least requirements for growth. Grows on all types of soil, also found in many regions in natural meadows with light dry soils. Harsh fescue species, close to the original ones, have a bluish color. Varieties are selected for their very high drought tolerance, heat tolerance and winter hardiness. These grades are excellent in low wear turf mixes: roadsides, embankments, dunes, etc. Also plays an important role in home lawns. New improved varieties are selected according to the color and characteristics of red fescue leaves. It has a dense standing density. It tolerates shading well - at the same level as red fescue.
Cane fescue Festuca arundinacea L.
Reed fescue is one of the most drought and heat resistant grasses with high resistance to trampling. Thanks to its large and deeply penetrating root system, it can supply itself with moisture at a time when other grasses stop growing. This means that cane fescue stays green during dry summers and tolerates high temperatures. The structure of the leaves of cane fescue is quite rough compared to other lawn grasses. However, the new cultivars have been significantly improved in terms of narrower leaves and planting density. The leaves of cane fescue are usually dark green in color. Winter hardiness depends on the variety. There are varieties with less winter hardiness for regions around the Mediterranean Sea and varieties with high winter hardiness for more continental climates. Cane fescue takes root quite quickly, although not as quickly as English ryegrass. Disease resistance is generally high.
Shooting bent grass Agrostis stolonifera L.
Creeping bent grass (shoot-bearing) is widespread in nature, its shoots about 30-40 cm long creep along the ground, take root easily - the plant quickly spreads over the entire available area. These qualities put it at the forefront in the creation of sports turf. It is mainly used on golf courses (greens) due to its very high resilience and shoot density. This makes it well adapted to low mowing, which is important for such lawns. The bentgrass can also be used in very dense home lawn mixes due to its soft leaves and density. It is planted mainly not by the seed method (it forms a small amount of seeds), but by the vegetative method - shoots planted in the spring at a distance of 10-12 cm from each other form a dense carpet in one and a half to two months. The plant is moisture-loving, does not tolerate drought.
Dog bent grass Agrostis canina
Dog bent grass is a perennial, grassroots grass with short, thin rhizomes and shoots rooting on the surface. With sufficient moisture, it forms a juicy green, delicate, thin, but dense carpet herbage. 
Fruit-bearing shoots are thin, crowded, erect, smooth, glossy, 10–30 cm high. Very thin and short side shoots with the same dense foliage are formed from ground nodes. The leaves are narrow, arranged in bunches. Generative shoots at the nodes sometimes form side shoots with tufts of narrow leaves. When in contact with the ground, the ground shoots of the dog bent root take root in the nodes, from which bunches of thin and short shoots also develop. Thus, in dog bentgrass, the main green mass is distributed at a distance of 8–12 cm from the ground.
The root system is densely and thinly branched. Its main mass is distributed in the surface layer of the soil and forms a strong turf like felt.
The plant is frost-resistant, reproduces both generatively and vegetatively, tolerates partial shade, resistant to weeds. In the first year after sowing, it grows slowly. It reaches full development in the 2nd or 3rd year of life.
The bent grass is shoot-bearing. The best quality is very fast growth. Minus - gives horizontal shoots that stand out with a light color against a dark green lawn. From this, the lawn acquires a non-uniform color. This quality is inappropriate on parterre lawns, although it is not so important for a recreation area.
Other types of bluegrass . In addition to the meadow, which we described earlier, in mixtures there are narrow-leaved, common and flattened types of bluegrass. They are distinguished by poor durability, i.e. after 5-7 years they require reseeding, and the decorative properties are lower (blades of grass are too hard and with a bluish tint).
Timothy meadow Phleum
Perennial loose shrub plant with a powerful fibrous root system, concentrated mainly in the upper soil horizons. Does not tolerate drought well, demanding on moisture; seedlings are especially sensitive to drought before rooting and the formation of secondary roots. Good winter hardiness makes it possible to sow meadow timothy grass in more northern regions. Grows well in moderately moist
loamy, clayey, floodplain, alluvial soils and drained swamps. It develops poorly on light dry soils. It tolerates quite significant soil acidity (pH 4.5-5.0). It responds well to fertilizers, especially nitrogen. It stays in the herbage for five to six years. Used as a component of turf mixtures for busy roads and urban areas.
Small-leaved timothy Phleum bertolonii DC. Small-leaved timothy is grown in cold, humid regions. The endurance of such conditions in small-leaved timothy is much higher than in other herbs. This is especially important where lawn surfaces are flooded in winter.
Cocksfoot
is a top grass with good root development, which is often included in grass mixtures for meadow lawns planted in shady areas.
The plant is demanding on soils, but prefers cohesive, moderately moist loamy soils, and sometimes clayey ones. And on sandy light soils it grows poorly. It does not tolerate long-term droughts, it is able to tolerate shading and salinization of the soil. It does not tolerate frost and severe snowless winters. Fully develops by the third year of life. Forms a rare turf with separate loose bushes, does not tolerate trampling, can remain in herbage up to 8 years.
clover red develops poorly in the first year. The root is taproot, thick, branched, grows faster than the ground part. The sown seeds germinate within 4–5 days, but in the first days of their life, the plants require lower temperatures, so early spring sowing is preferable. Plants resistant to frosts, turfing and compaction of the soil do not tolerate well.
There are two main types: early-ripening South Russian and late-ripening, which is common in the central and northern regions. Late-ripening clover is more winter-hardy; in the south it suffers from heat and lack of moisture. It has less ability to grow back than early ripening.
horned bird - grassroots, taproot perennial from the legume family. The root system is well developed, penetrates deep into the soil. A feature of all legumes, including the bird's eye, is the formation of nodules on their roots that absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere. They collect and accumulate nitrogenous substances in the soil.
The stems are thin, straight, arcuately curved, well evenly leafy. The first 3–5 leaves are trifoliate, the subsequent ones are five-lobed. The leaves are small, the same size as the stipules, bright green. Blooms in May-June. The flowers are bright yellow, golden, brown or greenish, shiny. Seeds ripen in June-July.
The horned bird develops rapidly in the year of sowing seeds. Sowing in its pure form forms a good herbage already in the first year. In the spring it grows early, amicably. After mowing, it grows back quickly. It tolerates trampling well.
The plant is drought-resistant, of medium frost resistance, does not withstand the ice crust. It grows well on poor and dry soils of various mechanical composition, it can also grow on poor sandy and stony soils. In culture, it is not widely distributed due to the difficult collection of seeds, since the beans, when ripe, easily crack, and the seeds scatter.
Lyadvenets is used in the arrangement of meadow lawns, landscaping ravines and wastelands. Plants reach full development in the second year. The herbage is preserved for several years.
Herbs with specific properties
There are certain types of undersized lawn grasses that are adapted to specific growing conditions. They cannot be called universal, but for certain places on the site it is recommended to plant them.
Yes, at bluegrass oak high ability to grow in partial shade. Those. under garden trees and in places near buildings where light rarely hits, this plant will save the lawn from bald spots and pale cover. True, you should take into account that the oak bluegrass cannot form a dense root system, therefore it does not tolerate movement and frequent mowing.
swamp bluegrass will save the situation on lawns with high humidity, where drainage has not been carried out. It forms a beautiful green cover and develops strong roots, but is short-lived and requires frequent overseeding. It can be combined with white bentgrass, which also grows well in moist soil. But its decorative properties are lower than those of bluegrass, and the life span is about 8 years.
For parterre lawns, on which it is not planned to walk at all, you can use bent grass . This is one of the most luxurious outwardly herbs, because it has an emerald color and delicate, thin blades of grass. Such a lawn is also called "velvet", because from a distance it looks like an expensive fabric. But with all the external virtues, the plant is very capricious. It lives for about 5 years, has weak roots, grows slowly and is absolutely not resistant to trampling.
If it is important for you that the lawn looks aesthetically pleasing in a month or two, then choose a mixture that contains meadow fescue. This is the fastest growing cereal that closes its stems in 2 months. It can be used in its pure form for a temporary lawn, which is destined to grow in one place for 4 years, because the grass does not live longer. In addition, meadow fescue has weak roots that are afraid of trampling. But in the composition of the mixture, this cereal can be very useful as an addition to the main grass. For example, meadow bluegrass grows slowly, and until it comes into full force, empty places will successfully close the stems of meadow fescue.
Meadow fescue it will save the owners when it is urgent to make the lawn decorative, because after 2 months the blades of grass form a continuous thick carpet
Your lawn will be dense already in the first summer, although a little motley. Meadow fescue has wide stems and a light color, which will look contrast against the background of narrow dark green blades of bluegrass. The next year, when the main grass begins to grow rapidly, it will simply squeeze out this cereal and take its place.
Herbs unsuitable for our climate
There are grasses in European mixes that should be avoided when planting on lawns because they are designed for mild climates. For instance, perennial ryegrass has excellent growth, decorativeness and dense cover, but after the first winter your lawn noticeably "goes bald", although in Europe such lawns successfully turn green for about 8 years.
ryegrass perennial - the plant is capable of forming a beautiful dense carpet herbage within a month and a half after sowing. After mowing, it grows quickly, evenly, retaining its decorative effect until late autumn. The plant tolerates moderate shade, trampling and soil compaction, quickly recovers from mechanical damage. Under the snow goes green. Included in mixtures for ordinary and sports lawns. ryegrass perennial (pasture) is able to surprise only in the first year after planting. Harsh winter is too much for him
Often found as an additional component of the mixture, annual bluegrass. Its peculiarity is unpretentiousness in care and rapid growth. But this cereal reproduces by seeds, so that with constant mowing the next year, it will not be able to give offspring in any way and will free up the land for the germination of weeds.
Another "two girlfriends" - soddy pike and sheep fescue - are good in all properties, except for one: they form bumps over time, and gradually your lawn will turn into a field of green mounds.
Clues in Latin
To make it easier for you to navigate when reading the composition of lawn mixtures, and to better understand what kind of lawn grass the manufacturer offers, we have collected the names of the herbs described in the article in Latin. Remember them and look for them on the packages:
plant table
