Zimbabwe grass in Kenya
How does Zimbabwe grass look
Zimbabwe grass is a a popular lawn grass with broad leaves that are light green in color. Unlike paspalum grass, the grass leaves are smooth and slightly curled along the edges. You will identify this grass by long thick stolons that radiate outwards from the main bunch.
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Growth habit
This grass is a very aggressive creeper. It produces long thick stolons that rapidly colonize the space available. from these stolons, roots and branches develop. On each node of this grass stolons, two branches will develop. It forms a dense ground cover and it will be suitable for weed and erosion control.
Shade tolerance
Zimbabwe grass is the only shade tolerant grass that is available in Kenya. This does not mean that it will not grow under full sun. Shade tolerance means that it can grow under shade.
Ability to out-compete weeds
The ability of a grass to out-compete weeds is closely related to its ability to deny weed the following resources,
- Space for weeds to thrive
- Light
- Water and
- Nutrients
This grass type grows tightly and like Arabic grass it out-competes weeds very successfully
Drought and heat tolerance
Zimbabwe grass has medium tolerance to drought. In the dry seasons, irrigation is required.
Mowing frequency
Mow your lawn regularly to improve appearance and to make it dense. The mowing requirments for Zimbabwe grass are medium.
Where should Zimbabwe grass be grown
Zimbabwe grass should be grown under trees being the only shade tolerant grass that is available in Kenya. Zimbabwe grass can also be grown in full sun and it will form a good lawn. When growing in full sun, regular irrigation will keep the lawn green and lush and will avoid the brownish look of scorched grass.
Cold tolerance
This grass will grow in cold areas. However, the growth rate is slow. As such, this variety of grass will grow best in medium altitudes in East Africa. It grows very well in Nairobi.
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