We have a terraced lot on the side of a forested hill. We recently had berms and swales constructed to control the spring run off.
The top soil is very dudty and beneath this thin layer is at least 6 feet of beach sand.
How can I get grass to cover the new berms?
Is there a sand loving grass seed?
Answer:
The first thing you want to do is increase the fertility of the soil on the berms by adding more organic matter to that sand. It's difficult to try to seed grass in pure sand since it dries out very quickly which is not good for young grass seedlings. Compost, grass clippings, or mushroom manure are good choices if you have access to them.
If you want a low-maintenance lawn that you don't need to mow often, I would go for some of the bunching grasses like Junegrass. It does grow well in dry, sandy conditions but it forms clumps instead of creeping so you may want to mix it with other grasses like fescues.
The problem is that I can make recommendations but you may not be able to find these grass types locally. The best thing to do is to go to a respected nursery or garden center in your local area and see what kind of grass seed they have for sandy soils. A mix of varieties will probably work best.
