Since we were kids, we asked so many “unreasonable” questions at that time.
Why is the sea blue? Why is the grass green? And more similar questions.
It’s time we unveil the mystery that haunted us as kids but in a more scientific way at Lawn Advisors.
In this guide on Lawn Advisors, we’ll talk more about grass, since our lawns mainly consist of grass, and why is it green, then we’ll discuss how to keep it green most of the time.
Alongside the process, we’ll discuss the root (pun intended) of why is the grass green, buckle up and let’s start.
What Is Grass?
It’s an overdue question since we all have lawns that we take care of and maintain for quite some time already, but it’s still an important part of understanding why is the grass green.
Gramineae is a large family of plants that includes grass and other plant species. The grass would mainly have roots, stems, and crowns.
Grass types differ in shape and form, if their stems creep on the grown then they are stolons.
If the stems grow below the ground they are called rhizomes.
Regardless of the species, different grass types perform the same process to stay alive and healthy, and we’ll explain that in-depth later in this Lawn Advisors article.
Why Is The Grass Green?
We’ll provide you with 2 explanations, a short brief one, and a longer version of the answer.
The short & simple answer is that the grass absorbs the red and blue wavelengths in the sunlight, but can’t absorb the green, so it reflects it toward our eyes, thus the green color of the grass.
The longer answer is: grass (and other plants) live due to a process called photosynthesis, in which the plants create food out of sunlight.
In this process, a green pigment known as chlorophyll is mainly responsible for this process.
It absorbs the wavelengths out of the visible light produced by the sun, primarily absorbing both the red and blue wavelengths, as both are important for photosynthesis.
The green wavelength, however, doesn’t get absorbed but gets reflected straight toward your eyes.
This video explains the process further:
What is Chlorophyll?
We’ve mentioned the chlorophyll part quite sometimes already, what is this green pigment?
Chlorophyll got the name from a greek word (Chloros) which means (Yellowish-Green.)
The chlorophyll is the plant’s kitchen, it’s where the grass can get its food done, using water, sunlight, and minerals.
In detail, the photosynthesis process takes place in the chlorophyll, which absorbs energy from the sun, and turns the carbon dioxide & water into food in the form of sugar, with the sole purpose of living.
By the end of the process, glucose (sugar) is produced and can allow the plant to grow, and oxygen (a by-product of the process) erupts into the air.
Factors Affecting Chlorophyll & Grass Growth
There are key nutrients that should be found with an ideal percentage in the fertilizers so that it makes the chlorophyll as productive as possible.
Those 3 key nutrients are Potassium, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus.
Starting with Potassium, the lack of Potassium would lead to deficient water absorption and less effective photosynthesis.
Lacking Nitrogen leads to producing fewer chlorophyll cells, while too much Nitrogen would mean that the grassroots are less developed than the ideal situation.
As for Phosphorus, it’s required for cell division which is the main step towards full healthy growth.
How Can I Keep My Grass Green?
Those are some major steps towards keeping your grass green as long as you can:
- Water consistently.
- Mow Properly.
- Maintain Regularly.
- Care for Pests and Weeds.
- Clean Up Often -In case of Pets-.
Reasons Your Grass Isn’t as Green as Your Neighbor’s
My neighbor and I live in the same area, we mainly have the same soil type, why is his grass greener than mine?
There are multiple reasons, some are related to what species you have, and others are mainly built on the level of maintenance.
Those reasons include:
- Different Grass Species.
- Different Levels of Fertilizing.
- Mowing to Deeper Levels.
- Different Watering Routines.
- Different Nutrients in the Soil.
- Different Traffic Levels on the Grass.
What Color Should Soil Be?
We’ve been talking all day long about the grass and how green it is, but what about the soil? What color should soil be?
There’s no ideal soil color that’ll indicate that this soil is healthy or otherwise.
Generally speaking, soil color is mainly determined by the proportions of minerals in the soil.
Healthy soil is found in different colors, starting with orange up to dark colors.
The difference is in minerals, not the healthy state of the soil.
Why Is The Grass Green FAQ
Summary
Why Is The Grass Green? Chlorophyll & wavelengths.
Chlorophyll produces sugar & oxygen in the process of photosynthesis, using a spectrum of wavelengths, leaving the green wavelength to be reflected towards our eyes.
That’s why is the grass green, if you’re asking why the sky’s blue, that’s not on me, nor on Lawn Advisors.
