choosing the best lawn grass for your area

The lawn is the most critical part of any landscape. It's the canvas that holds together the colors of the surrounding plant life. Beautiful grass increases the aesthetic and economic value of the landscape, provides recreational surfaces, controls erosion and other ecological benefits. Choosing the best grass for your area or region is the most important step in establishing a lawn.

best grass in hot climates

bahia-grows short requiring low maintenance, dense grass makes great defense for weeds

bermuda-high traffic tolerant, drought and salt resistant, better in full sun, builds thatch quickly requires more frequent mowing

seashore paspalum-high traffic tolerant, also tolerates sandy soil, salt and moist climates and drought conditions

st. augustine-traffic tolerant, tough, dense grass makes defense for weeds, high maintenance with watering, mowing and fertilizing

zoysia-slow growth rate, drought tolerant but does better with frequent watering, thatch builds quickly

best grass in cool climates

fine fescue-drought resistant, low traffic areas, shade tolerant, disease resistant

kentucky blue-best grass in cool climates, prefers part sun to full sun, does not tolerate salt (noticeable in driveway edges where salt is used for snow and ice removal) grows to fill in bare spots quickly

ryegrass-traffic and drought tolerant, drought resistant but does better with frequent watering, prefers partial to full sun

best grass in dry climates

bahia-grows short requiring low maintenance, dense grass makes great defense for weeds

bermuda-high traffic tolerant, drought and salt resistant, better in full sun, builds thatch quickly requires more frequent mowing

buffalo-native North American, slow growth rate, drought tolerant, low traffic, dormants to brown shade when too hot or too cold

tall fescue-low maintenance, low traffic, drought tolerant

seashore paspalum-high traffic tolerant, also tolerates sandy soil, salt and moist climates and drought conditions

zoysia-slow growth rate, drought tolerant but does better with frequent watering, thatch builds quickly

best grass for low maintenance

fine fescue-drought resistant, low traffic areas, shade tolerant, disease resistant

tall fescue-low maintenance, low traffic, drought tolerant

bahia-grows short blades requiring low maintenance, dense grass makes great defense for weeds

buffalo-native North American, slow growth rate, drought tolerant, low traffic, dormants to brown shade when too hot or too cold

centipede-short blades, requires little fertilizing, does better with frequent watering, low drought tolerant, dormant and turns brown in high heat

Keep this in mind:

When you are purchasing seed look closely at the label. It will list percentages of several grass types. Almost all grass seed is sold in two ways; by mix or by blend. A mix or mixture means the package will contain more than one type of grass, like rye and fescue. The label will indicate by weight the amounts of each. This is beneficial when one predominate type will take control over certain areas where light or shade permit.

A blend will have one type of grass with different varieties. It might be all bluegrass but will have two or three varieties of that bluegrass. Each variety has it's own unique ability to battle pests, disease and climate conditions and work well with each other to maintain dominance over weeds and pests. We recommend blends just for the uniform aspect. However, a yard with several different lighting restrictions and shade levels might perform best with a mixture of types.

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