New Ideas For Warm Season Grass
As you probably know there’s not a lot to growing grass. Or so it would seem. But that’s not so say it’s super simple either. Or that you justy need to pick up a bag of grass seed, scatter it about and then sit back as a well manicured lawn sprouts up.
No, if your idea of an ideal lawn is one that requires little watering, infrequent mowing and flourishes as the temps soar you’re going to need to do your homework. Recognizing too that there is no perfect turfgrass to be had.
Now five strains that should be on your short list to consider would be Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede, St. Augustine and Bahia. Here’s a quick rundown on each.
If you want a fast, dense growing grass that does well regardless of the quality of soil then St Augustine might be the one for you. But before you run out to buy some seed you need to know you can only establish a St Augustine lawn from sod or plugs. It’s also a thirsty variety that surprisingly isn’t all that drought tolerant either. Others are not taken with its Astro Turf like appearance either.
Okay so perhaps a turf grass that can be started from seed would be more like it. Then set your sights on Bahia grass. This is a low maintenance variety that can often get by on rain water only. Not to mention it is quite drought resistant and bounces back green and all in no time once the rains return. It doesn’t often fall prey to insects or diseases either. Some don’t like how it looks or the fact that it require frequent mowing. And don’t go planting Bahia in the shade and expect it to do well either.
Centipede is a slow growing, low maintenance, warm season grass. This yellow green turfgrass is know for high drought tolerance along with average tolerance for shade and acidic soils. It does it’s best in full sun. Can be established by seed or sod, Centipede grass takes cold well and requires less mowing than most strains. But it does not stand up well to extremely heavy foot traffic.
Common Bermuda grass is not what you necessarily want in your lawn since it can quickly invade surrounding flower beds. However hybrid versions are very attractive. Bermuda is a full sun grass that has poor tolerance of shade – a major drawback. It does display decent drought and cold tolerance though. Generally it is also free of major disease problems.
One of the most cold hardy in the group is Zoysia. It’s a thick growing strain that makes it hard on weeds. A slow grower compared to Bermuda it’s got average tolerance for shady growing conditions. Typically you establish a Zoysia lawn with sprigs or plugs. If you go that route you’ll need to be patient. The biggest draw back here is the need for frequent mowing. Plus Zoysia should be regularly de-thatched as well.
As you might have concluded, if you keep your regional weather in mind, know the growing conditions and take your level of commitment to lawn care in mind, growing a lawn that stays green longer isn’t all that tough. Hopefully the run down on your best bets when it comes to strains to consider has made your selection process that much easier.
According to author and lawn care enthusiast, Dewey J Capasso grubs in the lawn can wreck havoc on warm season grasses too. If you’d like to know more about how to broadcast zoysia grass plugs, which electric mower might be best, or how to eliminate a specific weed you’ll find the help you need at MowerMania.com.
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