Knowing what grass to use for your lawn is an understudied question. Few of us know what to use. Fortunately, though we have answers and will help you to get the grass you want and help your outdoor areas flourish.
But which should you use? We look at some grass types you could explore for your lawn and the conditions you should consider before planting anything. As always, you’ll need to consider factors like the climate, soil type, sun conditions, shade, and traffic usage. So, what advice do we have for people choosing specific grass types for lawns? Read on!
Understand The Local Climate
You’ll want to start with a thorough understanding of the local climate. Getting to grips with this will enable you to make better overall decisions about which species to choose.
Cool-season grasses thrive more in the northern parts of the country (if you are in the northern hemisphere). They are okay when the temperatures plummet (even if they stop growing) and thrive well during normal temperate summers (no extremes).
Here, you actually have more choices than you might think. Cool season grasses include:
Fine fescue
Tall fescue
Perennial ryegrass
Kentucky Bluegrass
You find these grasses in places like Maine, Michigan, and Canada. They are bred for the climate and able to withstand almost anything it throws at them.
Warm-season grasses are, as the name suggests, more suited to warmer weather. These do better in places that tend to be hot for much of the year, particularly areas nearer the Mexico border that get rain. The most common cultivars in this category to look out for at the local garden center are:
Buffalograss
Centipedegrass
St. Augustinegrass
Zoysiagrass
Bermudagrass
Once you understand the types of grass you should be sowing, it will make everything easier for you. You can confidently go ahead and plant your lawn, knowing that these cultivars will sprout up rapidly and create excellent coverage.
Consider Sun And Shade
When choosing a type of grass, you also want to think about sun and shade. How much light will the grass get in typical conditions? When considering sun and shade, you’ll need to think about physical obstacles, like your home, and solar intensity, which is a function of latitude.
For example, you might want to sow seeds according to the level of shade specific areas get throughout the day and seasons. Sometimes, grass can be in the shade most of the time, meaning that you’ll want to focus on fescues and St. Auginetinegrass. Other times, it will be open sunlight the whole time, making it more suitable for Bermudagrass and Kentucky Bluegrass.
You should also consider your latitude. Some parts of the country have midday sun in the summer that is almost directly overhead, while others don’t. It’s your job to find grasses that can deal with different levels of insolation. Some have defenses in place that allow them to cope with higher sunlight levels than others. Robust grasses won’t burn, while less robust ones will, especially under midday, mid-summer sunlight.
Consider The Soil Type And Drainage
Of course, you also need to think about the soil type and drainage. While grasses might look great on paper for your location, they may not grow well once actually in the ground. Some soils are sandy, meaning that they contain a higher fine-grain rock content alongside bacteria and plant break-down products.
Usually, gardeners call this “poor soil” because hardly anything will grow in it (it’s one of the reasons why drier, sandier areas have less vegetation). However, many grasses can thrive in it, including Bermudagrass, if watered regularly. These have special roots that don’t require the sludginess of clay as much.
Clay soils are compact and prone to water-logging, which also makes them less ideal for grass. Sometimes, cultivars can become waterlogged in the winter and don’t have ways to eliminate the excess, leading to damage.
As such, Tall fescue is usually the best option in this situation. It can deal with claggy, cloying soils thanks to its strong roots and ability to reduce the amount of water it takes on.
Then, finally, there are soils with poor drainage. These remain saturated for weeks after rain events, making life harder for grass plants. Fortunately, you can deal with this issue with Zoysiagrass and Ryegrass. These function best in areas that get a lot of rain, and even at altitude.
Think About Traffic
You also want to think about the amount of traffic that is likely to stomp on the grass. The more of this you have, the more carefully you will need to think about the grass cultivars you use. Sometimes, you’ll need to use a combination to get the features you want.
If you have an ornamental lawn (without dogs and kids running across it), then Bermudagrass or Kentucky Bluegrass are perhaps the best options. These look fantastic, even if they are quite delicate.
By contrast, if you have lots of wear and tear on your lawn and expect trampling damage, then fine fescue or buffalograss might be better options. These don’t really need much mowing or fertilizing.
You should still be careful, though. Any amount of trampling can increase opportunities for weeds. For that reason, many gardeners use Celsius WG herbicide to push back against unwanted species.
Consider The Season
You also want to think about the season when seeding. Which varieties you select will determine how well grass will grow. Some won’t sprout at all at certain times of the year, and could even die if you’re not careful. For example, warm-season grasses turn brown during the winter months since it is too cold for them to carry out most of their life processes. They won’t usually die, but they won’t quite look right.
The same goes for the cool-season grasses in the summer. From June to September, it’s common for them to dry out and desiccate, which isn’t attractive.
Because of this, many gardeners sow cool-season grass in the fall, and warm-season grass in the spring. This approach ensures greenness a few months later.
If you live in an area with a highly changeable climate, you might want to do both. Sowing a mixture of seeds helps to keep your grass looking okay in the summer and winter. Just remember to avoid overseeding your warm-season grasses. Adding too many could overpower the cool-season cultivars, undermining the effect you want to achieve.
Choose A Mix
Related to this last idea, you could also consider choosing a specific mix for your grass that supports growth and well-being over time. While planting just one cultivar can look good, it won’t always have the effect that you want.
That’s why a lot of people opt for fescue mixes for shaded areas. These have different cultivars that can adapt to specific situations, allowing them to make the most of their situations. You can also opt for ryegrass mixes. These look fantastic on green lawns or in cooler climates.
The nice thing about ryegrass is that it is related to some of the hardiest plants in the food production industry. It tends to make life simpler.
The more research you can do on what suits your climate, the better. If you learn about the grasses that work in your area, you can have a greater effect.
If you’re not sure which grasses work near you, look at the best lawns in your neighborhood and ask their owners what they’re doing. You should eventually notice a pattern (such as planting a specific seed mix or using a particular fertilizer brand.
You could also go to your local garden center and ask them what works in the area. While they might offer varieties with proven success locally for your climate and soil conditions.
Concluding Remarks
Finding the right type of grass for your garden is notoriously challenging because of the sheer number of variables involved. You don’t always know whether you are making the right choice.
Some experimentation will be involved. However, using common sense is often best. For example, Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue do best in more northern climes. Trying to add these to a tropical garden usually won’t work.
Similarly, Burmudagrass and Zoysiagrass often work best in places in the south of the country where the weather is warmer for most of the year. These cultivars really don’t like the cold.
Of course, if you live somewhere in the middle, you have more choices. You could also pick an all-rounder grass, proven to thrive in a variety of conditions, including tall fescue.
Before planting any grass, check soil quality. See what type of soil you have, the pH, and the nutrients it contains. If it doesn’t match the profile of grass requirements for your area, consider enriching it first. You don’t want the pH to be too low or high for grasses to thrive.
If you can’t work this out, go to a professional. Try to get candid advice on what to do next so you don’t wind up making mistakes. Enjoy your new lawn!
Knowing what grass to use for your lawn is an understudied question. Few of us know what to use. Fortunately, though we have answers and will help you to get the grass you want and help your outdoor areas flourish.
But which should you use? We look at some grass types you could explore for your lawn and the conditions you should consider before planting anything. As always, you’ll need to consider factors like the climate, soil type, sun conditions, shade, and traffic usage. So, what advice do we have for people choosing specific grass types for lawns? Read on!
Understand The Local Climate
You’ll want to start with a thorough understanding of the local climate. Getting to grips with this will enable you to make better overall decisions about which species to choose.
Cool-season grasses thrive more in the northern parts of the country (if you are in the northern hemisphere). They are okay when the temperatures plummet (even if they stop growing) and thrive well during normal temperate summers (no extremes).
Here, you actually have more choices than you might think. Cool season grasses include:
You find these grasses in places like Maine, Michigan, and Canada. They are bred for the climate and able to withstand almost anything it throws at them.
Warm-season grasses are, as the name suggests, more suited to warmer weather. These do better in places that tend to be hot for much of the year, particularly areas nearer the Mexico border that get rain. The most common cultivars in this category to look out for at the local garden center are:
Once you understand the types of grass you should be sowing, it will make everything easier for you. You can confidently go ahead and plant your lawn, knowing that these cultivars will sprout up rapidly and create excellent coverage.
Consider Sun And Shade
When choosing a type of grass, you also want to think about sun and shade. How much light will the grass get in typical conditions? When considering sun and shade, you’ll need to think about physical obstacles, like your home, and solar intensity, which is a function of latitude.
For example, you might want to sow seeds according to the level of shade specific areas get throughout the day and seasons. Sometimes, grass can be in the shade most of the time, meaning that you’ll want to focus on fescues and St. Auginetinegrass. Other times, it will be open sunlight the whole time, making it more suitable for Bermudagrass and Kentucky Bluegrass.
You should also consider your latitude. Some parts of the country have midday sun in the summer that is almost directly overhead, while others don’t. It’s your job to find grasses that can deal with different levels of insolation. Some have defenses in place that allow them to cope with higher sunlight levels than others. Robust grasses won’t burn, while less robust ones will, especially under midday, mid-summer sunlight.
Consider The Soil Type And Drainage
Of course, you also need to think about the soil type and drainage. While grasses might look great on paper for your location, they may not grow well once actually in the ground. Some soils are sandy, meaning that they contain a higher fine-grain rock content alongside bacteria and plant break-down products.
Usually, gardeners call this “poor soil” because hardly anything will grow in it (it’s one of the reasons why drier, sandier areas have less vegetation). However, many grasses can thrive in it, including Bermudagrass, if watered regularly. These have special roots that don’t require the sludginess of clay as much.
Clay soils are compact and prone to water-logging, which also makes them less ideal for grass. Sometimes, cultivars can become waterlogged in the winter and don’t have ways to eliminate the excess, leading to damage.
As such, Tall fescue is usually the best option in this situation. It can deal with claggy, cloying soils thanks to its strong roots and ability to reduce the amount of water it takes on.
Then, finally, there are soils with poor drainage. These remain saturated for weeks after rain events, making life harder for grass plants. Fortunately, you can deal with this issue with Zoysiagrass and Ryegrass. These function best in areas that get a lot of rain, and even at altitude.
Think About Traffic
You also want to think about the amount of traffic that is likely to stomp on the grass. The more of this you have, the more carefully you will need to think about the grass cultivars you use. Sometimes, you’ll need to use a combination to get the features you want.
If you have an ornamental lawn (without dogs and kids running across it), then Bermudagrass or Kentucky Bluegrass are perhaps the best options. These look fantastic, even if they are quite delicate.
By contrast, if you have lots of wear and tear on your lawn and expect trampling damage, then fine fescue or buffalograss might be better options. These don’t really need much mowing or fertilizing.
You should still be careful, though. Any amount of trampling can increase opportunities for weeds. For that reason, many gardeners use Celsius WG herbicide to push back against unwanted species.
Consider The Season
You also want to think about the season when seeding. Which varieties you select will determine how well grass will grow. Some won’t sprout at all at certain times of the year, and could even die if you’re not careful. For example, warm-season grasses turn brown during the winter months since it is too cold for them to carry out most of their life processes. They won’t usually die, but they won’t quite look right.
The same goes for the cool-season grasses in the summer. From June to September, it’s common for them to dry out and desiccate, which isn’t attractive.
Because of this, many gardeners sow cool-season grass in the fall, and warm-season grass in the spring. This approach ensures greenness a few months later.
If you live in an area with a highly changeable climate, you might want to do both. Sowing a mixture of seeds helps to keep your grass looking okay in the summer and winter. Just remember to avoid overseeding your warm-season grasses. Adding too many could overpower the cool-season cultivars, undermining the effect you want to achieve.
Choose A Mix
Related to this last idea, you could also consider choosing a specific mix for your grass that supports growth and well-being over time. While planting just one cultivar can look good, it won’t always have the effect that you want.
That’s why a lot of people opt for fescue mixes for shaded areas. These have different cultivars that can adapt to specific situations, allowing them to make the most of their situations. You can also opt for ryegrass mixes. These look fantastic on green lawns or in cooler climates.
The nice thing about ryegrass is that it is related to some of the hardiest plants in the food production industry. It tends to make life simpler.
The more research you can do on what suits your climate, the better. If you learn about the grasses that work in your area, you can have a greater effect.
If you’re not sure which grasses work near you, look at the best lawns in your neighborhood and ask their owners what they’re doing. You should eventually notice a pattern (such as planting a specific seed mix or using a particular fertilizer brand.
You could also go to your local garden center and ask them what works in the area. While they might offer varieties with proven success locally for your climate and soil conditions.
Concluding Remarks
Finding the right type of grass for your garden is notoriously challenging because of the sheer number of variables involved. You don’t always know whether you are making the right choice.
Some experimentation will be involved. However, using common sense is often best. For example, Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue do best in more northern climes. Trying to add these to a tropical garden usually won’t work.
Similarly, Burmudagrass and Zoysiagrass often work best in places in the south of the country where the weather is warmer for most of the year. These cultivars really don’t like the cold.
Of course, if you live somewhere in the middle, you have more choices. You could also pick an all-rounder grass, proven to thrive in a variety of conditions, including tall fescue.
Before planting any grass, check soil quality. See what type of soil you have, the pH, and the nutrients it contains. If it doesn’t match the profile of grass requirements for your area, consider enriching it first. You don’t want the pH to be too low or high for grasses to thrive.
If you can’t work this out, go to a professional. Try to get candid advice on what to do next so you don’t wind up making mistakes. Enjoy your new lawn!
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