Casa Garden

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 you want a lawn that matches the time and level of commitment you can devote to maintaining it, you’ll have to do a bit of research. To learn which strains thrive under the regional conditions you face. And any more that means thriving with few water demands during periods when little rain is expected to fall.

To help with that here’s a brief rundown on the five warm season grasses felt to be worthy of consideration. That list would include Zoysia, St. Augustine, Bahia, Centipede, and Bermuda – in no particular order. Each has it’s own pluses and minuses.

One fast growing variety that grows thick enough to ward off weeds is St Augustine. But the list of drawbacks with this one is rather lengthy. Not good for high traffic. Not all that drought resistant. Doesn’t like being cold. Can only be started from plugs or sod. Requires lots of water to maintain it’s good looks. All of which would make it rather high maintenance. But a good choice if that’s not a problem.

If you want a medium turf grass which can be easily planted from seed then you can choose Bahia grass. Once established, Bahia will generally need only rainwater to stay green. Plus it can survive almost indefinitely in a dormant state and greens up fast after droughts. This coarse textured grass can grow in variety of soils and due to its extensive root system it is drought tolerant. It is less prone to diseases and insect problems. Drawbacks? This grass requires frequent mowing and some compare mowing it to cutting wire. Plus it doesn’t do well in high shade areas or high pH soils.

Gray-green Centipede grass is a slow growing turf variety that is naturally drought tolerant. Grown best in full sun it has about average tolerance for shade and acidic soil. Centipede can be started from seed or put down as sod. It withstands cold temps and need less mowing than others on the list. A drawback to keep in mind is it doesn’t do well in heavy traffic situations.

Now given its poor tolerance of shade Bermuda grass needs full sun to shine. Still it’s a widely grown warm-season turf-grass. Being an aggressive and invasive by nature you’ll also find common Bermuda can easily take over nearby flower beds. But it is drought and cold tolerant and free of most major disease issues.

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.

Growing grass is easy if you pick the right variety for your local climate, know your budget, understand what traits your need, and take your commitment level to maintenance into consideration. These five varieties are the most common ones planted and offer you your best bets when it comes to warm season grasses.

Admitted lawnologist Dewey J Capasso is passionate about yard care. Whether it’s taking care of lawn grubs using biological controls, or explaining the care and feeding of zoysia grass, you’ll find the help you need at MowerMania.com.