What Is The Best Grass For Southern Lawns

Southern Warm Season Grasses

Southern grasses are best suited for tropical and subtropical climates and thrive between the temperatures of 80-95F. Southern grasses are typically known for their dense lawn cover, and turn brown in color when temperatures become cooler. The most commonly used southern grasses are: Bahia, Bermudagrass, Centipede, St. Augustinegrass, and Zoysiagrass.

Southern Grasses should be fertilized with Milorganite® four times per year. Centipedegrass and Bahia grass prefer spring and summer feedings, and to help prevent winter kill, avoid fertilizing these varieties in the fall. The last time to fertilize in fall is one month before dormancy or the average first killing frost. It’s not necessary to water in Milorganite after application, which is one of its great features. It stays on the soil until water and temperature conditions are just right for soil microbes to break down the nutrients in Milorganite for plants to use. Although not necessary, watering in Milorganite will ensure the fertilizer is in contact with the soil and speeds up the fertilization process.

Visit our lawn disease page for management tools to help get your lawn back on track.

Bahiagrass

Germination Period: 21-28 days. Dark green color . Hairy coarse characteristics. Requires moist conditions and acid soil. Grows in sun and light shade. Warm climate. Good for general utility. Excellent for play areas.

How To Care For Your Southern Lawn Each Season

Your yards needs will change month-to-month and season-to-season. And while your TruGreen specialist will help maintain your lawns health, there are still components of lawn care that you as the homeowner will need to watch and care for. The tips below will help you stay on track for a lush, healthy yard.

Type Of Weeds Affected

One major thing that you must know is that not all grassplots have the same kind of weed problem. For instance, some have dandelions, while others have patches of clover scattered all about. So, before making your purchase, you must determine what types of weed the best weed and feed for southern lawns can affect.

Plenty of southern weed and feed that can handle plantain, chickweed, ragweed, and many others. They can also kill crabgrass, however, due to the nature of this weed, its best to choose the specific, best crabgrass killer.

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How Much Seed To Apply

The amount required for overseeding lawns is usually on the label as it is different with different seeds as well as different lawns.

If you decide to overseed each year, you will need less seed than if you choose to do it once every few years or for the first time.

• Generally plan to use 2-4 lbs per 1000 square feet. This is if you want your lawn thick, and prepare to need to maintain this more as well.
• If you have trouble spots or are servicing a large dirt area, you may need up to 4-8 lbs per 1000 square feet.
• Performing a complete renovation of your lawn? Be prepared to use 8-12 lbs per 1000 square feet.
• Make sure to always irrigate properly and have patience. It will take a while to seed a bright and vibrant green lawn.
• Try not to apply too much seed when overseeding. Thick lawns are created over time, and adding too much seed all at once may lead to overcrowding and thinning.

Choosing The Best Weed And Feed For Southern Lawns

Before you choose the best weed and feed for southern lawns, you must first learn about the very basics of the weed-control product.

Thus, weve decided to conduct further research and collect all the necessary information regarding the best practices of lawn care and weeding. Now, we wish to share with you everything you need to know before buying the southern grass weed and feed.

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Building The Best Lawn

One you have the right grass, the perfect lawn takes the right kind of care. Tall fescue needs about 1.5 inches of water per week — whether that comes from rain, irrigation, or both. Slower, longer periods of watering can adequately saturate grass roots. Mowing tall fescue takes a thoughtful approach as well, especially in the summer. Mowing to a 3- to 4-inch height is ideal to ensure thick, strong, healthy grass. Annual aeration and overseeding can help this best grass type for Maryland lawns by improving air movement, as well as water and fertilizer uptake. It also reduces soil compaction, which improves root development. This helps tall fescue better battle heat and drought. Proper fertilization is another great regular practice that done at the right times encourages healthy growth. Spring fertilization helps support top growth, while fall fertilization helps support root growth — giving the entire plant what it needs.

Growing Grass In Maryland

The grass type you grow matters when youre looking for a thicker, greener lawn. Building a perfect lawn means controlling mowing height, water needs, and fertilization requirements. And determining the ideal tasks in each of these categories means knowing what grass types youre growing. Every grass is different and, therefore, has different preferences for care. But you dont have to worry about having a lot to remember about different grass types here. Since were in that tricky transition zone, we only have one ideal type of grass in Maryland: tall fescue.

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Benefits Of Professional Lawn Care

If you enjoy taking care of your lawn but dont always have the time for it, talk to a professional landscaper. Choosing the right grass and maintaining a yard, even a small one, can be a daunting task for many people. Fortunately, a professional lawn care company has the tools, experience, and time to keep your grass in good shape and your property looking its best.

Enjoy your outdoor space in any season. Find a Best Pick professional lawn care company today to have the lawn that you dream about.

How To Plant Grass Seed In Southern Ontario

21 September, 2017

Plant grass seed in southern Ontario by properly sowing the grass seeds and creating future environmental conditions favorable to the growth of grass. Southern Ontario’s temperate climate requires hardy grass species that are able to grow quickly in the short spring and summer months and survive harsh winters with temperatures falling well below zero. Such cool season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, and rye grass varieties. Grass prefers moist, high pH soil and direct sunlight.

Rake the lawn clear of debris using a flexible, metal rake.

Sow the grass by distributing the seeds evenly over the lawn using a fertilizer spreader. Use 2 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet when reseeding a mature lawn or 4 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet when over-seeding a new lawn.

• Plant grass seed in southern Ontario by properly sowing the grass seeds and creating future environmental conditions favorable to the growth of grass.

Lightly sprinkle 1/12-inch layer of lawn lime over the seeds using a fertilizer spreader. Lime increases the soil’s pH balance.

Cover the seeds and lime with 1/2-inch layer of clean compost or peat moss fertilizer using a spreader. Fertilizer adds minerals and nutrients to the top soil while regulating temperature fluctuations and moisture absorption.

Water the lawn once daily for the first two weeks or until new growth is visible through the top soil.

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How Do You Grow Grass In A Wooded Area

Growing grass in a wooded area is possible but very challenging. Grass requires sunlight and woody regions do not allow sunlight to enter. The canopy of the trees prevents all the sunlight from reaching the ground. Hence, it becomes difficult to grow all kinds of grasses under the tree shade.

If you use the right type of grass, you may be successful in growing grasses in wooded regions.

To successfully grow grass in a wooded area, you will need to trim some branches off the trees and allow some extra sunlight. Dispose of branches that you cut and remove the small weeds and shrubs from the planting area.

Loosen the soil with the tiller but avoid the tree roots. Most grasses will thrive in soils with pH levels ranging from 6.5-7. After testing the pH levels, add additives if needed, to correct the pH level of the soil. Use a rake to level the smoothen the surface of the planting site.

Start planting shade-tolerant grasses such as Nugget, Touchdown. Red fescue or hard fescue, Eclipse, and chewing fescue.

Since most of the shade-tolerant grasses have short roots, avoid very deep raking while removing dead or fallen leaves.

Choosing The Best Grass Types For Your Yard

If youre planting a new lawn, youll need to consider the factors that will make your yard look its best. Know your yards soil type, pH levels, and irrigation conditions. Low-maintenance grass types might be your preference, but if your yard is mostly shaded, you may have to choose grass types that fit the confines of your landscape.

Many of the common grass types that work well in South Florida have other varieties or species that have been adapted for different conditions. For example, Manilagrass is a species of Zoysia that resembles Bermuda grass. It grows slower than Zoysia and doesnt do well under colder conditions. However, in South Florida, Manilagrass can be a great option.

Think carefully about how you use your lawn. If your children are often outside kicking a ball around, youll want a sturdier grass that stands up to traffic.

Also consider your hardscape needs. If a particular part of your yard is constantly trampled, opt for a concrete or paver pathway there instead of grass. Talk to a professional landscaper about the best, most cost-effective ways to help your yard fit better with your lifestyle.

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Maintaining A Beautiful Lawn In Sandy Soil

Sandy soil makes establishing your lawn tricky, but once you have your lawn established maintenance of a lawn in sandy topsoil is easy.

The five types of grasses mentioned in this article thrive in dry soil and require very little watering or mowing.

Use the light conditions and temperature range of your yard to determine which of these grasses will work best.

Why Trust The Spruce

The Spruce contributor Theresa Holland is an experienced commerce writer with several years of experience covering home improvement. She’s spent countless hours researching yard care and landscaping products, not only for the content she writes but also for personal use. You can see more of her home-related stories on MyDomaine.

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How Do I Care For My New Grass

Your schedule of maintenance will vary depending on the type of seed or sod you choose. In general, once your sod has taken root, a steady diet of sunlight, water, and mowing is all your grass needs to thrive in the land of sun and surf.

You may also want to check for compacted soil from time to time.

About The Author

Aaron is the founder of and Essential Home and Garden. He likes to spend his spare time with his family, and doing DIY projects in the home and garden.

Southern And Northern Grass Differences

This blog posting is for those of you located in areas that can grow both Northern and Southern Grasses. Turf experts call these areas the transition zone. You can tell if you are in the transition zone if some lawns in your neighborhood are brown this time of year and some remain green in winter .

Here are some facts about Northern and Southern Lawns:

Northern Grasses

• Stay green all winter, especially with a couple of fall feedings.
• Can grow in sunny areas and can tolerate a fair amount of shade.
• Healthiest growth with 4 or 5 feedings a year during spring and fall when daytime high temps are below the 90s.
• Grass height should be around 2-1/2 to 4 inches after mowing.
• New grass seed can be planted in early spring and early fall.

Southern Grasses

• These lawns are brown in the winter when they go dormant .
• Grow best in full sun, however St. Augustine and Zoysia have some tolerance for shade.
• Feed 4 or 5 times a year. Spread the first feeding when you are starting to see about 50% green up in early spring from the winter brown color. Then feed every two months through the end of September. Centipede lawns do best with 2 or 3 feedings a year.
• Grass height should be : Bermuda ½ to 2 inches, Zoysia ¾ to 2 inches, St. Augustine and Bahia 2 to 4 inches, and Centipede 1 to 3 inches.
• Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede and Bahia can be seeded in late spring. St. Augustine needs to be sprigged or sodded.

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Will Zoysia Grass Grow In The Shade

Zoysia typically contains a deep root structure that is extremely efficient in retaining moisture and this is how it resists drought. Even during drought events, the grass stays green. If heat and drought persist, the grass will become dormant but it will again turn green once it is watered again.

Zoysia grass likes full and direct sunlight and can tolerate light shade.

The Top 4 Types Of Grass You Need To Consider Asap For Your Florida Lawn

That might seem like an overly urgent title but stick with us for a minutewe promise were not just being dramatic.

When it comes to grass in Florida, well, your options can be a little bit limited. We dont have the lushest of environments. Were either dealing with too much rain, scorching heat, unbearable humidity, super-salty-seaside factors, or, worst of all, hurricane season.

All of that combined makes for less than ideal conditionsespecially for that good, green, delicious grass we all know and love. But what if we told you that you can have the gorgeous lawn youve been dying foryes, no matter where you live in Florida.

Thats exactly what were here to talk about today.

Of course, each lawn is unique, and each decision for the perfect type of Florida grass will be based on certain factors . So, weve listed out some of our very favorite Florida grasses that are guaranteed to thrive in the wild environment Florida has to offer.

As a disclaimer, this article is going to deal with the straight-up grass youre looking to outfit your lawn withif youre lookin for decorative grass, this article might not be the haven youre looking for. But dont worry, weve got a blog for that, too. If decorate grass is the name of your lawn-maintenance game, check out our blog post here about some of the best decorative grasses for Florida lawns.

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Turfgrass Selection For Texas

Selecting turfgrass involves choosing both an adapted grass species and a variety of that species. It is important to select a species that is adapted to the climate of your area and to the conditions of the site where it will be planted. Site conditions include

• shade or sun
• intended use
• amount of traffic
• amount of rainfall or irrigation
• level of maintenance

The next steps are to prepare the soil properly for planting and establish a good maintenance program for long-term success.

The following descriptions are of the grass species most common to Texas. Maps indicate the areas to which the species are adapted:

• Green = The species is most adapted in this area.
• Orange = The species may need extra irrigation and maintenance in this area.
• White = The species is not adapted for this area, though it may be grown with extra irrigation and expert maintenance other grass species are recommended.

What Grass Grows In Shade 5 Best Shade Tolerant Grass Species

Shaded areas normally yield a thinning lawn, bare spots, and slow growth of grass. Areas in your lawn that have a dense shade due to tall trees and buildings can be difficult to get grass growing in them. The best solution is to plant good grass that grows in shade.

The best shade tolerant grass to choose from include St. Augustine grass and Zoysia . Cool-season grass types for low light conditions would be Ryegrass, tall fescue, and fine fescue. Instead of planting just one species, you could also choose to mix grass seed to get a sun and shade balance.

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Sunturf Tifgreen And Tifway

These are fine-textured, vegetatively-propagated bermudagrasses that produce a dense turf of excellent quality. They are an excellent choice for areas receiving a high degree of traffic because they resist and recover well from wear. Their utilization for home lawns should only be considered when a top-quality, high-maintenance turf is desired.

The Best Grass For Southern California

Because Southern California has a decent variety in the temperatures experienced throughout the year, you want a more versatile grass for this region. This often means that cool season grass is more likely to thrive in Southern California. However, that is not to say that warm season grasses cant still work you just may need to perform more maintenance!

Below are some grass types to consider for your Southern California lawn.

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What Kind Of Grass Should You Grow Under Shade Trees

Any shade-tolerant grass can grow under shade trees, but it will be more difficult for grass to grow there due to competition with the trees roots for nutrients. You can help your grass grow better under shade trees by trimming back the trees to allow more sunlight through and by adjusting your fertilizing and irrigation to compensate for both the lawn and the trees needs.