What Is The Best Lawn Grass

The Most Popular Types Of Lawn Grass

Pick the right seed, and your lawn will need little to no maintenance.

Growing and maintaining a healthy, green lawn doesnt have to be a time-consuming, laborious chore. Other than mowing regularly and occasionally applying a fertilizer, lawns are actually pretty low maintenance, and most lawns can thrive with little more than healthy soil, sunshine, and a little rain. That is, if you plant the right type of grass seed for your particular region of the country.

There are more than a dozen different types of grasses, and many lawns contain a mixture of two or more types. Turf grasses fall into two basic categories:

Warm-season grasses thrive in warmer climates, such as the southern, southeast and Gulf Coast regions of the U.S.

Cool-season grasses are best suited for regions that experience cold winters and widespread temperature fluctuations, such as those states located in the north, northeast, upper Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

Here are descriptions and details on the best types of grass to grow in different parts of the country. For more specific information for your region, contact a nearby university extension office or local nursery.

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Warm Season Grass Seeds

Warm season grasses thrive in areas with hotter summers. Typically, warm season grasses go dormant and turn brown over the winter. Plant warm season grass seeds in the spring.

Some of the most popular warm season grasses include the following.

• St. Augustine: St. Augustine grass tolerates heat, sandy soil, and shade. Its thick growth suppresses weeds.

• Bermuda: Bermuda grass tolerates heat, drought, and heavy foot traffic and grows quickly.

• Zoysia: Zoysia grass tolerates partial shade, heat, heavy foot traffic, and drought but is a slow grower.

• Bahia: Bahia grass is disease-resistant and tolerates sandy soil, heat, drought, salty conditions, and heavy foot traffic. It grows very thick and suppresses weeds.

• Centipede: Centipede grass is a slow grower that tolerates some shade and sandy soil. It doesnt need as much fertiliser as many other grasses.

Best Types Of Grass For Your Lawn

When choosing the best lawn variety, first select grasses that will thrive in your local environment and specific site conditions From these choices, pick one that will best suit the needs of your whole family, including children, adults and pets. The most important factor to consider in selecting a lawn grass is its ability to survive the intended use of the yard. The first consideration is sunlight. Is there adequate sunlight in the garden space to support shade-intolerant varieties? The second big consideration is whether the local climate favors cool-season or warm-season turf varieties. You’ll also have to consider whether you want to plant grass seed or have sod installed for an instant lawn.

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Do I Need The Best Lawn Tractor

Whether or not you need the absolute best lawn tractor depends on your needs. If you have a large yard, many items to avoid, or tough cutting conditions, the best lawn tractor may be worth the money. It will help you get the job done faster while being more comfortable.

In contrast, the best lawn tractor is more expensive than other models. If you dont need that extensive of a mower, you can downgrade to a more affordable model that still gets the job done based on your yard and needs.

Best Grass Seed For Warm

Warm-season grasses originated in tropical regions, so they are a great choice for the intense sunlight and hot temperatures of the Southern United States. They grow best between 75 and 90 F. When soil temperatures drop, they go dormant and turn brown. This lasts from late fall to early spring when the soil warms. The major grasses in this category include bahia grass, Bermuda grass, centipede grass, St. Augustine grass, and zoysia grass.

Bahia and St. Augustine grassesare limited to the mild winters and sandy soils of Southern California, Florida, and the Gulf Coast area.

Bermuda, centipede, and zoysia grasses grow further north, into a zone where warm and cool-season grasses overlap.

• Centipede is suitable for the moist Southeast, but due to its shallow roots it should not be planted in arid regions.
• Zoysia is tolerant of dry conditions, but it is susceptible to damage from an extended drought.
• Bermuda is the most widely adapted of the warm-season grasses in terms of temperature and drought tolerance.

Plant warm-season grass seed in late spring or early summer, when the soil temperature is at least 65 F, and the daytime high air temperature consistently reaches above 70 F. Water the seeds lightly after planting to ensure good soil contact. Water daily to keep the soil from crusting until the seeds germinate, which should be within two weeks.

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Zone : Kentucky Bluegrass

Traits: Recovers well from drought, cold, and foot traffic. Popular for sod seeds take up to 30 days to sprout. In hot weather, water twice as much as fescue.

When to plant: September

Newest varieties: ‘NuDestiny’ resists some fungi ‘Midnight’ and ‘Blue Velvet’ are best for shade.

Alternatives: Fine-leaf and tall fescue

Seed Mixtures And Blends

• Seed is commonly sold in mixtures or blends.
• A mixture is a combination of two or more grass species, e.g. tall fescue , perennial ryegrass , and Kentucky bluegrass .
• A blend is three or more cultivars of the same species.
• Mixtures and blends are popular because they increase the genetic diversity of your lawn. Certain grass species and cultivars are more susceptible to disease and insect problems, so using mixtures and blends increases your lawn’s ability to resist diseases and overcome insect infestations.
• Mixtures are a good option if growing conditions vary throughout your yard. For additional information on seed, mixture recommendations refer to TT 77 Turfgrass Cultivar Recommendations for Certified Sod and Professional Seed Mixtures in Maryland

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Is The Best Lawn Tractor Worth It

The best lawn tractor is worth it for some people, but not all. Individuals who have extensive mowing needs often find the best lawn tractor worth the price since it helps to get the job done quicker and more conveniently. For individuals with less extensive yard needs, the lawn tractor may certainly be effective and helpful, but it may be too expensive to make the price worth it.

Which Brands Offer The Best Grass Seed

For traditional lawn grasses, the best grass seed brand may be one of the big national brands. Those are the folks who do the research and develop new seed strains and seed blends. They know what works and what doesnt.

Smaller specialty seed companies may be better equipped to provide native grass seeds and other nontraditional seed blends.

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Buying Guide For Best Grass Seeds

A green, healthy, lush lawn: every homeowner wants one. Achieving that perfect lawn, however, takes a fair amount of work most importantly, planting or re-seeding with the right grass seeds for your area, your gardens conditions, and your lifestyle.

If you arent a landscaper or an avid gardener, choosing the right grass seeds can be confusing.

What does cool season and warm season mean? Is there any hope for that shady area underneath the tree? And what about your kids rough-and-tumble games of tag is there any grass that can survive that?

At BestReviews, weve done the research for you, gathering advice from landscapers, grass seed growers, and proud owners of beautiful lawns.

And since we never accept free products from manufacturers, our suggestions are 100% our own.

What Brand Of Lawn Tractor Is Best

Most people agree that two lawn tractor brands stand out: John Deere and Husqvarna. Both of these brands are notoriously durable and effective, which explains why they are often ranked as the best. It can be difficult to determine which of these two brands is actually better than the other.

On the one hand, John Deere is a highly respected company with extreme durability, but it is expensive. On the other hand, Husqvarna is a lot more accessible and still offers durability and convenience, but it isnt quite as popular as John Deere.

With this in mind, either of these lawn tractor brands is fantastic. Especially since their 2022 models are known for being durable, effective, and comfortable, you cant go wrong with either brand.

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Best Grass Seed For Cool

Cool-season grasses grow in areas that experience frigid winters and hot summers, but they grow best when daytime highs are between 60 and 75 F. In the North, they typically grow best in spring, early summer, and fall. In the southern extent of their range, they grow best in fall, winter, and spring. Cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. These grasses are often blended for different purposes, such as shade tolerance or high-traffic areas. Sun and shade blends are the most popular.

• Kentucky bluegrass is the only rhizome-spreading cool-season grass, which allows it to self-heal when damaged. The others are bunching or clumping grasses that must be reseeded when damaged.
• Perennial ryegrass excels in high foot-traffic areas, but it is moderately tolerant of other adverse conditions like drought, shade, and temperature extremes.
• Fine fescues are the most shade and cold-tolerant of the group.
• Tall fescue is the most heat and drought tolerant, which makes it the most popular of the cool-season grasses in the overlap zone with warm-season grasses.

Consider Your Specific Grass Seed Needs

Once you understand the basics, its time to get specific. Lets take a look at what to consider when deciding which grass seeds are right for your yard.

• How much sun does your yard get? Look for a seed variety or mix that is full-sun tolerant if your yard gets six hours or more of direct sunlight each day.

• Are there any shady spots underneath trees? Or is the whole yard shaded? Its admittedly tough to grow grass in a heavily shaded area, but there are varieties that tolerate partial shade, meaning just a few hours of sunlight per day.

• Do you have dogs? Dogs might be mans best friend, but they are definitely not your lawns good buddy. While there are varieties of grass that tolerate dog urine better than others, if you really want your lawn to look nice, consider training your pooch to use a small patch of artificial turf or a gravel area fenced off just for him.

• Does your lawn get heavy foot traffic? While any variety of lawn grass should tolerate at least light foot traffic, some varieties are much more forgiving than others. If you have kids that play outdoors, youll want a grass blend specifically geared towards heavy use.

• Are you just patching up holes or damage? If your lawn is mostly in good shape, but you want to fill in a few small holes or damaged spots, youll find a wide range of seed blends mixed with fertiliser to quickly cover the spot with new grass.

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What Is The Best Lawn Tractor For The Money

If you are on a budget, you can still get a fantastic lawn tractor. The Troy-Bilt 382cc Riding Lawn Mower is frequently listed as a good lawn tractor for the money. It offers fast speeds and good cutting capabilities. All the while, it is affordable.

It isnt quite as powerful or effective as our top pick, but it is still a good lawn tractor if you need an affordable one.

Best Grass Seed For Alternative Lawns

As sustainability gains traction with property owners, many are looking for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional lawns. There is a desire to reduce chemical applications, conserve water, and create backyard habitat space. The no-mow lawn encompasses a range of approaches including a selection of grasses that naturally stay low without mowing and incorporating non-grass plants that provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Xeriscape landscapes incorporate limited traditional lawn-grass areas where they serve an identified function but may use different grass species to fulfill the role of lawn grass.

The best solutions for alternative lawns incorporate a blend of local native grasses, wildflowers, and herbs that stay under 12 inches tall.

Finding the best grass seed for your lawn depends on a number of factors. With these tips in mind, youll be able to grow a flourishing, gorgeous lawn.

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Acclimatized: Cool & Warm Season Grasses

The many American grass varieties can be sorted into two categories: warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses.

Cool-season grasses develop deep, healthy root systems in climates with hot summers and cold winters. They also grow quite quickly. These grasses can tolerate some drought during the summer but grow best with regular rainfall. Generally, cool-season grasses thrive in the northern half of the United States and along the West Coast.

The most common varieties of cool-season grasses are:

Rough bluegrassKentucky bluegrassBent grassFescueRyegrass

In contrast, warm-season grass grows beautiful, thick, and lush during the summer months, when sunshine is strongest and temperatures are high. But when the thermometer begins to drop during the winter months, these grasses become dormant and turn a yellow color. You can find warm season grass types most often in the South.

The most common varieties of warm-season grasses are:

Bermuda grassBuffalo grassSt. Augustine grassCarpet grassZoysia grass

It is important to understand that grasses grow best during different seasons, so get used to the idea now: your lawn won’t look perfect every day of the year. But by selecting the right type of warm- or cool-season grass for your lawn, you can ensure that your lawn is lush and green as often as possible.

Best Fertilizer To Feed Your New Grass Seed And Protect It From Weeds

Planting grass seed in the spring can be a challenge for several reasons. Your biggest headache will be battling all those weeds that are trying to germinate at the same time as your grass seed. Weed growth is severe in the spring and it will choke out those tiny seedlings as they try to grow.

The perfect way to combat this is to use Scotts Turf Builder Starter Food For New Grass + Weed Preventer, a starter fertilizer containing mesotrione. Its one of the few pre-emergent herbicides that will prevent weed growth, including crabgrass, but still allow the new seedlings to grow unharmed.

If you need to seed your lawn in the spring, dont use a conventional fertilizer with pre-emergent herbicide. It will kill your new grass. Fertilizers containing mesotrione are the only way to go.

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Cool Season Vs Warm Season Grasses

For the most part, turf grasses are classified as either cool season or warm season grasses, and where you live determines your lawn type. On the map, the region colored in blue suits cool season grasses, orange suits warm season grasses, and the green states in between perform best with a mix of both.

With average temperatures ranging from low 30s in winter and mid 90s in summer, the Atlanta area lies on the edge of the transitional zone, meaning both warm and cool season grasses are used. Warm season varieties are most common, however, as they are more resistant to drought and heat.

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Warm season grasses:

• Should be planted from late spring through early summer
• Grow during the summer and go dormant during winter
• Are drought tolerant
• Tend to have thicker, coarser blades
• Are generally mowed at a shorter height

Cool season grasses:

• Should be planted from late summer through early fall
• Grow throughout the spring and fall and go dormant in the summer
• Are cold tolerant
• Tend to have longer, thinner blades
• Are generally mowed at a taller height

In north and middle Georgia, cool season grasses can be used to overseed a warm season lawn, which helps maintain an attractive lawn through the colder months. For the sake of uniformity, however, cool season grasses should only be mixed with fine- to medium-textured warm season grasses.

Can I Buy A Used Lawn Tractor

The beauty of looking for lawn tractors is that you can buy them used. lawn tractors will be more affordable as a result since they are used.

Its important that you thoroughly evaluate the quality of the lawn tractor before purchase to make sure it is still in good condition. Only buy a used lawn tractor if it hasnt been used too much and is still in good condition.

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Find A Grass Type That Is Best For Your Area

Grass can be finicky to upkeep. Many types of grass have areas where they will thrive and areas where they will do poorly. Finding a grass that is native or conducive to your local area is imperative to help choose a grass that will stay green longer with less upkeep. Before planting any new grass, check the sunlight, water, and temperature requirements as well as the zone where the grass grows best. There are three zones for grass in the United States. The zones are cool, transitional, and warm.

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What Is The Best Lawn Tractor

As we mentioned above, the best lawn tractor is the John Deere E160 48 in. Gas Hydrostatic Lawn Tractor. This lawn tractor is highly powerful and effective at cutting even the toughest of grass. It offers convenience features, such as zero-turn capabilities and cruise control.

What really sets this lawn tractor apart is that its durability and effectiveness are matched with comfortability. It offers 10 seat positions so that you can be comfortable while mowing your lawn. It even has a super easy engine start for convenience. These features mean that this mower is great for effectiveness and comfortability.

Because of all these features, this John Deere is definitely worth the money for intensive lawn needs. It will help you get the job done quickly without feeling uncomfortable any step of the way, though it is expensive.

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