Achieving a beautiful lawn is a lot easier if you choose the
right type of grass for your climate and zone. Warm-season grasses
are predominantly grown in Zones 8-11, and cool-season grasses in
Zones 2-8. Even if you already have a lawn, but it needs help, you
can improve its texture and color with a few easy tips. Deciding
which grass is right for you will depend on which part of the
country you live in and the condition of your property. Here's a
simple guide to find the perfect turf.
Cool-climate grasses
In the North, cool-climate grasses are best for lawns that grow
in Zones 2-8, thrive in spring and fall and slow down in the hot
months of summer and cold months. The Home Depot has a variety of
cool-climate grass seed options in-store, including Pennington
Smart Seed Sun & Shade Mix that requires up to 30 percent less
water and maximizes fertilizer performance. For more tips on how to
fertilize, read this project.
Kentucky bluegrass:
- Ideal for lawns in sunny locations
- Shallow roots that aren't very drought tolerant
- Dormant in hot, dry weather as well as cold weather months
- Best planted in fall or spring
Shade Tolerant Fescues (Fine fescues, Red fescues, chewings or
hard fescues)
- Fine blades
- Do well in shady areas
- Survives extreme cold
- Combines well with other cool-climate grasses
- Stands up to hot summers
- Best planted in fall or spring
Perennial ryegrass
- Grows quickly from seed
- Readily available
- Often combined with Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues
- Best planted in fall
Grass seed mixtures
- Often contain ryegrass mixed with bluegrass or fine fescue
seed
- Grows quickly
- Can stabilize an area while the premium grasses become
established
- Best planted in fall or spring
Warm-climate grasses
Throughout the South, warm-climate grasses, generally in Zones
8-11, grow vigorously during summer and go dormant and turn brown
in the cold months. Often they are wide-bladed and coarse compared
with northern grasses. Some homeowners keep lawns green by
overseeding with annual ryegrass toward the end of the growing
season. Many warm season grasses are much more drought tolerant
than products with cool season grasses. For more watering
conservation ideas, read Lawn Watering Tips For
Spring.
Bermuda grass
- Most common in the South
- Durable and does well in the heat
- Doesn't do well in the shade
- Very soft, fine-bladed and used in golf greens
- Best planted in spring
Centipede grass
- Makes a good lawn in hot areas
- Light green in color
- Has shallow roots and is subject to drought damage
- Does well in poor soil
- Best planted in spring
St. Augustine grass
- Fast-growing
- Requires at least 6 hours of direct sun a day
- Subject to damage from cinch bugs
- Prefers slightly alkaline soils
- Best planted in early summer
Zoysia grass
- Establishes slowly to form a dense, wiry, fine-textured
lawn
- Resistant to heat and drought
- Requires at least 6 hours of direct sun a day
- Resistant to disease and insect problems
- Best planted in early summer
Transition areas
Two areas of the country don't fall neatly into the conditions
that clearly favor either cool-climate or warm-climate grasses:
- In the area that runs like a belt from the southern half of
California to North and South Carolina, both the cool- and
warm-climate grasses are found. Local conditions make the right
choice critical. Consult garden centers in your area.
- Tall Fescue is the most common type of grass found in these
areas. It is the only option for gardeners who wish to have a green
yard through the winter when the warm season grasses turn dormant.
Tall Fescue will not grow in the coastal areas of North and South
Carolina.
