The Best Turf Grass for Central Alabama

Types

• Central Alabamians need to focus on warm-season turf grass species in selecting the best lawn for their needs. Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass are types appropriate for the region. The qualities of these species vary considerably and must be weighed in deciding which is best for your property. Zoysia and Bermudagrasses are most tolerant to drought and stand-up to excessive wear, as on athletic fields and playgrounds. Bermudagrass is high-maintenance, with its need for lots of fertilizer, moisture and mowing to look and grow its finest. Centipedegrass is low-maintenance, but is coarse and pale green in color and does not tolerate lots of wear or too much fertilizer. St. Augustinegrass is deep green, coarse in texture, tolerates minimum wear and is mowed high, which can be unattractive to some people. Bahiagrass is low-maintenance but needs a reel mower for cutting and overall looks weedy and sparse as a lawn.

Light Conditions

• All warm-season turf grasses for Central Alabama grow and look their best if grown in full sun, meaning at least 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sun rays daily. Too much shade and lawns thin out, leaving bare soil for weeds to infiltrate. St. Augustinegrasses tolerate the most shade, but only partial/dappled shade at most. The least tolerant of shade is Bermudagrass, but the others can look acceptable if they receive no less than four hours of sunlight daily.

Establishment

• Centipedegrass and zoysia easily grow from seed, plugs, sprigs or sod. Sod is the most expensive, but creates an instant lawn that is dense and diminishes the chances of weed seeds sprouting to compete with grasses, as in the case of seeding, plugging or sprigging a new lawn. Other high-quality cultivars of warm-season grasses must be started by sod, sprigs or plugs.

Recommendations

• In areas of central Alabama closer to Birmingham, Bermuda and zoysia grasses make better lawns. Closer to Montgomery, St. Augustine and centipede grasses may be better choices because of milder winters. Again, the best choice varies on your sunlight conditions, costs to start the lawn and your preferences for lawn use and maintenance. Of these four types, St. Augustine and Bermuda are the fastest growing, but require more maintenance overall. Centipede and zoysia are best for low-fertilizer lawns. Contact your local Alabama Cooperative Extension Office for precise recommendations for a grass for your area.