The Best Types of Grass

Cool-Season Grass

• In the northern United States, you will have the best success planting cool-season grasses. A cool-season grass will grow when the soil temperature is between 32 and 65 degrees F. Plant a cool-season grass in the spring, usually between February and April or in the fall between August and September. Broadcast the seed about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in the soil. Some examples of cool-season grasses include fescues, bluegrass and rye grass.

Warm-Season Grasses

• Warm-season grasses are best adapted to areas of the southern United States such as Florida and the Gulf Coast. Warm-season grasses do well in the very hot South. They can withstand the heat and are drought tolerant. Keep in mind that when cooler weather hits, the warm-season grass will turn brown until spring returns. A few examples of warm-season grasses include bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and St. Augustine grass around the Gulf Coast.

Transitional Grasses

• An area known as the transitional zone exists in the United States that runs from the middle east coast of the Carolinas, through the Ohio Valley, and into Missouri. It extends as far south as north Georgia and north Alabama and as far north as the southern half of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. This area can be difficult for grass to grow because temperatures get hot enough to give cool-season varieties trouble and cold enough to give warm-season varieties trouble developing. A good mixture of warm- and cool-season grass is common to help alleviate these issues. Cold-hardy warm grasses such as zoysia grass are common, as well as heat tolerant cool varieties like fescue or bluegrass.

Root Systems

• Deep root systems are a vital factor in a good grass type. Root growth allows the grass to reach more nutrients in the soil and to be able to survive harsh conditions better. In general most species of grass, such as fescue and bluegrass, should be allowed to grow between 3 and 4 inches high. Be mindful of your mowing height. Some types of warm-season grass like zoysiagrass and bermudagrass can be cut lower. Keeping your soil well drained will force roots to go deeper into the soil to get water.