What Is the Best Type of Grass Seed to Use?

Warm Season Grass

• Since the ideal growing temperature for warm-season grasses is between 85 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, they are the dominant turfgrasses in the southern United States. Zoysia grass is popular, and it is a lovely turfgrass, but it does go dormant in the fall. During this time it turns brown and doesn't green up again until April or May. It is available only as sprigs or sod, so establishing zoysia grass lawn takes a little more effort than those you can seed. Bermuda, centipede and St. Augustine grass are other varieties of warm-season grasses. Bermuda grass does not do well in the shade, centipede grass doesn't tolerate a lot of traffic and St. Augustine grass has low cold tolerance.

Cool Season Grass

• Cool-season grasses thrive when temperatures are between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Kentucky bluegrass is probably the most well-known of the cool-season grasses. It is a high-maintenance grass that requires lots of sunshine. If you are looking for a coarse-textured, rich-green turf, you may want to consider Kentucky bluegrass or a mixture of three or four varieties of bluegrass. Tall fescue is another cool-season grass but with fewer maintenance requirements than Kentucky bluegrass. It tolerates extremes in temperatures better and adapts to poor soil conditions.

Transition Zone Grass

• The transition zone is the area of the country where it is too hot to grow cool-season grasses but too cold for warm-season grasses. This area, in the central part of the country, includes Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, southern New Jersey and South Carolina. There are no types of grass that will do well in the transition zone without a lot of maintenance. Your best bet is to plant a warm-season grass that has proven to have a degree of cold-hardiness, such as Bermuda grass. If you are in doubt about what to plant in your transition zone landscape, ask your neighbors what they are growing or contact your county cooperative extension office for suggestions.

Considerations

• Gardeners with dogs need to be prepared to do a bit more homework before choosing a grass. If your dog will be spending a lot of time on the lawn, be prepared to reseed frequently. Choose a grass that spreads by rhizomes. These grasses are easier to repair, according to the experts at the Lawngrasses website. Bermuda grass will stand up the best to pooches in warm-season regions while Kentucky bluegrass is the best for the dog owner in cool-season areas.