How to Pick the Best Grass Types For You

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The sheer number of choices available for lawns today can easily overwhelm most consumers. After all, what are the differences between Zoysia, Bermuda, and Kentucky Bluegrass? Which will best suit your needs and make your home look great?

Choosing Grass Types

First, you can narrow down your choices based on the climate in which you live. Overall, grass types divide into two categories: cool weather grasses (such as Kentucky Blue Grass, types of Fescue, and Perennial Ryegrass) and warm weather grasses (like Bermuda, Zoysia, St Augustine, Buffalo, or Bahia grass).

Next, you want to consider the average rainfall of your area since some grass types tolerate droughts while others demand plentiful water. The final weather-based requirement comes down to sun versus shade. Some grass types need far more sunlight than others.

Your Lifestyle Needs

In addition to climate variations, take into account your lifestyle. Do you like spending time in the garden or do you prefer a low-maintenance lawn you can ignore for long periods and have it remain green? Fine-leaf fescue (for cool climates) and Bahia (for warm climates) are two low-maintenance grass types.

You also must judge how much traffic your lawn gets - do you have young children constantly playing on it? Or is it primarily a showpiece that no one steps on?

All of this determines which grass will thrive on your lawn, because while fine-leaf fescue requires very little maintenance, it also has no tolerance for traffic. Bermuda Grass, on the other hand, tolerates traffic well but doesn't like the shade.

So don't let the number of choices overwhelm you - use them to your advantage by narrowing down your requirements and then finding the grass type that will meet your needs and give you a beautiful green lawn to enjoy.

Source

• What's the Best Lawn Grass for You?

About the Author

Laura Horwitz has worked as a freelance writer and researcher for five years in both London and the US. She had a monthly landscaping and tips column for the Sussex County magazine RH Review, and her articles have appeared in Film Focus, 6 Degrees Film, and BizBash magazine.