Choosing the right grass seed for the Peach State’s different climates is key. Tall fescue is grown as far south as Griffin, and Bermuda and Zoysiagrass work well statewide. Here, you’ll learn everything about these and other best grass seeds for Georgia lawns.
The Peach State has varying climates, from the Coastal Plain to the Blue Ridge mountains, so there is no “one-grass-fits-all.” But don’t worry, as we’ll discuss what grass types thrive in each of the state’s regions. Let’s dive in.
The regions of Georgia
Georgia is divided into five different physiographic regions with different soils, altitudes, and planting zones. The five regions of Georgia are:
- Coastal Plain
- Piedmont Region
- Blue Ridge Region
- Ridge and Valley Region
- The Appalachian Plateau
The Coastal Plain is located in south Georgia and is generally the hottest region in the state. The Piedmont area, spanning across central Georgia, also experiences a warm climate and includes almost 1/3 of the state’s land. North Georgia, where the climate is colder than the rest of the state, encompasses the Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley, and the Appalachian Plateau.
Now, let’s go through the best grasses for Georgia and what regions are the perfect match for each.
Cool-season grasses for Georgia
Growing well in colder climates, cool-season grasses are the best options for the northern portion of the state. Some species, like perennial ryegrass, can also be used statewide to overseed Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass for temporary winter lawns.
Tall fescue
Tall fescue is the best overall fescue option for Georgia. Although this grass is a great choice for northern Georgia, it is best adapted to the Piedmont region and is considered one of the best grass types for Atlanta.
And if you want grass that stays green all year in Georgia, tall fescue is your perfect choice. Tall fescue has a beautiful dark green color that lasts all year, although it thins out in the summer.
This cool-season grass can successfully grow as far south as the Griffin area or even further south in shaded or protected areas. For homeowners, the turf-type tall fescue cultivars are preferred instead of the Kentucky 31 cultivar.
Classification: Cool-season grass
Spreads by: Produces short rhizomes but has a bunch-type growth habit
Shade tolerance: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate to High
Foot traffic tolerance: Moderate
Maintenance needs: Frequent mowing. Does not produce significant thatch. Spring applications of pre-emergent herbicides are necessary to control common weeds in Georgia. Tall fescue prefers fertile and well-drained soil and may need reseeding every few years.
Mowing height: Set mowing height to 2 inches when grass reaches 3 inches tall.
Potential for disease: Tolerant of most diseases when properly maintained.
Soil pH: 5.5 to 6.5
Soil type: Adapted to a wide range of soil conditions, but prefers fertile clay soils with good drainage.
Grass Seed Options:
– Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend (5000 sq ft)
– Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed (choose your size)
– Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix (7 lb.)
Kentucky bluegrass
Adapting well to the mountain areas of northern Georgia, Kentucky bluegrass has fine-to-medium bright green leaves. Although it does not perform as well as tall fescue, it is still a viable option for homeowners. If you seed it with tall fescue, you can improve its performance for a top-notch lawn. It does not tolerate heat well.
Classification: Cool-season grass
Spreads by: Rhizomes
Shade tolerance: Low (but it grows best in partial shade in Georgia)
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Foot traffic tolerance: Moderate
Maintenance needs: Moderate mowing frequency and high fertilization needs. It does best in partial shade but can grow in full sun with enough irrigation since it has a high water requirement in Georgia. It is also prone to diseases and thatch build-up.
Mowing height: Set mowing height between 2.5 and 3.5 inches.
Potential for disease: Moderate to high; prone to several diseases, such as dollar spot, leaf spot, necrotic ring spot, summer patch, and stripe smut.
Soil pH: 6-7.5
Soil type: Performs best in well-drained, heavy soils with high fertility.
Grass Seed Options:
– Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed (3 lbs.)
– SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
Perennial ryegrass
Annual ryegrass, perennial ryegrass, and rough ryegrass are used throughout Georgia as temporary winter lawns.
Although named “perennial,” perennial ryegrass is actually used as an annual grass in Georgia. Seeded in the fall, it provides a dark green color in winter and spring, dying out in the heat of late spring or early summer. Annual ryegrass, on the other hand, usually dies by mid or late spring.
Classification: Cool-season grass
Spreads by: Has a bunch-type growth habit
Shade tolerance: Low
Drought tolerance: Low
Foot traffic tolerance: High
Maintenance needs: Moderate mowing and fertilization requirements. Thatch is not significant. It germinates quickly.
Mowing height: Set mowing height to 1.5 to 2.5 inches
Potential for disease: High. Common diseases include gray leaf spot, red thread, and leaf spot/melting out.
Soil pH: Can grow in soils with a pH between 5 and 8, but prefers between 6 and 7.
Soil type: Prefers good drainage and fertility, but can tolerate some poor drainage.
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)
Warm-season grasses for Georgia
Used across Georgia, warm-season grasses are particularly adapted to the state’s Piedmont and Coastal Plain areas. Well-suited for the higher temperatures, they grow rapidly from spring to early fall (May to October).
Bermudagrass
Grown in a variety of soils, Bermudagrasses can be established throughout Georgia. Common Bermudagrass is widely used in home lawns because it is easily established by seeding. But if you’re looking for better performance, some hybrid cultivars have improved shade tolerance and disease resistance.
While you can’t buy hybrid cultivars as seeds, there are still high-performing common Bermudagrass cultivars that you can choose. Among the best Bermudagrass seeds for Georgia are the Southern Star, Jackpot, Riviera, Savannah, and Majestic, which have all performed well in Georgia soils.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
Shade tolerance: Low; thrives in full sun
Drought tolerance: High
Foot traffic tolerance: High
Maintenance needs: If fertilized appropriately, it requires frequent mowing due to the fast growth rate. Difficult to control around flower beds and borders. Develops thatch easily and needs regular fertilization. It prefers full sun and grows best with at least eight hours of sunlight.
Mowing height: Set the mowing height between 0.5 and 1.5 inches for hybrid Bermudagrass cultivars. Mow common Bermudagrass down to 1.5 to 2.5 inches.
Potential for disease: Good resistance to disease, although diseases are common; low resistance to insects
Soil pH: 6-6.5
Soil type: Tolerates most soil types
Grass Seed Options:
– Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass (10-lb. bag)
– Hancock Seed Co. Bermudagrass (50-lb. bag)
Zoysiagrass
Zoysiagrass can be cultivated statewide, with several cultivars available in the state. It is an excellent choice for home lawns and forms a dense turf (although it has a slow growth rate). Considered a low-maintenance grass, Zoysiagrass is one of the easiest grasses to grow in Georgia.
Because it thrives in full sun and high temperatures, Zoysiagrass is a great option for those living further south in the state in cities like Savannah. If your Georgia yard gets lots of shade, Emerald Zoysiagrass is considered the best Zoysia for shade.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
Shade tolerance: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate to High
Foot traffic tolerance: High, but recovers slowly from damage
Maintenance needs: Requires less nitrogen fertilization than other warm-season grasses, although it’s prone to thatch build-up. Prefers full sun. The Emerald cultivar is more vulnerable to winter injury from Atlanta northward.
Mowing height: Set mowing height between 1 and 2 inches.
Potential for disease: Good disease tolerance overall
Soil pH: 6-6.5
Soil type: Well-draining, some cultivars are more tolerant of a wide range of soils than others.
Grass Plug and Seed Options:
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)
– Zenith Zenith Grass Seeds (1/8 lb. of seeds)
Centipedegrass
Best adapted to central and south Georgia, centipedegrass can also be cultivated statewide. It is a relatively low-maintenance grass, as its nitrogen needs are on the lower side. However, this does not exclude the need to fertilize the lawn as needed, since centipedegrass can also decline when not properly maintained.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons
Shade tolerance: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Foot traffic tolerance: Low
Maintenance needs: Mow short and fertilize with a zero-phosphorus fertilizer. One to 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is usually enough for the year. It is susceptible to large patch disease during spring, so protective fungicide application is recommended.
Mowing height: Set the mowing height between 1 and 2 inches.
Potential for disease: Good resistance to diseases and insects
Soil pH: 5.0 to 6.0, making it well-adapted to most Georgia soils
Soil type: Acidic, infertile, at least moderately good drainage (very dense clay soils produce poor results).
Grass Seed Options:
– Gulf Kist Coated Centipedegrass Seeds (1 lb.)
– Scotts EZ Seed Patch and Repair Centipedegrass (3.75 lbs.)
– TifBlair Centipedegrass (5-lb. bag)
St. Augustinegrass
St. Augustinegrass is the best warm-season grass for partial shade. If you’re also looking for a moderate- to fast-growing turf for the Piedmont and the Coastal Plains, St. Augustinegrass is the way to go. You may see home lawns with St. Augustinegrass in the Atlanta area, but know that this is a cold-sensitive option with a slow recovery in spring.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons
Shade tolerance: Moderate. It is the most shade-tolerant warm-season grass.
Drought tolerance: Moderate to High
Foot traffic tolerance: Low
Maintenance needs: Because of its fast growth habit, St. Augustinegrass needs frequent mowing. It also needs regular fertilization. The amount of nitrogen required ranges from 2 to 5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year, depending on where you live. For the Piedmont, the lower end of this range is enough.
For south Georgia, where the soils tend to be sandy and the growing season is longer, the upper end of the range is needed. But be mindful that overfertilization can lead to thatch problems.
Mowing height: Set the mowing height between 3.5 and 4 inches.
Potential for disease: Moderate to high
Soil pH: 6-7.5
Soil type: Tolerates many soil types; prefers moderately fertile and moist (not waterlogged) soils; doesn’t tolerate soil compaction
Grass Plug Options:
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Seville Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Floratam Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
Best grass seed for North Georgia
Northern Georgia is located in a transition zone, where both warm and cool-season grasses can grow. Because it tends to be colder than the rest of the state, cool-season grasses are preferred:
- Turf-type tall fescue
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Ryegrasses
Best grass for Middle Georgia
The best grasses for Middle Georgia are the following warm-season grasses:
- Zoysiagrass
- Bermudagrass
- St. Augustinegrass
- Centipedegrass
Although it is a cool-season grass, tall fescue in Georgia is also well-adapted to the Piedmont region, cultivated as far south as Griffin.
Pro tip: The Piedmont area is known for its red clay soil. If your yard has clay soil, it is important to note that grass seeds won’t thrive unless you amend and aerate your soil well. If you want to learn more about planting on clay soil or hard dirt, read our article on How to Plant Grass Seed on Hard Dirt.
Best grass seed for South Georgia
South Georgia is the warmest region of the state, where warm-season grass seeds are the best choice:
- Centipedegrass
- St. Augustinegrass
- Zoysiagrass
- Bermudagrass
How to choose the best grass type
If the information is still a little confusing, in this section we’ll guide you on some criteria you can consider to choose the right grass for your lawn.
Your region
One of the first things you should consider is where in the state you live:
- North Georgia: Narrow your options to cool-season grasses.
- Central Georgia: Tall fescue is the best cool-season grass, but you also have warm-season options.
- South Georgia: Warm-season grasses are the only choices.
Maintenance needs
Another important aspect to consider is how much time and money you’re willing to spend on maintaining your lawn:
- Low maintenance needs: Centipedegrass
- Moderate maintenance needs: Zoysiagrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue
- High maintenance needs: St. Augustinegrass, Bermudagrass, Kentucky bluegrass
Drought tolerance
Georgia has experienced drought periods before, so if you live in an area that was affected in previous years, opting for a drought-tolerant species is a safe bet:
- Low drought tolerance: Perennial ryegrass
- Moderate drought tolerance: St. Augustinegrass, Zoysiagrass, Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, centipedegrass
- High drought tolerance: Bermudagrass
Foot traffic tolerance
Do you have pets or children that love to run and play on your lawn? If so, prefer a grass type with a high traffic tolerance. Here are the traffic tolerances of the grasses mentioned in this article:
- Low traffic tolerance: Centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass
- Moderate traffic tolerance: Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue
- High traffic tolerance: Zoysiagrass, Bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass
Shade tolerance
Does your yard get lots of shade? Or is it exposed to full sun most of the day? Choosing the right shade tolerance can also be crucial to make your lawn thrive:
- Low shade tolerance: Bermudagrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass
- Moderate shade tolerance: Centipedegrass, Zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, tall fescue
More Georgia resources for your lawn
To learn more about caring for your Georgia lawn and landscape, here are additional resources from Lawn Love on how to help your Peach State property thrive:
- How and When to Plant Grass Seed in Georgia
- Month-to-Month Lawn Care Calendar for Georgia
- When to Aerate Your Lawn in Georgia
- When to Apply Pre- and Post-Emergent Weed Control in Georgia
- What Zone is Georgia for Planting?
- Georgia Landscaping Ideas
Contact a professional
If you’re still unsure about what grass seed would be the perfect fit for your lawn, contact a Georgia lawn care pro for help. An experienced lawn care pro can help you decide the best grass seed for your climate and soil and even help you establish your lawn.
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