Traditionally a Southern U.S. turf, Zoysiagrass is also a great choice for building a beautiful south Jersey lawn that stands out from your neighbors’ yards. Or you can go with tried-and-true Northern grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue, or perennial ryegrass.
It’s important to know because building and keeping a great lawn starts with choosing a grass type that prospers in our slightly warmer climate and weather conditions. But beyond that, you should consider the strengths and weaknesses of each type and select one that suits your needs and preferences for appearance, durability, and other factors.
Zoysiagrass: Best in the summer heat
Zoysiagrass has traditionally been viewed as a Southern grass because it loves the heat and survives temperatures up to 120 degrees. However, newer cultivars of Zoysia also withstand temps as low as -30 degrees. For this reason, they are gaining popularity as far north as Connecticut.
The primary benefit of Zoysiagrass is that, unlike cool-season grasses that grow best in the spring and fall but often go dormant in the heat of summer, Zoysia thrives in the summer when you want your lawn at its peak.
So why do we recommend it only for south Jersey? Because while it can survive very cold temps, Zoysiagrass grows best in very warm weather, and south Jersey is definitely warmer than central and north Jersey. In fact, south Jersey is about 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the state and experiences twice as many days of 90-degree temperatures.
We recommend it from Cumberland County south, but particularly in places like Middle Township, Wildwood, and Cape May.
Available as sod? Yes
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)
Perennial ryegrass: Establishes quickly, handles heat
Perennial ryegrass is another turf that doesn’t wither in the heat, although it’s not quite as heat-loving as Zoysia. This versatile grass can be planted alone to create a lawn, or you can mix it with other grass seed to quickly repair bare spots or improve the durability of a lawn that gets heavy use.
Perennial ryegrass may have trouble with super cold or very icy winters, but those are fairly rare here in south Jersey. With its rapid growth rate, it’s still a great choice for a quick cover-up when fixing bald patches on your lawn.
Available as sod? Yes
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)
Kentucky bluegrass: Popular throughout Jersey but high maintenance
Kentucky bluegrass can be found everywhere in New Jersey because it withstands the state’s cooler winters and bounces back great in the spring. It thrives in the spring and fall but can go dormant in the heat of summer, especially in south Jersey where summer temperatures average about 5 degrees hotter than elsewhere in the Garden State.
When you’re establishing a new lawn, know that Kentucky bluegrass germinates slowly, taking between 10 to 30 days. This is why it’s often mixed with fast-germinating grasses like perennial ryegrass or fine fescues in new lawns.
Another downside: Kentucky bluegrass requires more attention and more fertilizer than some other grass types.
For more about this and other cold-hardy Northern grasses, see our article Best Grass Seeds for New Jersey.
Available as sod? Yes
Grass Seed Options:
– Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed (3 lbs.)
– SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
Fine fescue: Good in shade, needs less water
Fine fescue is actually a group of grasses comprised of several cultivars, such as creeping red, Chewings, hard, and sheep fescue. They like Jersey’s cool climate and thrive in shady lawns. They’re less needy when it comes to fertilization, requiring only 2 pounds or less per 1,000 square feet per year.
Fine fescue mixes well with other grass types to improve drought and shade tolerance. If you want to tweak the appearance or bolster a weaker lawn, combine it with Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass.
Available as sod? Yes
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz Creeping Red Fine Fescue Seed (choose your size)
– Outsidepride Creeping Red Fine Fescue Grass Seed (25 lbs.)
Tall fescue: Low maintenance grass
Tall fescue is a fairly hardy grass that can go long stretches without supplemental irrigation, so it’s good for those who don’t want to invest hours and hours a week on their lawns. It’s also a good choice for yards exposed to direct sunlight throughout the day or communities that restrict water usage.
In addition to tolerating drought, tall fescue resists most insects and diseases, but it is still susceptible to some diseases like brown patch if it’s overwatered or overfertilized.
Tall fescue also doesn’t develop thatch as quickly as Kentucky bluegrass.
Available as sod? Yes
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.)
Trust the pros
Lawn maintenance can be time-consuming and tough. Starting a new lawn? Tougher still because tender young seeds require a lot of care until they can thrive on their own.
If you don’t have the patience for all this, or perhaps you’re just not confident that you have the green thumb to pull it off, contact Lawn Love. Our lawn care professionals can guide you in finding the best grass for your needs and location.
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Main Image Credit: Doug Kerr | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
