Are you looking for a thicker lawn in the metroplex? You’ll need a good warm-season grass that can handle the heat. Here are the top four grass types for Dallas.
- Bermudagrass
- Buffalograss
- Centipedegrass
- St. Augustinegrass
The Triple D is known for its humid climate and hot summers. You’ll need grass that will thrive in these conditions. Warm-season grasses are planted throughout the southern United States because they grow most actively in the warmer months.
After running down the four best grass types, we’ll discuss soil, growing conditions, and maintenance. Some grasses need a lot of effort to thrive; some take very little work. We’ll help you pick out a grass that will have your lawn as green as AT&T Stadium.
What are the best grass types for my Dallas lawn?
1. Bermudagrass
Bermudagrass is popular throughout Texas and widely used for golf courses and athletic fields. Its fine blades regrow quickly and tolerate heavy use. It’s one of the fastest-growing warm-season grasses.
This grass is extremely drought-tolerant, ideal for our semi-arid summers. It prefers a sunny yard, which isn’t a problem for much of Dallas. But if you happen to have large shade trees or buildings blocking your daily dose of sun, you may want to consider something else.
- Classification: Warm-season grass
- Spreads by: Both stolons and rhizomes – this grass grows thick
- Shade tolerance: Low
- Drought tolerance: High
- Foot traffic tolerance: High; bermudagrass is great for golf courses and athletic fields.
- Maintenance needs: Moderate
- Mowing height: 1.5-2.5 inches
- Potential for disease: Low; this grass is generally disease resistant but can sometimes be hit with spring dead spot.
Other Notes: Because of its thick growth, bermudagrass is often planted to control erosion.
Grass Seed Options:
– Pennington Bermudagrass Bare Spot (5 lb. bag)
– Pennington Smart Seed Bermudagrass Mix (8.75-lb. bag)
– Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass (10-lb. bag)
– Hancock Seed Co. Bermudagrass (50-lb. bag)
2. Buffalograss
If you’re looking for low-maintenance grass with excellent drought tolerance, consider buffalograss. Not only does this type thrive with little rainfall, it does great in low-nutrient soil. Buffalograss also curls down as it grows and doesn’t need to be mowed as often.
Buffalograss spreads quickly with a fine texture that’s gray-green to blue-green in color.
This grass type needs a lot of sun and struggles in the shade. Be careful not to overwater. This will make your buffalograss much more susceptible to weeds.
- Classification: Warm-season grass
- Spreads by: Rhizome
- Shade tolerance: Low; make sure this turf has plenty of sun
- Drought tolerance: High
- Foot traffic tolerance: Moderate
- Maintenance needs: Very low; this is a large part of this grass type’s popularity
- Mowing height: 2-3 inches
- Potential for disease: Low
Other Notes: Buffalograss is the only grass native to North America that is widely used for lawns in the United States.
Grass Seed Options:
– Everwilde Farms Buffalograss Seeds (1 lb. of seeds)
– Buffalograss seed (primed) (5-lb. bag)
3. Centipedegrass
Centipedegrass is another grass type that takes little maintenance. It grows well in highly acidic soil and needs little fertilization. In fact, over-fertilizing or overwatering will increase its potential for weeds and disease.
You also won’t need to mow this one as often as it grows very slowly. Centipedegrass is typically flat-bladed, light green, and coarse in texture.
This grass has a couple of weaknesses. It needs a lot of sun and struggles to grow in the shade. It’s also not known for its tolerance to foot traffic. If you plan on having regular barbecues, this might not be your type.
- Classification: Warm-season grass
- Spreads by: Stolon
- Shade tolerance: Low
- Drought tolerance: High
- Foot traffic tolerance: Low; centipedegrass can easily be trampled
- Maintenance needs: Low; this grass is perfect for anyone who doesn’t love yard work
- Mowing height: 1.5-2 inches
- Potential for disease: Moderate; it should be fine so long as you don’t overwater or over-fertilize
Other Notes: This grass type is native to southern China. It’s named for its upright stolons that can resemble centipedes.
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)
– Pennington Centipedegrass and Mulch (5-lb. bag)m
4. St. Augustinegrass
Out of all the common warm-season turf grasses, St. Augustinegrass has the highest shade tolerance. We recommend this for anyone in the city whose property doesn’t get much daylight.
St. Augustinegrass is flat and smooth on both sides with a blunt tip. Even though this turf likes to stay hydrated, its deep root systems provide decent drought tolerance.
Like most grass types, there are some tradeoffs. St. Augustinegrass can’t take the cold and might struggle in a difficult winter. It also has a low tolerance to foot traffic.
- Classification: Warm-season grass
- Spreads by: Stolon
- Shade tolerance: High; this turf can thrive in low sunlight conditions
- Drought tolerance: Moderate
- Foot traffic tolerance: Low; we don’t recommend this one for pet owners
- Maintenance needs: Moderate
- Mowing height: 2.5-3.5
- Potential for disease: High; this one is also vulnerable to chinch bugs and other pests.
Other Notes: St. Augustinegrass is typically established from sod.
Grass Plug Options:
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Seville Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Floratam Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
How to choose the best grass type for your Dallas lawn
Any of these warm-season grass types are great for Dallas, but some might work better for your yard than others. Here are four key concerns to address when choosing the turf for your yard.
- How much daylight lands on your land? Most of these grasses need a lot of sun.
- If you have a shadier yard, consider planting St. Augustinegrass.
- How much foot traffic does your lawn see?
- If dogs, children, or neighbors are regularly stomping around on your property, bermudagrass is probably your turf.
- Do you like doing yard work?
- Most of these grass types will take a little bit of effort. If you want a lawn that can thrive without much maintenance, consider planting centipedegrass or buffalograss.
- How’s your soil?
- Centipedegrass and buffalograss grow well in highly acidic, low nutrient soil. Fertile soil can better support bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass.
When should I plant grass seed in Dallas?
If you’re planting a new lawn, you’ll want to consider the best time to foster the growth of your grass. Warm-season grass seed germinates best when the temperature is between 70 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend planting in late spring to early summer for best results anywhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
That said, if you’d rather have a professional take care of all the yard work for you, we’d be more than happy to help. A Dallas lawn care company can give you a hand with landscape design, installation, and maintenance.
Main Photo Credit: Luis Tamayo | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
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