If your Little Rock lawn is lackluster, limp, or languid, replace it. These are the four best grass types for your Little Rock lawn.
Here are a few reasons why these are the best grass types for your lawn:
- Warm-season grasses work best in Central Arkansas.
- Each warm-season grass is slightly different, so dig into the details of each type to discover the best type for your lawn.
Four grass types work well in this Central Arkansas city. Let’s look in detail at each:.
1. Bermudagrass
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Bermudagrass is popular for lawns throughout Arkansas. This grass has moderate cold tolerance but a high heat and drought tolerance. If your lawn has any shade, this is not the grass for you. Bermudagrass requires full sun.
Bermudagrass can be established with seed, sod, sprigs, or plugs and is a great choice for lawns with heavy traffic.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
Shade tolerance: Low -needs full sun
Drought tolerance: High
Foot traffic tolerance: High
Maintenance needs: Moderate to high
Recommended mowing height: 0.5-2 inches
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. Zoysiagrass
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Like Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass is used statewide. This grass can tolerate the cold, and also has a high heat and drought tolerance. Although a Zoysia lawn can withstand heavy traffic, it is a slow grower, so your lawn may take some time to recover from excess wear.
Zoysiagrass is most often established with sod. Since it’s such a slow grower, it’s not a good idea to use seed (not available for all varieties), sprigs, or plugs. Homeowners may find that these methods result in a weedy, lower-quality lawn.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
Shade tolerance: Moderate
Drought tolerance: High
Foot traffic tolerance: High
Maintenance needs: Low to moderate. Watch out for thatch accumulation.
Recommended mowing height: 1-2 inches
Grass Plug and Seed Options:
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)
– Zoysia Emerald Grass Seeds (1/8 lb. of seeds)
– Zenith Zenith Grass Seeds (1/8 lb. of seeds)
The last two grass types are honorable mentions. St. Augustinegrass and centipedegrass are best suited for the southern third of the state but are able to grow in the central part of the state. Remember, you can always contact your local Extension Office if you have questions.
3. St. Augustinegrass
St. Augustinegrass has pluses and minuses. On the plus side, St. Augustinegrass is fairly shade-tolerant when compared to other warm-season grasses. Homeowners appreciate its dense appearance and that it doesn’t tunnel underground into flower beds (a regular border will do just fine to keep the grass out).
On the minus side, St. Augustinegrass is not very cold-hardy. Expect winter damage if temps drop below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Another point to note is that this grass can only be established by sod or plugs since St. Augustinegrass doesn’t produce enough seed to sell commercially.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons
Shade tolerance: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Low
Foot traffic tolerance: Low
Maintenance needs: Moderate
Recommended mowing height: 2.5-4 inches
Grass Plug Options:
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Seville Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Floratam Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
4. Centipedegrass
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Centipedegrass is known for its low level of maintenance. Since it only has stolons (above-ground stems), you don’t have to worry about this grass tunneling in your flower beds, and since it is slow-growing, you won’t have to mow as often as other grasses. It tolerates some shade and requires very little fertilizer. Another plus is that it has a low incidence of pest and disease problems.
Since it is slow to establish, you may want to consider sod instead of seed, and if your lawn gets a lot of use, this may not be the best grass for you. Centipedegrass does not handle heavy traffic well.
Classification: Warm-season grass
Spreads by: Stolons
Shade tolerance: Low to moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Foot traffic tolerance: Low
Maintenance needs: Low; may have to dethatch periodically
Recommended mowing height: 1.5-2 inches
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)
How to Select the Best Grass Type for Your Lawn
Now that you’ve considered the characteristics of each of these grasses, consider your lawn as well:
- How much maintenance do you plan to do (or hire out)?
- Plan to spend more time taking care of Bermuda and St. Augustine. Centipede and Zoysia will require less attention.
- Does your lawn have any shade, or is it full sun?
- Bermuda is a sun-loving grass. St. Augustine can tolerate shade better than other warm-season grasses.
- Is your area subject to drought or watering restrictions?
- Bermuda and Zoysia are the best at tolerating drought. St. Augustine is the worst. Don’t select St. Augustine if drought is common to your area.
- Does your lawn get much foot traffic (kids, pets, pickup football games, etc.)?
- Bermuda shines in this category while Zoysia comes in a close second. They both tolerate traffic well, but know that Zoysia will be slower to recover from wear.
Remember to consider the type of grass and your lawn’s conditions to choose the right grass for your lawn.
If you prefer to spend your weekends enjoying the abundant natural resources in The Natural State, let one of our Little Rock lawn care pros take the weekly mowing off your plate.
Main photo credit: iStock
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