The Best Types of Sod for an Instantly Lush Lawn

The best types of sod for your warm-season lawn are Bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and Zoysiagrass. However, if you need cool-season sod instead, choose fine fescue, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, or Kentucky bluegrass.

Choosing the right sod for your lawn is important for creating an attractive landscape. The wrong choice can lead to poor establishment, constant maintenance, and your lawn dying. Your climate, soil conditions, sunlight exposure, foot traffic, and maintenance requirements all factor into finding your top sod match.

This guide explores 8 popular sod varieties with their unique characteristics and ideal growing conditions. Our expert tips will help you evaluate important factors for achieving a lush lawn.

Warm-season vs cool-season sod

One of the most important factors when choosing the best type of sod for your lawn is understanding the difference between cool-season and warm-season sod. These focus on the time of year and the temperature ranges in which they thrive best:

Cool-season sod actively grows when temperatures reach 50 degrees and excels at 60 to 75 degrees — during spring and fall. These grasses are best for northern regions with cold winters and moderate summers. During extreme summer heat, cool-season grasses may go dormant and turn brown unless heavily watered.

Warm-season sod grows when daytime temperatures stay above 60 degrees. It grows best during 85- to 95-degree weather — late spring to summer and sometimes into early fall. These grasses are ideal for southern regions with hot summers and mild winters. They generally go dormant and turn brown during the winter.

The transition zone runs across the middle of the United States and is challenging for both grass types. This region has cold winters and hot summers, making varieties like tall fescue, Zoysiagrass, and Kentucky bluegrass/tall fescue blends popular options.
Choosing the right type of grass for your climate zone is essential for establishing a lawn that remains healthy year-round with reasonable maintenance requirements. I’ve outlined the most popular warm-season and cool-season sod types below.

Warm-season sod	Cool-season sod
Bermudagrass	Fine fescue
Centipedegrass	Tall fescue
St. Augustinegrass	Perennial ryegrass
Zoysiagrass	Kentucky bluegrass

If you’re in need of a lush, green lawn, contact a Lawn Love pro near you to install sod for an instant lawn.

Types of sod

There are 8 main types of sod available to homeowners. However, not every type is right for your lawn. It’s best to buy your sod from a local farm or nursery because it’s grown specifically to thrive in your region. 

To help you narrow down your options, I’ve outlined the most popular types of sod along with their cost, maintenance level, climate preferences, and foot traffic tolerance, among other important deciding factors.

Read more: Where to buy sod

Bermudagrass

• Appearance: Dense, fine-textured with medium-green color
• Average cost: $0.80 to $1.30 per sq. ft. or $360 to $649 per pallet
• Climate: Warm season
• Cold tolerance: Moderate
• Disease resistance: Good
• Drought tolerance: High
• Foot traffic tolerance: High
• Growth habit: Aggressive spreading via stolons and rhizomes
• Maintenance level: High
• Sunlight: Full
• Water needs: Moderate

Bermudagrass is the South’s most popular sod, thriving in home lawns and golf courses. It handles heavy foot traffic, survives drought, and adapts to most soil types, including salty coastal areas. Premium Bermudagrass varieties like Latitude 36, Celebration, and PremierPRO are available exclusively as sod.

Pet owners like Bermudagrass for its ability to hold up against dog damage. Its fast growth helps it recover quickly but requires frequent mowing, dethatching, and fertilization. Watch for dollar spot, spring dead spot, and pink snow mold.

“Bermudagrass turfs grow best in full sun and usually become sparse and weedy in medium to heavy shade,” explain Tom Samples and John Sorochan, professors at the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee.

Cold-tolerant varieties can work in transition zones but will turn brown during winter. Consider overseeding with cool-season grasses for winter color.

Centipedegrass

• Appearance: Dense, medium to coarse-textured with a greenish-yellow color
• Average cost: $0.44 to $1.17 per sq. ft. or $200 to $584 per pallet
• Climate: Warm season
• Cold tolerance: Low
• Disease resistance: Moderate
• Drought tolerance: Moderate
• Foot traffic tolerance: Low
• Growth habit: Slow spreading through stolons
• Maintenance level: Low
• Sunlight: Full to partial sun
• Water needs: Moderate

Often called the “lazy man’s grass,” centipedegrass is a low-maintenance option requiring minimal mowing, pest control, and fertilizing. Avoid overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizer, which can cause thatch and diseases like centipedegrass decline.

This sod thrives in acidic, infertile soil with good drainage but cannot tolerate salt or cold. So, if you live in the the transition zone, go with another sod type. In alkaline soil, watch for iron chlorosis, which yellows or whitens your lawn.

Centipedegrass feels soft on your feet but recovers slowly from heavy traffic due to being a slow spreader. This slow growth makes sodding the best method for planting a centipedegrass lawn rather than seeding.

“Planting centipedegrass as sod produces an instant lawn that establishes more rapidly and is less susceptible to various stresses,” says J. Bryan Unruh, Marco Schiavon, and AJ Lindsey, turfgrass experts with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. 

My tip: Remember that centipedegrass is a light green, almost greenish-yellow grass, which may be a turn-off if you prefer a dark green lawn.

St. Augustinegrass

• Appearance: Dense, coarse-textured with a bluish-green color
• Average cost: $0.49 to $1.20 per sq. ft. or $220 to $600 per pallet
• Climate: Warm season
• Cold tolerance: Very low
• Disease resistance: Low
• Drought tolerance: Moderate to high
• Foot traffic tolerance: Low to moderate
• Growth habit: Slow spreading through stolons
• Maintenance level: High
• Sunlight: Full to full shade
• Water needs: Moderate

St. Augustinegrass thrives in coastal areas due to its salt tolerance and ability to grow in sandy soils. It doesn’t work well in heavy foot traffic and cold temperatures, but certain cultivars like Raleigh and Classic offer improved cold hardiness.

This versatile sod adapts to most soil types and stands out as the most shade-tolerant warm-season grass, especially BitterBlue and ProVista cultivars. Its dense growth crowds out weeds but causes thatch buildup, requiring regular dethatching.

Maintenance demands include frequent mowing and fertilization and the prevention of fungal diseases like brown patch and fairy ring. Watch for pests like mole crickets and armyworms, with chinch bugs being the primary weakness, though cultivars like Captiva and Floratam offer better resistance.

Read more in our guides: 7 Common St. Augustinegrass Pests and Most Common Diseases in St. Augustinegrass.

Zoysiagrass

• Appearance: Dense, fine to coarse-textured with a light to medium green color
• Average cost: $1.05 to $1.30 per sq. ft. or $495 to $650 per pallet
• Climate: Warm season
• Cold tolerance: Low to moderate
• Disease resistance: Moderate
• Drought tolerance: Moderate to high
• Foot traffic tolerance: High
• Growth habit: Slow spreading through stolons and rhizomes
• Maintenance level: Moderate
• Sunlight: Full to partial sun
• Water needs: Moderate

If you live in the transition zone, Zoysiagrass is a great option, especially cold-tolerant Zoysia japonica cultivars. Though it turns brown during winter dormancy, overseeding with cool-season grass can keep it green. It is great in coastal areas with well-draining soil and tolerates partial shade, especially Zoysia matrella cultivars or shade-adapted options like El Toro and JaMur.

This grass withstands heavy foot traffic, making it a great option for active families. While it recovers well from damage, its slow growth rate means it takes time to recover compared to other warm-season grasses.

Zoysiagrass requires moderate maintenance with minimal nitrogen fertilizer needs. It accumulates more thatch than other sods, requiring light, frequent dethatching. Watch for dollar spot, powdery mildew, white grubs, and chinch bugs, though this grass’s overall disease and pest resistance is strong.

Read more in our guides: Most Common Diseases Affecting Zoysiagrass and 5 Common Pests in Zoysiagrass.

Fescue grasses

Fescue grasses can be divided into two types: fine and tall. They are both cool-season bunch-type grasses that can handle slightly acidic soil. Bunch-type grasses don’t spread like Kentucky bluegrass or Bermudagrass, so they can’t recover from damage on their own. They will need to be overseeded every few years to repair bare spots.

Fine fescues

• Appearance: Fine-textured. Color depends on the species but ranges from light green to bluish or grayish green
• Average cost: $0.47 to $1.78 per sq. ft. or $332 to $890 per pallet
• Climate: Cool-season
• Disease resistance: Low to moderate
• Drought tolerance: Moderate to high
• Foot traffic tolerance: Low
• Growth habit: Bunch-type (except for creeping red fescues)
• Heat tolerance: Moderate to low 
• Maintenance level: Low
• Sunlight needs: Full sun to full shade
• Water needs: Low to moderate

The five fine fescue species are best in northern states due to their cold tolerance. Each offers unique benefits: Sheep fescue handles drought best, creeping red fescues thrive in salty soil, and hard fescue provides superior heat tolerance — ideal for transition zone lawns with warmer summers.

Fine fescues perform well in shade, with Chewings fescue being the most shade-tolerant type. However, they can’t handle heavy traffic — consider tall fescue if your lawn sees frequent use.

These grasses require minimal mowing and fertilizing, though they’re somewhat vulnerable to diseases like red thread and leaf spot. While fine fescue sod helps prevent weeds, it’s often harder to find than other varieties, as these grasses are typically grown from seed.

“There may be an increase in commercially available fine fescue sod in the near future,” explain experts at the Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center.

Read more in our guide: Most Common Diseases in Fine Fescue Grass.

Tall fescue

• Appearance: Fine to coarse-textured with a medium to deep green color
• Average cost: $0.53 to $1.20 per sq. ft. or $265 to $600 per pallet
• Climate: Cool-season
• Disease resistance: Moderate to high
• Drought tolerance: Moderate to high
• Foot traffic tolerance: Moderate
• Growth habit: Bunch-type
• Heat tolerance: Moderate to high
• Maintenance level: Moderate to high
• Sunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
• Water needs: Low to moderate

Often compared to artificial turf, tall fescue is great for northern states and the transition zone and offers the best heat tolerance among cool-season sods. Its popularity has grown due to its fine texture and drought resistance.

While tall fescue handles foot traffic better than fine fescue, it offers slightly less shade tolerance. It withstands wear well but will eventually sustain damage, requiring overseeding to repair patchy areas.

This grass requires more maintenance than fine fescue, such as frequent mowing due to its faster growth rate. However, a dense, well-maintained tall fescue lawn typically resists diseases, pests, and weeds effectively.

It’s important to note that tall fescue sod often has some Kentucky bluegrass mixed in because it doesn’t hold together well. When sod farmers grow these sod mixes, the mixture uses 5%, 3%, or 10% Kentucky bluegrass seed.

Perennial ryegrass

• Appearance: Fine-textured with medium to dark green color
• Average cost: $0.47 to $1.20 per sq. ft. or $264 to $600 per pallet
• Climate: Cool-season
• Disease resistance: Low
• Drought tolerance: Low
• Foot traffic tolerance: Moderate
• Growth habit: Bunch-type
• Heat tolerance: Low
• Maintenance level: High
• Sunlight needs: Full sun
• Water needs: Moderate to high

Perennial ryegrass is best for the transition zone and northern states, though it risks winterkill in far northern regions due to its limited cold resistance. It also struggles in areas with hot summers and drought conditions.

Homeowners generally love perennial ryegrass for its rich color, striping ability, and fine texture that’s pleasant to walk on barefoot. It handles moderate foot traffic well but requires full sun to thrive. Its quick root establishment makes it ideal for slopes and is often mixed with Kentucky bluegrass in sod blends for even quicker establishment.

This high-maintenance option requires more water and fertilizer than other cool-season grasses. While it tolerates low mowing heights, it needs frequent cutting and overseeding to repair damage because of its bunch-type growth habit. Watch for diseases like turfgrass rust, pink patch, red thread, dollar spot, and pythium blight, especially in hot, humid conditions.

Kentucky bluegrass

• Appearance: Medium to fine-textured with medium to dark green color
• Average cost: $0.50 to $1.20 per sq. ft. or $250 to $600 per pallet
• Climate: Cool-season
• Disease resistance: Low to moderate
• Drought tolerance: Low to moderate
• Foot traffic tolerance: Moderate
• Growth habit: Spreads through rhizomes
• Heat tolerance: Low to moderate
• Maintenance level: Moderate to high
• Sunlight needs: Full sun to partial sun
• Water needs: Moderate to high

Kentucky bluegrass is the top choice for northern regions with its superior cold tolerance. However, you should avoid planting it in the transition zone due to its poor heat tolerance. This bluish-green grass creates a dense, carpet-like turf with a pleasing texture on bare feet.

This grass withstands heavy foot traffic and self-repairs damage through its rhizome growth habit, eliminating the need for overseeding. It also handles dog urine well, making it ideal for pet owners.

Despite its advantages, Kentucky bluegrass needs significant maintenance with high fertilizer and water requirements. It’s prone to thatch buildup, which means regular dethatching, and is susceptible to diseases like summer patch, red thread, powdery mildew, and necrotic ring spot.

“In recent years, the spread of necrotic ring spot disease has forced us to consider resistance to the disease when producing recommended lists of cultivars,” says Tom Cook, a retired turfgrass professor.

My tip: Most Kentucky bluegrass cultivars need full sun and won’t thrive in heavily shaded areas. I recommend getting a sun/shade sod mix if you need to install sod under shade.

Read more in our guide: Most Common Kentucky Bluegrass Diseases.

Factors to consider when selecting sod

To choose the best sod for your lawn, you need to consider your climate, how much sunlight and foot traffic your yard gets, how much effort you can put into your new lawn, and how much you’re willing to spend to install and maintain your sod. 

Climate

Your local climate should be your first consideration when selecting sod. Each type thrives in specific temperature ranges. Warm-season grasses like Bermuda and St. Augustine excel in southern regions with hot summers, while cool-season varieties such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescues perform better in northern areas with cold winters.

Homeowners in transition zones should select adaptable grasses like tall fescue and certain Zoysia varieties that can withstand both summer heat and winter cold. Consider your region’s typical rainfall, weather patterns, and drought frequency before choosing sod type.

Turf-growing regions

Northeast and Midwest: The Northeast experiences cool climates with regional variations. Southern areas have warmer, more humid summers than northern, inland, and higher elevation areas. Fescues and Kentucky bluegrass thrive in this region’s cooler temperatures.

The Midwest faces temperature and precipitation extremes from northern cold and Gulf humidity. Tall fescue handles drought and weather changes better than other cool-season grasses. Southern Midwest residents should consider Zoysia and Bermudagrass.

Great Plains and Intermountain West: While some Great Plains areas receive adequate rainfall, most of the region is arid. Choose drought-resistant but adaptable grasses like tall fescue or cold-resistant Zoysia and Bermudagrass.

Pacific Northwest: This region offers humid, cool conditions with mild year-round temperatures, wet winters, and drier summers. Most cool-season sod options thrive here, especially with moderate summer temperatures. Avoid perennial ryegrass in areas with particularly dry summers.

Southeast and Gulf States: Hot temperatures and year-round rainfall characterize this subtropical climate. All warm-season sod options perform well here. Residents closer to transition zones should select cold-hardy options like Zoysia or Bermudagrass.

Southwest: This region experiences the hottest, driest conditions with frequent droughts. Select warm-season sod with excellent drought tolerance such as Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, or St. Augustinegrass.

Sunlight

The amount of sunlight your yard receives significantly influences your lawn’s health. You should assess how much sun various areas of your yard get throughout the day. Ideally, you should also evaluate during each season, as sunlight patterns vary with tree foliage and the sun’s angle.

You should also consider if the shade your lawn is getting is from trees or from buildings. Trees still let some filtered light through, while buildings generally create dense shade with little light penetration.

Here are different sunlight conditions and the turfgrasses that thrive in them:

• Full sun (6+ hours of direct sun): All sod types listed above.
• Partial sun (4 to 6 hours of direct sun): Zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue
• Partial shade (2 to 4 hours of direct sun): St. Augustinegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue
• Full shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun): Fine fescue, St. Augustinegrass, specialized shade-tolerant sod mixes

My tip: Ask your sod provider specifically about shade tolerance ratings for their varieties, as many suppliers primarily grow full-sun varieties that may struggle in partially shaded landscapes.

Foot traffic

Think about how you want to use your lawn. High-traffic areas like play spaces, pathways, and pet runs require grasses with great wear tolerance that can repair themselves quickly. Consider installing Bermudagrass and Kentucky bluegrass for these areas.

For moderate foot traffic, Zoysiagrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass will perform well. However, fescue and ryegrass can’t self-repair and must be overseeded when damaged.

In low-traffic areas, install St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, or fine fescue. They perform poorly under heavy foot traffic and do best in ornamental areas.

Read more: How Can You Tell If You Have Compacted Soil?

Maintenance

Some grasses require more attention to maintain their appearance and health. Think about how much time and effort you’re willing to invest in maintaining your lawn before selecting a sod type.

High: Bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, perennial ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass are all maintenance-heavy grasses that must be mowed weekly and fertilized often. They also have moderate to high water needs and may be more prone to lawn diseases.

Moderate: Sod with moderate maintenance needs include Zoysiagrass and tall fescue. They must be mowed roughly every 2 weeks and only need moderate or low amounts of fertilizer every season.

Low: If you want a low-maintenance lawn, consider installing fine fescue or centipedegrass. These grasses grow slowly and don’t need much fertilization — they may even suffer when fed too much nitrogen.

Cost

Zoysiagrass and Bermudagrass have higher initial costs, from $0.80 to $1.30 per square foot, while centipedegrass and perennial ryegrass cost the least upfront, as little as $0.44 per square foot. Tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and St. Augustinegrass fall in the middle of the price range.

Remember that higher maintenance expenses may offset initial cost savings for sod. For example, perennial ryegrass is a cheap sod option that commands regular irrigation, frequent mowing, lots of fertilizer, and possibly even fungal treatments because of its poor disease resistance.

The reverse can be true, where a sod type may be pricier upfront but less costly to maintain. Zoysiagrass is more expensive to install but is quite low maintenance, needing minimal mowing and fertilizer.

If sodding is too expensive, consider seeding your new lawn. Caring for grass seedlings requires more time and effort, but our local Lawn Love pros can help you navigate the process.

Read more: Grass Seed vs. Sod: What’s Best for Your Lawn?

FAQ about sod

Connect with a lawn care pro today

Choosing high-maintenance sods, like Kentucky bluegrass or Bermudagrass, can be demanding and time-consuming. If you don’t have the resources to keep your lawn thriving, Lawn Love’s professionals can assist with lawn mowing, fertilizing, and weed control.

Main Image Credit: Mike Mozart | Flickr | CC BY 2.0