- See what your neighbors grow<\/a><\/li>
- Consider your location and climate<\/a>
- Factor in rainfall<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Get to know your yard\u2019s soil and sun exposure<\/a>
- Take a soil test<\/a><\/li>
- Take shade into account<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Consider your lawn\u2019s use<\/a><\/li>
- Estimate the level of lawn maintenance<\/a><\/li>
- Decide how fast you want a green lawn<\/a><\/li>
- Take into account the yard\u2019s slope<\/a><\/li>
- Are you overseeding? You can improve the lawn\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- Analyze the turfgrass seed label carefully<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ about how to choose the right grass\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
See what your neighbors grow<\/span><\/h2>
While yards differ in soil quality and sun exposure, checking what grass type your neighbors grow successfully is always a good idea. <\/p>
Ask them about the cultivars that grow well in your area, their maintenance requirements, such as watering and mowing, and the common pests and diseases they deal with. You also can check the color and texture firsthand to see if you like the turf\u2019s appearance.<\/p>
Consider your location and climate<\/span><\/h2>
![\"Map](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/transition-zone-map.jpg\")
Infographic by Juan Rodriguez<\/figcaption><\/figure> If you live up North, your best choices are cool-season grasses<\/a> that can handle low temperatures and survive freezing winters. These grasses include perennial ryegrass<\/a>, Kentucky bluegrass<\/a>, tall fescue<\/a>, and fine fescue.<\/a><\/p>
Lawns in the South, with hot summers and mild winters, are more suitable for warm-season grass<\/a> species, such as St. Augustinegrass<\/a>, bermudagrass<\/a>, Zoysiagrass<\/a>, and centipedegrass<\/a>.<\/p>
Do you live in the central part of the country? The typical approach for growing lawns in the transition zone<\/a> is planting warm-season grasses like Bermuda and overseeding in the fall with ryegrass. But it\u2019s not the only solution. Learn more from our \u201cGuide to Growing Grass in the Transition Zone<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>
Factor in rainfall<\/span><\/h3>
If your location experiences frequent dry spells, plant drought-tolerant grasses<\/a> such as buffalograss, bermudagrass, and tall fescue. They can survive without water for four to six weeks.<\/p>
What if you have a waterlogged lawn? <\/strong>In this case,<\/strong> you need varieties that can handle wet soil and the turf diseases<\/a> that come with prolonged moisture. Once established, tall fescue and bluegrass grow well in wet soil conditions, according to Grady Miller, a professor and extension specialist at North Carolina State University. <\/p>
Get to know your yard\u2019s soil and sun exposure<\/span><\/h2>
Take a soil test<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Nutrients](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AdobeStock_281354994.jpeg\")
Deyan Georgiev<\/a> | Adobe Stock Free | License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> \u201cSoils also influence the adaptability of turfgrasses to a particular site,\u201d says Richard L. Duble, turfgrass specialist at the Texas Cooperative Extension. <\/p>
\u201cThe sandy, acid soils of the Southeast are well-suited to carpetgrass, bahiagrass, and centipedegrass. The heavy (clay or clay loam) alkaline soils of the West are best suited to bermudagrass and buffalograss.\u201d <\/p>
Test the soil before choosing your turfgrass. Growing adapted varieties is easier and cheaper than changing the soil pH and structure. You can learn more about soil tests from our guides:<\/p>
- “How to Soil Test Your Lawn”<\/a><\/li>
- “How to Read a Soil Test Report”<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Take shade into account<\/span><\/h3>
![\"too](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/too-much-shade.jpg\")
PxHere<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> If your yard has large shaded areas, plant turfgrasses that thrive with less sunlight<\/a>, such as fine fescue, rough bluegrass, St. Augustine grass, Zoysia, or seed mixtures with shade-tolerant varieties.<\/p>
\u201cIn the majority of cases, shade problems are the result of either dense tree canopies or locations on the north side of homes,\u201d says Steven Rackliffe, extension professor emeritus of Turfgrass Science at the University of Connecticut.<\/p>
Your local Cooperative Extension specialist<\/a> can help you identify suitable grass varieties for the soil type and your yard\u2019s sun exposure.<\/p>
Consider your lawn\u2019s use<\/span><\/h2>
How you plan to use the lawn also matters. Lawns that are rarely walked upon can grow any turf type, even soft ones like St. Augustine, buffalograss, or centipede. <\/p>
Family lawns that need to entertain kids, dogs, and friends need to be hardy. With lots of walking, running, and playing on the grass, you need turf that can recover quickly from heavy foot traffic. Bermuda and perennial rye are at the top of the list. <\/p>
Here are some additional guides to help you choose the right turf type for a lawn meant for fun and play:<\/p>
- “6 Best Grasses for Dogs”<\/a><\/li>
- “Best Grasses to Walk on Barefoot”<\/a><\/li>
- “6 Best Grasses for High-Traffic Areas”<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Estimate the level of lawn maintenance<\/span><\/h2>
How much time do you have for lawn care tasks? Some grasses, like fine fescues and buffalograss, are low-maintenance, but others can be real divas. Bermudagrass and perennial ryegrass, for example, have high nitrogen requirements and need more water and frequent mowing.<\/p>
Read our \u201cAn Ultimate Guide to Grass Types<\/a>\u201d for more details about the maintenance requirements of the most popular grass types.<\/p>
Decide how fast you want a green lawn<\/span><\/h2>
Some turf types cover the lawn in green after a few weeks. Others take more than a month. If your lawn installation is on a short-time schedule, consider fast-germinating grass types. Perennial ryegrass, for example, germinates the fastest, in 5 to 10 days, and is the first to green up in a mixed lawn. Fine fescue is second, with a germination time of 7 to 14 days. They\u2019re often added in mixes to ensure partial coverage until more slow-germinating turf types green up. <\/p>
Kentucky bluegrass, Bermudagrass, and St. Augustine grass are on the other end of the scale, needing up to 30 days to germinate. Read more about germination time in our guide \u201cHow Long Does it Take New Grass Seed to Grow?<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>
You can speed the germination with techniques such as pre-germinating the seeds<\/a> or using dormant seeding<\/a>. Or you can just install sod<\/a> and enjoy an instantly green lawn.<\/p>
Take into account the yard\u2019s slope<\/span><\/h2>
![\"Green](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AdobeStock_561393563-1.jpeg\")
Bowonpat<\/a> | Adobe Stock Free | License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Sloped lawns are exposed to dry soil at the top and dampness at the base since water drains down the hill before proper absorption. There\u2019s also the risk of erosion.<\/p>
Considering these factors, consider tall fescue or Bermudagrass varieties for your sloped lawn. These grass types have good drought tolerance and can handle additional moisture. Plus, their deep roots are very effective in soil stabilization. <\/p>
Ryegrass is another option for your mix since it germinates fast and can keep the soil together until deep-rooted species join.<\/p>
Read these guides to learn more about seeding a sloped lawn with good results:<\/p>
- “How to Plant Grass Seed on a Slope”<\/a><\/li>
- “Should You Sod, Seed, or Hydroseed?”<\/a><\/li>
- “How Much Does Hydroseeding Cost in 2024?”<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Are you overseeding? You can improve the lawn <\/span><\/h2>
When overseeding an existing lawn<\/a>, there\u2019s already established grass to consider. Many times, you\u2019ll simply buy the same turfgrass variety or mixture. <\/p>
In some cases, though, you\u2019ll want to improve what you have and transition to a better-looking lawn or a grass that is more resilient to traffic, fungal diseases, lawn pests, shade, or drought. <\/p>
Pro tip: <\/strong>Avoid growing a one-cultivar lawn. Studies show<\/a> that lawns planted with blends or mixtures of grass seeds and growing more than one cultivar are more resilient to pests.<\/p>
Analyze the turfgrass seed label carefully<\/span><\/h2>
Ensure you buy good-quality seeds. First, look for certified grass seed – this way, you know you buy what\u2019s on the label. Second, read the label<\/a> carefully. Here\u2019s what you need to look for:<\/p>
- Seed purity<\/strong> \u2014 Look for seeds with at least 97.5% purity.<\/li>
- Turf variety <\/strong>\u2014 Avoid packages that mention VNS (variety not stated). They can contain turf varieties that are unsuitable for your lawn and climate.<\/li>
- Germination rate<\/strong> \u2014 You want an 80% germination rate or higher for a good return on investment.<\/li>
- Other crop <\/strong>\u2014 This term refers to crop plants you might not want in your lawn, such as clover, bentgrass, and timothy. Good-quality seed packages should have a crop under 0.3%.<\/li>
- Inert matter or filler <\/strong>\u2014 It includes debris such as broken seeds, sticks, and dirt. Look for a package with less than 2% filler.<\/li>
- Weed seed percentag<\/strong>e \u2014 Low-quality grass seed is a sure way to bring weeds into your yard. Buy only packages with under 0.3% weed seed.<\/li>
- Noxious weeds<\/strong> \u2014 These weeds are so bad their presence in the seed bags is often required on the label. Choose products that have \u201cNONE\u201d noxious seeds.<\/li> <\/ul>
\u201cAvoid the dogs,\u201d says Dr. Eric Watkins, a turfgrass breeding and genetics professor at the University of Minnesota. Watkins refers to low-cost grasses commonly mixed with home lawn mixtures. <\/p>
\u201cA few that you should look out for are \u2018Linn\u2019 perennial ryegrass, \u2018Nui\u2019 perennial ryegrass, annual ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, and \u2018common creeper.\u2019 All of these will result in very poor turf.\u201d <\/p>
FAQ about how to choose the right grass <\/span><\/h2>
What is the best month to spread grass seed?<\/span><\/h3>
August and September are the best months to put down grass seed<\/a> for cool-season grasses, and May and June are the best for warm-season grasses. <\/p>
Which grasses grow fastest?<\/span><\/h3>
Perennial ryegrass germinates in 5 to 10 days from seeding, and it\u2019s the best option if you want a green, lush lawn quickly.<\/p>
What grass stays green the longest?<\/span><\/h3>
Tall fescue tolerates temperatures between 40 degrees and 94 degrees Fahrenheit and can stay green during the summer with proper irrigation.<\/p>
Still stuck? Let a pro help you decide on the best turf<\/span><\/h2>
Why guess and test turfgrass varieties when a pro can lead you straight to the perfect fit? Lawn Love gives you access to the best lawn care companies in the area<\/a>. Find your turf seeding pro and install a healthy, thriving lawn today!<\/p>
\t\t\t\t\t\tSources:\u00a0<\/p> \t\t\t
<\/span><\/div> \t\t<\/div> \t\t\t- Doherty, E.M., Meagher, R.L., Dale, A.G. (2019, June) Turfgrass Cultivar Diversity Provides Associational Resistance in the Absence of Pest Resistant Cultivars. Environmental Entomology. DOI: 10.1093\/ee\/nvz026<\/a><\/li>
- Miller, G. (2021, February 18). Waterlogging Influence on Turfgrasses. https:\/\/www.turffiles.ncsu.edu\/2021\/02\/waterlogging-influence-on-turfgrasses\/<\/a><\/li>
- Rackliffe, S. (2013). Growing Lawns Under Shaded Conditions. https:\/\/soiltesting.cahnr.uconn.edu\/growing-lawns-under-shaded-conditions\/<\/a><\/li>
- Watkins, E. (n.d). Finding the right grass seed. University of Minnesota. https:\/\/turf.umn.edu\/news\/finding-right-grass-seed<\/a><\/li>
- United States Department of Agriculture (2014, September). A Guide to Understanding Seed Tags. https:\/\/www.nrcs.usda.gov\/plantmaterials\/ndpmctn12317.pdf<\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> \t\t<\/div> <\/div>
- Main Photo Credit: Mikhailov Studio<\/a> | Adobe Stock Free | License<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Choosing the right grass for your lawn is based on location, climate, sun exposure, foot traffic, and lawn maintenance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":26591,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[226],"class_list":["post-26585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lawn-care-tips","tag-lawn-care-tips"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AdobeStock_479190813-1.jpeg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sinziana Spiridon","author_link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/author\/sinziana-spiridon\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26585"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40116,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26585\/revisions\/40116"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Miller, G. (2021, February 18). Waterlogging Influence on Turfgrasses. https:\/\/www.turffiles.ncsu.edu\/2021\/02\/waterlogging-influence-on-turfgrasses\/<\/a><\/li>
- Turf variety <\/strong>\u2014 Avoid packages that mention VNS (variety not stated). They can contain turf varieties that are unsuitable for your lawn and climate.<\/li>
- “Should You Sod, Seed, or Hydroseed?”<\/a><\/li>
- “Best Grasses to Walk on Barefoot”<\/a><\/li>
- “How to Read a Soil Test Report”<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
- Take shade into account<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Get to know your yard\u2019s soil and sun exposure<\/a>
- Consider your location and climate<\/a>