Turfgrass Varieties

A healthy lawn adds to the enjoyment of a home.little boy in the lawn image by Vasca from Fotolia.com

A great looking lawn improves the aesthetics of a home, helps prevent erosion, supports the environment and can add to the curb appeal and resale value of the home. Selecting the right turfgrass variety involves personal preference, as well as environmental considerations such as climate, soil quality and maintenance requirements.

Cool Weather Turfgrass

Regions of the country that typically experience warm or hot summers and cold winters, and that get regular rainfall during the summer months, are candidates for cool weather turfgrasses such as perennial ryegrass, bentgrass, red fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. Kentucky bluegrass is the best known of all the bluegrass varieties, according to American-Lawns.com. This turfgrass will grow up to 2 feet tall if left unmowed. It is not shade-tolerant, and does not do well in drought conditions. Kentucky bluegrass seed is frequently blended with other turfgrass varieties, such as creeping fescue or ryegrass, to provide more complete lawn coverage in areas where Kentucky bluegrass alone does not grow well.

Areas of the country along the Gulf Coast and in the West typically experience hot summers and winters that are cool but not cold. These regions may also experience extended periods without significant rainfall. Warm weather turfgrasses such as St. Augustine, buffalograss, Bermuda and zoysia are appropriate for these areas, although specific varieties are more adapted to specific regions. Bermuda grass is widely used as a turfgrass throughout this region because it spreads aggressively, is soft to walk on, is drought-resistant and some varieties can tolerate shade quite well. Bermuda has a lovely blue-green color, spreads through both seeds and rhizomes, and stands up well to heavy foot traffic.

Most turfgrasses grow better in full sun than in shade, but shade is a fact of life for many homeowners. Fortunately, some varieties of turfgrass, such as St. Augustine, bahia Grass and some fescues, can handle a moderate amount of shade and still thrive. Tall fescue is a cool weather grass that can also handle growing conditions in the transition zone extending as far south as northern Georgia, northern Alabama and Arkansas. This turfgrass has a deeper root system than many cool season turfgrasses, making it more drought-resistant than most. It prefers full sun, but will grow in partial shade and does well under deciduous trees.