If you’re looking to plant grass seed, the big question is: which is the best grass for you?
Grass types are classified as Cool Season or Warm Season. Grasses that actively grow when the weather is cold are called Cool Season, while those that are active in warm weather are called Warm Season.
So if you live in a region that experiences all sorts of different weather, how do you know what to plant?
The wrong seed could leave you with a brown lawn all summer, or a dead lawn with the first freeze.
Choose the Best Grass for Where You Live
Start with this simple guide to the best grasses for your region.
Southeast and Deep South Regions
Hot and humid is the name of the game in the Southeast region from the Atlantic Coast into Texas. This is definitely a Warm Season grass zone.
Known for it’s tolerance to heat, drought and sale, Bermudagrass is the leading lawn grass both in the Southeast and across the entire U.S. southern tier.
In the Deep South and along the Gulf Coast where the heat and humidity are even more intense, grass needs to be able to stand up to extreme drought and heat. Bahiagrass and Centipede grass stands up to the demands of this region, as well as imposed water restrictions.
Midwest and Northeast Regions
Some areas of the Midwest and can be pretty humid. But because there are so many seasonal fluctuations in the heartland, this region demands grasses that thrive in cool climates.
The Northeast also experiences these fluctuations with cooler summers and high humidity.
Bluegrasses are top choice in the Midwest, but ryegrasses and fescues also do well as long as they’re properly watered – especially in the region’s more arid western portions.
These same grasses also thrive in the Northeast region – where summers are hot and winters can be hard on lawns.
West and Southwest Regions
Starting in Texas and stretching into Southern California, this region is warm and arid. Its saline water, alkaline soil, intense sunlight, high temperatures and varying elevations make it challenging for grasses.
Bermudagrass is tough enough to face the extreme challenges of this area.
Pacific Northwest Region
Cool Season grasses like bluegrasses and tall fescues rule in the arid inland areas from Montana and Wyoming.
West of the Cascades with the humidity of the coastal Pacific Northwest, ryegrasses are the top choice. They are naturally resistant to cool-season diseases that strike grasses in rainy coastal winters.
Transition Region
The transition region covers the central part of the U.S. from the Atlantic coast through Kansas.
This a challenging area because the winters are too cold for Warm Season grasses, but summers are too hot for Cool Season grasses.
As far as Cool Season grasses go, tall fescue is low-maintenance and heat-tolerant enough to deal with this area.
But Zoysia grass is a Warm Season grass alternative for this region. Its cold- tolerant, deep-rooted and low maintenance.
To Get the Best Lawn, Start with the Best Grass Seeds
And if you live in the Wichita area, you’re right in that tough Transition region.
When you run into challenges of maintaining a green lawn in this difficult area, turn to the professionals. Contact us today with your lawn care and landscaping questions. We’re ready to help!
