Choosing A Type of Grass

It's easy to grow beautiful lawns from grass plugs!

The Types Of Grass

Grass types are generally divided into the following four types:

1. Cools Season Grass - These grass types generally grow in the cooler regions of the USA from the upper transition area and North.
2. Warm Season Grass - These types of grass generally grow in the Southern Transition zone of the USA and South.

Zoysia grass is an exception with a growing range from the deep south up through the USA transition zone. See the Zoysia grass Planting Map for more information at www.zoysias.com.



3. Grass types also include annual and perennial varieties -- with annual grass types living for one growing season and perennial grass types surviving year after year -- with proper maintenance of course!

To simplify and remember, we can refer to the Annual grasses as Temporary grasses. Temporary grasses include both those that will die out at the end of the growing season no matter what you do for them and those that will die out due to adverse growing conditions such as extreme heat and/or high humidity.

Perennial grasses we'll refer to as permanent grasses. These grasses can live for a long time ( many years) if cared for and grown under normal conditions.

St. Augustine, Zoysia, Centipede, Bahia, Bermuda, Buffalo are families of warm season grasses that are permanent grasses in the correct environments (warm season grass growing areas - usually the more Southern USA states). Only Zoysia grass will grow in the cooler locations and survive without damage or kill (view additional information on zoysia grass planting areas).

Seedland sells only warm season grass lawn plugs with Zoysia being the exception in that it can be planted in some Northern Lawn areas that are considered cool season grass areas.

In actuality, there are 5 weather regions of the USA. You should consider the Turfgrass Adaptation Map along with the USDA Plant Hardiness Map when choosing a grass type -- plugs, seed or sod -- for your area. We have provided these maps along with the grass types that grow in each region  to help you in your grass type selection.

Also read selecting grass lawn plugs for my location located below.

When selecting a grass type, consider these additional points and refer to the chart below to help you decide on the grass type that fits your lifestyle. Remember, a bad choice can cost more to maintain than the initial installation of the right choice.

• Climate
• Shade
• Drought Tolerance
• Salt Tolerance
• The amount of time you want to spend maintaining your lawn.
• Cost - Resist the temptation to consider money first, variety second. Converting a poor lawn to a superior lawn usually costs more than doing it right the first time.

Scroll down for a more detailed Grass Plug Comparison Table.

Selecting Grass Plugs for Your Location

Please use this chart and map as a guide for your grass type selection. Match the colored dots nest to each turf variety to the color on the map. Contact your local county extension agent for confirmation of your choice if you are unsure of the right variety for your location. There are many types of turf to choose from. When selecting, consider these factors:

1. the amount of sunlight the area receives.
2. the winter temperature of your area.
3. the amount of time you want to spend on maintenance.

The time it takes for a plugged lawn to become a complete lawn depends on the variety, climate, spacing, proper care, and time of year plugs are planted. We recommend planting lawn grass plugs in the spring or early summer after all dangers of frost have passed.

PLUG YOUR LAWN AND WATCH IT GROW!

USDA PLANT HARDINESS ZONE MAP

Sapphire | Empire Zoysia
Bermuda 419 | Celebration Bermuda

CLICK HERE TO SEE GRASS PLUG PRICES FOR 3" x 3" PLUGS

Grass Plug Information Chart

Del Mar St. Augustine   Variety NOT currently Available Good Cold Tolerance Grows Well In Full Sun Has Best Shade Tolerance Of Any St. Augustine Available Superior Emerald Green Color Maintains Excellent Winter Color	Palmetto St. Augustine   Plugs Available ! Densely Spreading Variety Aggressive Growth Habit Rich, Dark Green Color Cold Tolerant Performs Well In Sun And Shade
Sapphire St. Augustine Plugs Available ! Dense, Fine Blades Deep Blue-Green Color Fast Spreading with good lateral growth. Tolerates salt, shade & drought well Grows well with less fertilization. Genetically Pure.	Seville St. Augustine Plugs Available ! Dense, Compact Foliage -Emerald Green Color Fast Spreading Variety / Rapid Establishment Grows Well In Full Sun, But Has Fair Shade Tolerance Aggressive, Easy To Establish Excellent Salt Tolerance Best Grown In Full Sun Most Recognized St. Augustine Superb Plugging Grass
Bitter Blue St. Augustine Plugs Available ! Dense Textured St. Augustine Good Shade Tolerance Cold Tolerant Grows Well In Full Sun	Floratam St. Augustine Plugs Available ! Improved Selection From Bitter Finer Textured Than Bitter Blue Beautiful Blue Green Color
Raleigh St. Augustine   Variety NOT currently Available Cold Hardy St. Augustine Medium Green Color Shade Tolerant	Buffalo 609 - Native Grass* Variety NOT currently Available Cold Tolerant Water Resourceful Native To Many Areas Of U.S. *Not currently available as plugs.
Zoysia El Toro    Variety NOT currently Available Most Resilient Zoysia Grass Spreads Faster Than Other Zoysias Excellent Cold And Heat Tolerance Grows In Full Sun Tolerates Moderate Shade	Zoysia Emerald    Variety NOT currently Available Fine-Textured Zoysia Grass Slow To Spread, But Aggressive To Crowd Out Weeds And Other Grass Grows In Full Sun Cold Tolerant
Bermuda 419   Plugs Available ! Good Drought Resistance Used On Golf Courses Grows In Full Sun	Centipede   Plugs Available ! Low Maintenance Lawn Resists Disease And Insects Grows In Full Sun
Celebration Bermuda     Plugs Available ! Blue-Green Color Soft Texture Excellent Spreading rate Grows best In Full Sun Has Some light Shade Tolerance Extreme Drought Tolerance Will survive further north than common Bermuda Natural weed resistance	Empire Zoysia     Plugs Available ! Good Dark Green Color Medium Texture Fast Spreading rate for Zoysia Excellent Drought Tolerance Good Cold Tolerance - Zones 6b to 11 Can be used in Northern locations (see map) Can covert cool season lawns over time
Read our helpful tips about new sod & plug lawns

LANDSCAPING TIPS FOR THE LAWN

While some selections of St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses tolerate certain levels of shade, no grasses tolerate "the dark". So, what do you do to make those areas attractive?

Get creative! Enlarge the areas beneath and around trees, scallop the borders rather than use straight lines, install ground covers, liriope grasses, and shade tolerant woody ornamentals inside these borders and beds rather than struggle with turfgrass that doesn't like the environment.

When selecting woody ornamentals, layer plantings so that varieties are in color during different seasons. For example, install azaleas for spring color under trees, surround them with another ornamental selection that blooms during summer, border with liriope, and finish with bedding plants that tolerate shade like impatiens, begonias, coleus etc. Installations like this make the shaded areas attractive, and eliminate the struggle to make turfgrass grow where it doesn't want to.

Computer programs are available to assist with landscape planning. You can design your landscape, plant your plants, and actually see what the plan will look like at maturity before you purchase or plant. Certain programs have the capacity to show how the size of plants at maturity impact the design. They can prevent major errors from happening. Having a plan is the first and probably most important step to success.

Read our helpful tips about new sod & plug lawns.

Ask your county extension office about plant and turf grass varieties, and a software retailer for further information about the programs.

MORE HELP WITH CHOOSING TYPES OF GRASS
AT LAWNGRASSES.COM

Important Grass Plug Shipping Information

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