St. Augustine-grass is less drought tolerant than bermudagrass or zoysiagrass. To Summarize, the Top 3 Types of Grass in Texas are: St. Augustine – Very tolerant of weather but prefers less sun, more shade. That’s why you need to invest in heat-tolerant and drought-resistant grass in Texas for your residential and commercial properties. It is slow growing and coarse-leafed. Atrazine tolerance is also lower than other varieties, making weed control harder. There are no growers of Kentucky bluegrass sod in Texas. It is drought, insect, and disease resistant and loves full sun. The recommended fertilizer program begins in the spring. Texas bluegrass is the result of crossing Kentucky bluegrass with native Texas bluegrass. It requires little water and fights off weeds and disease. for long-term success. Everyone wants a lush carpet of grass on their lawn, and if you are in Texas then you know St. Augustine grass is one of the best choices of grass types for the climate we have. As a result, you may choose to mow it rarely, if at all. It’s a low-to-medium maintenance type of grass that forms a thick, carpet-like lawn. For the first three and last three months of the year, five hours every 10 days will normally do the trick. This variety is known for its ability to survive and thrive with little or no water and in high heat. Buffalograss does well as a low-maintenance lawn grass from Central to West Texas. This grass grows best in soil with a pH between 5 and 8.5, which is a broader range than many of its competitors. The entire state of Texas is known for moderate winters and very hot summers. Some varieties of Zoysia grass are hardier than others. Best Choice - #1 Best Shade Tolerant St Augustine Grass Central Texas Checked on 29/09/2020; Based on 15 Reviews; Warranty: If you, the consumer, are not satisfied with this product after use in accordance with packaging instructions, you may be eligible for a refund. It can be grown in Central and West Texas with more supplemental irrigation. Tip’s Turf is the best central Texas grass supplier and we can meet the needs of any commercial or residential yard grass requirement. These varieties tend to have a finer texture and create a denser turf than common-type bermudagrasses. It is the most shade-tolerant of the warm-season turfgrasses. Zoysiagrass For best results, a blend of three or four different Kentucky bluegrass varieties is recommended. When you do water, wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Description: St. Augustinegrass is a warm-season turfgrass that spreads laterally by stolons and is one of the most widely planted turfgrass species in Texas, particularly in urban environments. (sort-of) 3. St. Augustinegrass has a coarse texture and is used mainly as a lawn grass. Plus, you’ll be helping to restore native Texas grasses. However, sometimes only a fertilizer is necessary. It has a darker blue-green hue than most St. Augustine. Sea Spray is a seeded variety. However, tall fescue lawns will require more summer irrigation than either warm-season turfgrasses or Texas bluegrass. Zoysia grass is equally fond of sun and shade so that it will work well under and near your trees. That means it gets very thick so it feels like a carpet beneath your feet, and it does not grow tall quickly, so you get to mow less frequently. It can be grown in most of Texas, although it may be killed by severe winters in the northern one-third of the state. Seed, sprigs and plugs generally take longer than bermudagrass to completely cover an area. St. Augustinegrass does not tolerate high traffic. Compared to the other varieties, Floratam has wider leaf blades, poorer shade tolerance, the best drought tolerance, and the poorest cold tolerance, which makes it best adapted in southern Texas and along the Gulf Coast. Varieties are available for lawns, golf courses and athletic fields. Examples of vegetative bermudagrass are Baby, Celebration, CT-2, Common, GN-1, Grimes EXP, Quickstand, Tifgreen, Tifway, TifSport and Tifton 10. St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) comes as sod, plugs and sprigs to plant in your lawn. St. Augustine grass thrives in Dallas, Texas making it a favorite for homeowners in the area. Drought can be a problem for Texans, so choosing the right grass seed or drought-resistant sod can make all the difference when it comes to the appearance of your residential or commercial property. St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a tropical grass that is the most popular turf from Florida to central Texas. It is tolerant of salinity in both soil and irrigation water and needs less nitrogen fertilizer than the improved bermudagrass varieties. They require warm, well-prepared soils to germinate and are much slower to establish than seeded bermudagrass. One popular lawn cover is Saint Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), a warm-season, shade grass intolerant of freezing temperatures. The next steps are to prepare the soil properly for planting and establish a good maintenance program (mowing, fertilizing, irrigating, etc.) Texas weather can produce attractive lawns. It grows high but needs a lot of water to do so; St. Augustine grass crowds out most weeds and other grasses; It has a coarse texture and is not cold tolerant; St. Augustine grass does not like heavy traffic and you must mow it high to keep the roots Cool-season grasses grow best in spring and fall and are primarily adapted in North Texas. Seeded varieties include Arizona Common, Blackjack, Blue-muda, Contessa, Jackpot, LaPaloma, Majestic, Mohawk, NuMex Sahara, Panama, Princess 77, Pyramid, Riviera, Savannah, Shanghai, Shangri-la, Southern Star, SR 9554, Sunbird, Sundevil II, Sunstar, Sydney, Transcontinental, Veracruz and Yukon. This is due to its superior shade tolerance relative to other warm-season grasses as well as its deep rooting potential and drought tolerance. “Tech Turf” is a variety that appears to be available only as sod plugs. Watering St. Augustine Grass in Texas For new St. Augustine grass, the time of year will determine how long you need to water. Then don’t water again until the grass shows symptoms of drought stress—a dull, bluish color, rolled or folded leaves, and footprints that do not “spri… It is most suited to sports turf, golf course fairways and high-maintenance lawns where the salinity of irrigation water is a concern. It is adapted in the Panhandle region of Texas, but requires irrigation. Improved varieties are commonly referred to as “turftype” tall fescues. Bermudagrass is grown throughout Texas. It has resistance to chinch bugs. Finding the right grass variety is essential for the appearance of your lawn. It is adapted from Central Texas to Southern Oklahoma and is an alternative to tall fescue in North Texas. There are a lot of reasons to use fertilizer and a variety of blends available. In the deep south, from Florida to central Texas, St Augustine grass is the turf of choice. The best mowing height is 1 inch or less. For any landscape or gardening information, call the Bexar County Master Gardeners Hotline at 210-631-0400 e-mail questions to info@bexarmg.org , or visit our County Extension website at https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu and click under Horticulture and Gardening. White = The species is not adapted for this area, though it may be grown with extra irrigation and expert maintenance; other grass species are recommended. Click for a hub of Extension resources related to the current COVID-19 situation. In the more humid areas of Texas, bluegrass is prone to diseases and heat stress and is not recommended as a general lawn grass. Site conditions include. Zoysiagrass varieties have improved in recent years and there are two types being produced in Texas. Another natural choice is Bahia grass, especially if you have poor soil. Any nitrogen not used by your turf gets sent to your weeds and fungus. Many homeowners enjoy the look and feel of the thick green carpet it provides. Best Types of Grass for Central Texas: Bermudagrass - This is probably the best grass available when it comes to drought resistance since most variates can get by with watering once or twice a week. the northern one-third of the state. Check the numbers on the back of the bag. You’ll need to apply 1 – 1.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 sq. Zoysia japonica types are medium-textured and do well with normal lawn maintenance practices. For further information: http://soilcrop.tamu.edu http://aggieturf.tamu.edu http://agrilifebookstore.org/ (browse “Lawns” under “Lawn & Garden”), Download a printer-friendly version of this publication: Turfgrass Selection for Texas, View more Gardening & Landscaping information ». Turfgrass needs to be tolerant to drought and shade as well as resistant to disease in order to thrive in Texas. Emerald is an older variety that is similar to Z. matrella types in appearance and growth. Plus, it’s easy to care for as well as hard to kill. It is superior to Texas common St. Augustine grass in its tolerance to downy mildew, gray leaf spot diseases and brown patch fungus. St. Augustine grass does enjoy a little shade, so it’s great for lawns with at least a few trees. Floratam St. Augustine grass was found to be better than Common for the following reasons: It has resistance to SAD virus. It is impractical for Texas sod producers to produce a great number of varieties of a single grass species, so they try to provide good quality varieties of the most improved grasses. In the Houston area, consult the lawn experts at Zodega TIS for advice on the best Texas heat-tolerant and drought-resistant lawn grass types for Texas heat and drought. Raleigh St. Augustine is medium green in color, and has a SAD virus resistant and is best grown in heavier clay soils. They do not tolerate the summer heat and high humidity of most areas of the state. Requires the most watering. Overall, this variety is a hardy and easy-to-manage grass. ft every 8 to 10 weeks for the best results. Overall, this variety is a hardy and easy-to-manage grass. Do expect to mow your lawn frequently because it grows fast and tall. The 8 Best Fertilizer for St Augustine Grass. Kentucky bluegrass is a fine-leaved turfgrass widely used for lawns in the northern states. 2. If it isn’t getting enough water, you will know by the blades beginning to turn yellow. This lawn grass type is another warm-climate favorite for drought-resistant turf. The newest turf study recommendations say a 2-1-0 ratio is plenty for St. Augustine. St. Augustine – is very common in Central Texas. Developed in Daytona Beach, FL Palmetto St. Augustine grass excels in coastal and island areas. Tall fescue sod is moderately tolerant of drought and shade and its use is limited to North Texas. Many improved Kentucky bluegrass varieties are available as seed. Central Texas Lawns We have proudly serviced thousands of lawns across Central Texas. The trick is to water only when the grass needs it. St. Augustine does well with a quality weed-and-feed product in early spring. St. Augustine grass grows fast, making it a great choice for building a thick turf. Only two seeded varieties of zoysiagrass are available—Zenith and Compadre. While the residents of Houston seldom see temperatures of more than 100 degrees, we do see a lot of days hit 90 degrees or more. Zoysia – Good in all soil types. Common centipedegrass is available as seed and sod. Centipedegrass is best suited as a low-maintenance lawn grass and is best adapted in East Texas. So what is winter brown off in lawns and why does it occur? Because seashore paspalum does not tolerate prolonged low temperatures, it is best adapted to the southern one-third of Texas. Garden centers and turf suppliers typically carry only a few varieties. In Texas, St. Augustine grass is one of the most popular of the turfgrass, or carpet grass, varieties. Recommended: Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed – Perennial Ryegrass Mix, 7 lb. There are many “named” seeded varieties of bermudagrass. Many Saint Augustine lawns can tend to go brown or straw colored over the winter months. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory, Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences, intended use (lawn, golf course, athletic field). The grass is characterized by its dark green hue and dense carpet-like cover. Improved varieties usually require less nitrogen fertilizer than bermudagrass. You can choose from several lawn grass types that are particularly drought-resistant, including El Toro, Empire, and Palisades. Looking for insider Houston lawn care tips? For more information about our residential and commercial landscaping in Houston, TX,  contact us online or call us at 713-999-4751. Seed stores and garden centers typically carry only a few varieties of each species from a single supplier. These new varieties are also more tolerant of heat and shade. Neither seed nor sod is as readily available at this time as for the other grasses. This grass does well in full sun or partial shade. 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