How To Choose Best Grass Seed for SOUTH Florida

The Best Grass Seed for SOUTH Florida

Choosing the best grass seed for south Florida is an important aspect of landscaping. If you live in South Florida, and you need a grass that thrives in the heat, humid and sun weather of the south, then you need to read through this article for you to be able to know just how to combine the right type of grass so that your lawn or yard, can look its best in all season.

The problem isn’t with the location involved most times, but the temperature conditions. It is the temperature conditions that will determine the kind of grass seed you should get. Sometimes, the season can be warm, transitional, or cool. The reason why it is important to look at these three seasons is because, some grasses in south Florida, are better for cool season to aid its growth while others are better for the warm season. But how will you know how to differentiate between the warm and cool season grasses?

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE BEST GRASS TYPE FOR YOUR LAWN/YARD?

If you want to plant a new lawn, you need to consider a lot of factors because these factors will make your yard, look its best.

It is best you know your; soil type, ph level, and irrigation conditions. it’s also best to know if your lawn/yard is shaded and the kind of grass you would like to get that fits the confines of your landscape well.

For instance, there is the Manila grass, which is also a specie of the Zoysia. It thrives well in the hot or humid seasons but doesn’t do well under colder conditions. However, the Manila grass can always thrive well in South Florida because of its hot season.

Always think about your lawn before you create one. Do you have kids who would rather kick a ball around on the lawn or in the Yard? If yes, then you need to get a sturdier grass that will hold well in traffic. Once all these are sorted, you can now get your desired grass seed and create a perfect lawn.

BEST GRASS SEEDS

The cold season grasses are the best suited grasses in this part of the country that experience cold winter season. The grasses that thrive well in the warm season, can weather heat, and sun exposure. They basically grow well and fast in heat without dying off. While the grasses in the transition season are those grasses that thrive in a relatively temperate climate. So opt for any grass type that can thrive well in the desired season of your location to create a beautiful green lawn.

The Bermuda grass

This kind of grass, grows into a dark greenish ground covering with even tips. These are the kind of grasses you find on golf courses and even on athletic fields.

I really like this bermuda grass seeds. It works for many projects and I’d highly recommend it.

Basic features of the Bermuda grass.

This grass type adapts well to different soil type as well as climates. Another amazing feature, is that it has the ability to withstand and thrive in heat, sun, drought or even heavy-foot traffic.
When this grasses aren’t well maintained, it is highly intrusive. It will creep into nearby gardens or even flowerbeds and whatever is nearby.
The grass variety can be mowed to a short length. It can be mowed to about 1- 1 ½ inches tall.

The Zoysia grass

This grass type is dark greenish in colour. It also thrives in the sun and under the shade well. However, the grass grows relatively slowly, so if you do not love to mow your grasses weekly, you can go for this.

This Scotts brand is my favorite brand of Zoysia grass seeds.

Features

If you are looking for a low maintenance grass, then you can get this grass seed. It doesn’t need much water or even fertilizer.
Also, it tolerates a consistent foot traffic. That means, it doesn’t have side effects when it is trudged on.
Always mow to about the size of about, 11/2.

The St. Augustine grass

This grass seed is one that creates a dense turf, with a green and bluish-green colour. If you observe, this grass quality is most common in south Florida. The common features of this grass are:

They grow fast and they always need to be cut to the height of, approximately, 2-4 inches. This kind of grass, springs up quickly.
This grass also goes dormant in the cool/cold seasons (winter). And it turns brown or completely tan in spring season.
This grass variety, thrives in shade. It grows well when the sun isn’t highly concentrated on it.
Also, this grass type, doesn’t tolerate, heavy foot traffic. Less foot traffic is required for this kind of grass.

The Buffalo grass

It is bluish-green in color. It thrives in extremely high temperatures. Since the weather condition is mostly hot most times. The Buffalo grass will likely stay green all year long.

Here is my favorite brand of buffalo grass seeds. They work well!

Features

Always mow your buffalo lawn regularly. And ensure you keep this grass lawn in a height between ½ – 3 inches.
The buffalo grass is also a great choice of grass for your yard or lawn if your yard is sunny.
If your yard doesn’t have the best soil for growing, you can use get Buffalo grass. It is also the best type of grass for shady areas.
This grass variety does allow for low to medium level of foot traffic.
Also ensure that you don’t over-water your buffalo grass lawn and ensure to keep them healthy.

See the best gas lawn mowers under 300

The Bahia grass

If you have a sandy soil, you can get Bahia grass seeds. This type of grass seed thrives in a sandy soil, and the root is deep enough to survive the drought. If you want a green lawn without the need to install an irrigation system, you can pick this grass seed.

This is the best Bahia grass seeds that you can buy. I really recommend it.

Features.

This grass grows slowly. If you don’t like to mow weekly, then this is a right pick. You can keep the height of the mowed grasses to about 2 – 4 inches’ height.
It has a coarse texture. The stems are quite tough on the mower blades thus, making it, strong enough to withstand a lot of foot traffic.
This grass type requires low maintenance and doesn’t even require a supplementary irrigation system and fertilizer to aid its growth.

The Centipede grass

This kind of grass with its light-greenish color, is mostly preferred for sandy and acidic soil type. This grass type is mostly popular in this region, because it is an ‘easy to care for’ grass lawn.

I would check out this brand of Centipede grass seeds. They work really well.

Features.

This grass type is fragile hence, damaged with a lot of foot traffic.
It may remain dormant during the periods of drought.
The grass is also, relatively slow in growth compared to other grass types plus, it doesn’t require fertilizer despite its slow growth.
The grass lawn should be mowed, and the height of the grasses should be between 1 ½ – 2 inches.

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SOUTH FLORIDA GRASS LAWN?

The heat of South Florida can make landscaping a bit challenging. However, with the right resources and with an open mind, you can create a beautiful and enviable lawn. Meanwhile, caring or better still, maintain your grass lawn can be a bit difficult if you don’t know the grass type well enough. So that you don’t over-water or over mow the grasses.

Choose the right grass seeds.

When you choose the right grass seed, it will save you money for some unnecessary things. If you pick the wrong grass type, your lawn will not stand out and you will end up creating a mess instead of a beauty. So, save money and opt for the best grass seed.

Mow rightly.

There is always the right way and the wrong way of doing things. When you do not do things the right way, you will get the wrong result but when you do things the right way, you will get an outstanding result. Your grass lawn or Yard needs to be mowed to keep the grass healthy. However, you need to know how frequent you should mow. Some grasses are not supposed to be mowed too frequently otherwise, the grasses would be too-short and the length can weaken the grass. If you also mow less frequently when you are supposed to mow frequently, it would promote overgrowth which can be unhealthy for the grasses.

Install an irrigation system.

That is, a way to keep your grasses, well-watered. Installing an automatic irrigation system, no matter the grass type, is good enough to keep your grass lawn healthy. You can install a sprinkler system- one that gets your grasses watered. It will keep your lawn healthy all year long. Also, don’t forget to include a drainage system to keep the water from pooling around and creating a breeding ground for insects.

In conclusion, you need to know that creating a grassy lawn, is no easy task. It looks attractive but then, it can be a daunting task for many people. If you do not have the ability to choose the right grass or even to maintain your lawn, you can always get in touch with a professional lawn care company to choose the right grass seed and maintain your lawn.