Turf Grasses in North Texas

Lawns in the North Texas area are a combination of a variety of turf grasses.  These primarily include Bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia and Fescue.  Each of these grasses requires specific types of watering at different times of the year.

Bermuda:  This is the most common type of grass in the area and requires 1 to 1 ½ inches of water a week depending on the time of the year.  It tolerates herbicides well and is a full sun grass.  It performs best when mowed frequently and doing this promotes thickness.  It DOES NOT need to be over seeded, it will thicken on its own once temperatures are in the 90’s.  Mowing height should be 1 to 2 inches.  Do not remove more than one-third of the leaf blade with any one mowing unless scalping in the spring.   This pertains to all types of turf!

St. Augustine:  This is the second most common type of grass in the area.  You will primarily see this in older neighborhoods with large trees.  It is a shade tolerant grass meaning it will grow in the shade but does require some sun light in order to thrive. IT DOES NOT TOLERATE HERBICIDES WELL!   Never scalp or seed this type grass.  It is prone to Brown Patch in the fall as well as Winter Injury in the spring.  Watering varies depending on the amount of shade, the time of year and is similar to Bermuda requiring around an inch a week.  Do not remove more than one-third of the leaf area with any one mowing (never scalp).  Mow at 1 ½ to 3 inches depending on frequency.

Fescue:  This type of turf grows well in spring, fall and winter but does struggle during our hot summers.  It DOES need to be over seeded in the fall in order to thicken the lawn each year.  Never scalp!  It should be cut at 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches.  It requires a lot of water especially in the summer in order to survive the hot dry months.

Zoysia:  This grass has recently been introduced to this area and is becoming more popular.  While not as shade tolerant as St. Augustine it can handle more shade than Bermuda and is comparable to Bermuda as far as withstanding wear and tear.  This is the thickest type of turf you will see and maybe the prettiest.  It is expensive and does not spread well on its own, it requires sodding.  Mowing and watering are comparable to hybrid Bermuda.

Annual Ryegrass:  This is put down by over seeding in the early fall and requires an extreme amount of water to come up over a three week period.  It is pleasing to the eye in the fall, winter and spring but dies once it gets hot in early summer.  Mow 2 to 3 inches.

Perennial Ryegrass:  The difference between perennial and annual rye grass is perennial will possibly re-germinate in the fall and may survive in shaded areas in the summer.  It is more disease resistant, lasts a little longer and generally looks better than annual rye.   Both annual and perennial rye grass are cool climate grasses and require daily watering in order to germinate.

Contact Double Eagle Sprinkler to learn more about how to water your type of grass!

 

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