WHAT IS THE BEST SPECIES OF GRASS TO GROW WHERE I LIVE?

The turfgrasses are divided into cool-season and warm-season species. Cool-season species do better in the cooler times of the year and thrive in temperatures from 65° to 75° F. Warm-season grasses are best adapted to temperatures between 80° and 95° F. The cool-season grasses grow well in the cooler regions of the northern United States and the warm-season species are best adapted to the warmer regions of the southern U.S. Grass species adaptation in the U.S., however, is a little more complicated than that, with the U.S. having four separate climatic zones of grass adaptation.

The cool humid zone encompasses the Northeast, several states of the Midwest, and much of the Pacific Northwest. The cool arid zone includes much of the dryer areas of the Midwest and West. Cool season species such as Bluegrass, fescues, ryegrasses, and bentgrasses are best adapted to the cool humid zone; however, Buffalograss and zoysiagrass, both warm season grasses, are found in the western and southern parts of this region even though the growing season is short for these species. The cool arid zone is basically a cool-season zone and any of the cool-season grasses can be used here if irrigation is available. Buffalograss is becoming widely used in the warmer parts of the region, such as Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado, on non-irrigated sites. Less common cool-season species such as wheatgrasses and Canada bluegrass can be found on nonirrigated sites in the cooler parts of this zone.

Warm season species are best adapted to the warm arid and warm humid regions of the U.S. Bermudagrass is the most widely used species in the warm humid zone, although it is sometimes subject to winter damage in the northern parts of the zone. Zoysiagrass is widely used in the northern parts of this zone while carpetgrass, bahi- agrass, and St. Augustinegrass are more common in the Gulf Coast region. Bermudagrass is also the most commonly used species in the warm arid zone, although any of the warm-season species can be used if irrigation is available. Buffalograss is becoming increasingly important in the more arid parts of this region. In both the warm arid and warm humid zones, cool-season species are often used for winter overseeding.

The U.S. also has a region known to the turf industry as the tran- sition zone that extends through the central part of the country and includes parts of each of the other four zones. This is the most diffi- cult region in which to grow grass. The transition zone is cold enough in the winter to make it difficult to maintain warm-season species and warm enough in the summer to make it difficult to grow cool-season species, therefore, no one species is well adapted in this region.