The Florida climate, especially the further South you go, can make growing and keeping grass looking great year round rather difficult. Luckily with the right amount of nutrients, care and irrigation Floridians actually have a lot of options to choose from. With variations from the tough St. Augustine grass to the vibrant Zoysia sod, the choice isn’t easy when it comes time to re-do yard. Today we are going to narrow the options down to the top two with some special mentions.
Sod Vs. Grass. What’s the difference?
“Grass” is generally what you call the green plants growing in your yard. It was at some point its lifetime ‘seed’. It’s possible it was then “sod” which is basically grass that has been grown, sprouted, slightly matured in shallow soil and then cut and either rolled up or layered into pallets. Most commonly in Florida our thicker grass is layered into pallets. When customers ask us about which is best they most commonly refer to “grass”, although generally they are actually purchasing “sod”. We will use these terms interchangeably throughout this article.
#1. The Best Sod/Grass For Florida Yards & Lawns
Stenotaphrum Secundatum
St. Augustine Grass
Firstly it’s important to mention here that there are actually a plethora of variants of St. Augustine grass including Palmetto, CitraBlue, Raleigh and Seville to name the most popular options. Given their ability to withstand droughts while also performing well in the shade, we’d recommend CitraBlue and Palmetto St. Augustine grass. Although CitraBlue is a great choice for those wanting a yard that needs minimal mowing as it grows sideways instead of ‘up’, our top recommendation here is the Palmetto St. Augustine Grass.
With Palmetto St. Augustine’s deep root system it is especially tolerant to Florida’s climate which may experience drought, extreme heat, cold snaps. From a ‘looks’ standpoint, Palmetto also takes the cake as this grass has a beautiful color and finer texture than most other options.
#2. The Second Best GrassChoice for Florida Lawns
Cynodon Dactylon
Bermuda Grass
Selected especially for it’s durability, Bermuda Grass is the go-to choice for those who plan to really use the square footage of their yard for outdoor games such as kickball or even golf. Not surprisingly, Bermuda grass is what you have most likely seen on most golf courses throughout Florida. This grass is also especially tolerant to droughts, heat and cold. Downside to Bermuda comes with its durability. It’s borderline invasive so if you have a great deal of speciality landscaping, you may find it becomes painstaking to keep this tough grass out of your garden or even the cracks in the sidewalk.
Ready for New Sod?
Lawns & Palms, Inc. offers premium sod installation services in Pinellas County. We will also assess your properties general ecosystem to determine soil health, shade and other factors that may effect the best possible choice of sod.
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