Two of the most popular lawn turf species, fescue grass vs St. Augustine has yielded no clear winner. Unlike Bermuda grass grows well in the full sunlight. How to Protect Grass From Frost & What to Do, top tips on how to properly mow your lawn, best chemical free weed solutions for your lawn. That being said, Buffalo Grass leaves more room for weeds so if youre trying to replace a St Augustine lawn with Buffalo Grass, its best to remove St Augustine beforehand. While St Augustine can also survive in hot weather, it is a better choice for people who live near the ocean or in other areas where there is a lot of salt in the air as this particular type of grass is salt-tolerant. Buffalo Grass should be kept taller at 3 to 4 inches or even left at its maximum height of 6 inches. Centipede grass, also called the lazy mans grass, is a popular grass species for states ranging from North Carolina down and west across the south. It thrives in higher temperatures, anywhere from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit, and is known for its salt tolerance which makes it an ideal option for such coastal regions. This is also the more weed-resistant option of the two, making for less weed picking work down the road. St. Augustine grass is also commonly known as buffalo turf or buffalo grass in South Africa because, well, buffalo eat it there. If your lawn is Kikuyu, you will need to mow it every week during summer to keep it looking its best. Buffalo Grass just doesnt grow as thick and if you dont need to fertilize it, theres no nitrogen spikes exacerbating thatch. Additionally, this kind of grass is a good choice for people who live near the ocean or in other hot, humid climates. Once it has taken hold, you can cut that right back and let nature do her thing. I like to think of myself as the Bond of the backyard, that is if yard work ever became sexy. It gets its name from the fact that it was once an important food source for buffalos. Buffalo Grass vs. St. Augustine: What's the Difference? Many types of insects and bugs attack Buffalo grass, as well as common fungal infections. Other homeowners might choose zoysia grass for its attractive emerald green appearance or bermuda grass for its disease resistance. While St Augustine can also survive in hot weather, it is a better choice for people who live near the ocean or in other areas where there is a lot of salt in the air as this particular type of grass is salt-tolerant. If youre looking for a low-maintenance option that you wont have to mow very often, Buffalo grass is a good choice. Check for pests and diseases regularly. When it comes to irrigation, St. Augustine needs a lot of attention. As this is a summer season grass, it ideally needs to be sown in the Springtime for it to flourish in the summer heat. Will Buffalo Grass Overtake A St Augustine Lawn? St. Augustine grass has a thick rooting system and the grass blades can grow relatively taller. Two of these opinions are which type of grass is best (Buffalo or St Augustine), and if theres any difference between them at all. Feb 15, 2023, Monday - Saturday 7:00 am - 5:00 pm1-800-381-8163, info@lawndelivery.comsodandseed@gmail.comwww.bayareasodandseed.com. This encourages deep root growth and helps the grass to become more drought-tolerant. Another bonus of this grass is its high shade tolerance. Whether Buffalo Grass will overtake St Augustine depends on who the conditions are favorable for. Known for its lush appearance and drought tolerance, buffalo grass thrives in hot, dry conditions and grows best in warmer climates. Lets learn more about them! High resistance for both insects and disease. Centipede grass is extremely low-maintenance. You need not worry about pests and disease if you grow a Buffalo Grass lawn. As I said above, the soil type is not a massive factor that dictates the health of this grass as it is really great in a variety of habitats, on top of this, this lawn is pretty much self-sustaining in that it is very low maintenance: needing mowing once a week or even two weeks with a rotary mower if possible (read more about the best lawn mowers for your needs), and fertilization is only needed once a month in spring and summer, its peak growing period. If I HAD to make a choice. Easy Gardens Life | Copyright 2022 All rights Reserved. It typically needs double the amount of water that youd give a Bermuda lawn. These include freezing temperatures, drought, and certain insects and diseases. The biggest difference between these two types of grass is that St Augustine is much more drought-resistant than buffalo. As a home owner and as someone with garden centre experience, I know plenty about backyard and lawn care products. Thats not surprising considering the region its native to. Add lime if you need to balance it out. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Buffalo Grass needs full sun and has very little shade tolerance as it evolved to grow among other grasses. Read our related grass comparison articles here: Jamie is the founder of The Backyard Pros. At a glance, Bahia grass is a tough cookie: it is a warm season perennial grass species that thrives in the summer. Sod, plugs, and stolons are the main ways in which this grass can be grown. Its unique blue-green shade is an attraction to those who want a fresh and healthy looking lawn for long periods of time, but in winter this grass does have the risk of running into a certain level of dormancy when growth slows down, and the grass color fades. Hi, I'm William K, an avid gardener, and outdoor enthusiast. The Big Freeze! Although not regarded as invasive, St. Augustine is still an aggressive grower, and it can spread rapidly where planted, providing its needs are being met. Look for newer cultivars that better replicate a lawn. You can also overseed your lawn with Buffalo grass seeds. We hope you have found this information helpful and useful! No longer is Buffalo grass sharp and scratchy, but it has been altered to no be much less problematic for allergy sufferers. It can grow to be as tall as 6 feet but is typically cut down at 3-4 inches. Buffalo grass and carpet grass are two different species. A good sprinkler system is highly advisable especially if you live in a region with little rainfall. Compared to other warm season grasses such as Bermuda and zoysia, St. Augustine has a higher drought tolerance, and will remain greener for longer in hot conditions. Failing that, spring is also a good time to plant a fescue seed mix. We all know that weeds can be a real pain to deal with. Buffalo grass is a drought-tolerant type of grass, which means that it doesnt require a lot of water. St. Augustine Grass, Centipede Grass / By Joe Bethel. how many dogs can you have in henderson, nv. While buffalo grass does have a few advantages over st Augustine, there are also some downsides to consider when deciding which type of grass you want for your lawn. Visit the Solution Center to Explore Articles. A warm and humid atmosphere near coastal regions is favorable for St Augustine grass. While both spread to create new blades of grass, rhizomes are underground while stolons are above ground. Both of these grasses have their pros and cons, so its important to weigh all of your options before making a decision. Both zoysia grass and bermuda grass are somewhat similar to St. Augustine because theyre all warm-season grasses. Tall fescue is a different species altogether, and weve not included it in this particular article. Mowing Needs of Centipede Grass vs St. Augustine Lawns. How to Make Grass Thicker, Greener and Fuller The Essential Guide. Zoysia vs. St. Augustine Grass Mowing Heights and Growth Habits. Buffalo Grass vs Bermuda | Whats Better For My Lawn? It can tolerate broad pH ranges, from inland acidic soils to coastal high pH soils. Even better, its extremely low maintenance and does best with benign neglect. In order to speed up the process, you can take some steps to encourage the growth of Buffalo grass. To the untrained eye, all grass might well look alike its all green, right? Bahia grass is relatively low maintenance with the lowest rate of disease and pest issues compared to other warm season grasses. If the lawn gets little water, has full sun, and is rarely fertilized, then Buffalo Grass will outcompete St Augustine. It prefers alkaline soils, although it can grow in slightly acidic soils as well. Of all the turfgrasses, fescue is also the most low-maintenance variety. Though St. Augustine grass can also experience damage from foot traffic, it has a higher resistance to wear and tear. link to Dormant Grass vs Dead Grass How to Tell the Difference & What to Do? We hope to hear from you soon! St. Augustine will need the application of a suitable fertilizer, and if the soil has a higher pH, then iron supplements might need to be applied. Similarly, St. Augustine grass also has relatively wide, hearty blades. Regardless, youll need the right equipment to cater for any lawn, and you should take a look at this article on the best lawn-care tools to get started. However, having said all that, for the sheer fact that it is much easier to maintain in the long run, I would say fescue edges it. St. Augustine grass costs around $0.55 per square foot or $250 per pallet. If there are any weeds growing in between patches of dead Buffalo Grass then pull them out as soon as possible using some gloves. If you shop through the links on YardThyme, we may earn an affiliate's commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I write about everything about indoor and outdoor gardening and the dread-it-but-still-need-to-do-it chores around the yard, like cleaning out the gutter guards. It can handle the heat, humidity, and salt of the subtropical region, and unlike its closest and most popular competitor Bermuda, it can handle some shade. Signs of Lawn Heat Stress & How to Treat It? If your soil is higher than this, you can add sulfur to balance it out. St Augustine is also a salt-tolerant type of grass, which means that it can survive in salty conditions. He has real estate experience and he is a home owner. Avoid using herbicides containing 2,4-D as St Augustine is sensitive to this chemical You may kill your grass along with the weed. Bahia grass can suffocate weeds due to its thick carpeted texture. To learn more, check out our complete guide to Buffalo Grass. However, each grass . The downside? As you can see, there are a few key differences between Buffalo grass and St Augustine. However, it will always come back in the springtime, as long as you take care of it. These two types of grass grow best in different types of soil. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The blades of this grass start short when young, however, can reach a height of 30cm when fully grown. Take a look at this article for more help with yellow grass in general. And if youre looking for a low-maintenance type of grass, Buffalo grass is your best option. However, there are certain conditions that can cause St Augustine to go dormant during the winter. Can grow in loam, chalk, and clay. These pesky plants can quickly take over our lawns if were not careful. However, such pleasures only come with high maintenance and St. Augustine can be tricky to keep happy. 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