It’s very exciting putting down a new lawn, but it’s not as simple as picking any seed bag from your local hardware store. Different grass types have varying tolerance to a wide variety of factors, and also in their look, establishment methods, and maintenance.
Zoysia grass and Bermuda grass are two widely used lawn kinds of grass each with its own pros and cons.
While some people may mix two types of grass types to help in thickening their lawn, can I mix Zoysia and Bermuda grasses? The answer to this question will vary depending on the amount of sunlight or shade on your lawn.
If you have shade on your law, Bermuda grass will not thrive because it needs sunlight to flourish, and depending on the amount of shade, Zoysia grass will work better. While both kinds of grass are fine-bladed and look the same in summer, during the spring and fall, Zoysia grass will green up before Bermuda grass, and Bermuda grass will go dormant before Zoysia.
Which grass type is best for your lawn?
The grass type you select for your lawn will need 6 inches of soil to provide enough space for the root system and moisture.
Zoysia and Bermuda grass are very common lawn grasses on most lawns, they’re warm-season perennial grasses that grow actively in the summer, but go dormant and lose their color in winter.
It can be difficult to tell the two kinds of grass apart unless you compare them.
Bermuda grass
Bermuda grass is drought-resistant and requires full sun. It’s grayish-green with a medium to coarse texture and can tolerate heavy traffic. I
Its leaf blades are hairless and branched flower spikes and ¼ inch wide. This grass is established from seed, stolons, sod, or plugs and spread rapidly along rhizomes and stolons. When it rains, the grass quickly greens up and is easier to manage as a manicured sod.
Also Read –> How to Make Bermuda Grass Grow Thicker
Zoysia grass
Zoysia grass shares most of its characteristics with Bermuda grass plus it has a shade tolerance. It can tolerate as much traffic as the Bermuda grass and can also go dormant during the drought season.
Zoysia will give you a tighter sod than Bermuda which makes it better at resisting weed invasion. Most people prefer Zoysia over Bermuda because it’s more attractive with less blue in the green and it grows more upright.
However, Zoysia grows slowly along stolons and rhizomes and is tough which makes it the hardest to mow.
Zoysia grass has many varieties you can choose from. The emerald variety is fine-bladed and very attractive and St. Augustine is very popular with attractive wide blades, easy to mow, grows fast, and is shade tolerant.
Bermuda and zoysia grass side by side comparison in this video
Features of common warm and cool-grass types
Grass-type | Features | Best in |
Bermuda grass | Tiny hairs on blades, fine texture, short flat blades with rough edges | Grows well in poor soil conditions and soil with good drainage. Also in areas with bright light and little shade |
Centipede | Thin blades with a coarse texture | Grows well in full sun and medium shade and in poor soil that is acidic and sandy |
Perennial ryegrass | Thin shiny green leaves with flat blades | Grows in clumps of bunches and can grow together with Bermuda grass all year round |
Conclusion
To have the best-looking lawn, you need to consider the climate in your area, foot traffic, sunlight or shade, and maintenance. If you have a mixture of conditions, you can look for a blend of grass varieties to help improve your lawn’s hardiness.
Also read
Zoysia vs Centipede – Detailed comparison guide
References and sources
https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/household/5-best-grasses-lawn
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/many-inches-topsoil-need-grass-103877.html
