What Type of Turf do you have...?
Lets define these categories as cool season grass and warm season grass types.
Cool season turf such as fescue and bluegrass grow best in the two cool seasons of the year –fall and spring, with an ideal temperature range of 55-70F. They struggle in the hot months of summer. Warm season species like bermudagrass, zoysia, St. Augustine grow best in the heat and full sun of the summer (temperatures of 80-95F), but go dormant during the late fall and won't turn green again until the following spring.
The Mid-Atlantic is in the “Transition Zone” which means that we can grow both cool season and warm season grasses in our region. It also means that the climate presents challenges for each type of grass when unfavorable seasons arrive. Excess heat and drought can seriously damage and/or kill cool season grasses and very cold winters can damage warm season grasses. These conditions occur and randomly in our area.
Cool Season Turf Characteristics
in our region
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• Grow best at temperatures between 55-70F degrees.
• Difficult time adjusting to hot, dry periods; they typically fail quickly during drought times.
• SHADE TOLERANCE: GOOD
• MAJOR DISEASES: Rhizoctonia blight[brown patch]
• Requires Annual re-seeding
Warm Season Turf Characteristics
in our region
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• Thrive in temperatures between 80-95F degrees.
• During winter months will appear brown through periods of winter dormancy.
• SHADE TOLERANCE: POOR requires full sun.
