OT Turfgrass guys tell me

[mcdawg22]

I'm in the Florida panhandle, in an area full of underground sprinkler systems, my yard is full sun, yet when I suggest putting down Bermuda, I'm looked at as an insane person, am I missing something? St Augustine and Centipede are prevalent here, but I have sun and irrigation, so what's wrong with Bermuda?

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I have both St. Augustine and bermuda

Augustine in the front yard, Bermuda behind the fence in the back, though the St Augustine is starting to creep into the Bermuda. Which I'm fine with, because the St. Aug. is much softer, and more like real grass. And it stays green year round, and seems to require less water. At least that's how it is in south Texas. I didn't do the dual grass planting, the house came that way. I personally think the Augustine simply looks much nicer. And I can grow it longer, which helps with water usage. And mowing.

/waiting for turf specialist to tell me I'm completely wrong

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

My grandmothers house in Clarksdale had St Augustine. Thought I was a nice change from Bermuda grass.

 

[Thomas Jacusy]

It looks really like a real natural grass and we can feel the freshness of it. It remains really cool as the sun is shinning a head. Bermuda grass also need the less maintenance to have and to keep it maintain and you keep less to give the watering.

 

[mcdawg22]

Augustine in the front yard, Bermuda behind the fence in the back, though the St Augustine is starting to creep into the Bermuda. Which I'm fine with, because the St. Aug. is much softer, and more like real grass. And it stays green year round, and seems to require less water. At least that's how it is in south Texas. I didn't do the dual grass planting, the house came that way. I personally think the Augustine simply looks much nicer. And I can grow it longer, which helps with water usage. And mowing.

/waiting for turf specialist to tell me I'm completely wrong

I guess it's just preference. I don't like St Augustine for the required length. I like being able to practice chipping in my back yard. I have a good lawn mower that cuts it down to 1 1/2" with no problem.

 

[militarydog]

I've had Bermuda...

I'm in the Florida panhandle, in an area full of underground sprinkler systems, my yard is full sun, yet when I suggest putting down Bermuda, I'm looked at as an insane person, am I missing something? St Augustine and Centipede are prevalent here, but I have sun and irrigation, so what's wrong with Bermuda?

and it kept getting other grasses and weeds invading it. I now have Empire Zoysia and couldn't be happier. It chokes out the weeds and other grasses and gives you a thick carpet look to your yard. Go with Empire Zoysia.

 

[Fktdawg]

Bermuda is a very aggressive turfgrass and requires a good bit of maintenance. Your neighbors probably thought you were crazy because you would be cutting it so often. (Considering the irrigation and full sun)

Centipede is known as the laZy man's grass...doesn't require much maintenance, typically grows at a slower rate than other turfgrasses. But when healthy can look very nice.

Personally, a lush healthy stand of Bermuda or zoysia looks the best to me. Both are much softer grasses and when maintained correctly can be very dense which in turn cuts down on weeds.

St. Aug is just too coarse of a grass for me. But everyone likes different things.

Also, being on the Florida panhandle you have salinity(salt) levels to consider. St. Augustine is adapted to those areas. That's why you see alot of it all along the gulf coast.

 

[The Peeper]

I've got St Aug too, every time I think of St Aug I think about Dr. Jeff Krans, retired MSU Turfgrass Prof. and founder (along w/ Wayne Philley) of the MSU patented grasses. He called it "60 MPH Grass" because the only time it looked good was when you passed by it doing 60 mph, he hated it.

 

[Jimbob Cooter]

Bermuda is harder to maintain than Centipede or St. Augustine. It grows quicker, that's why you see it so much. I personally think St. Augustine is the best grass for the Panhandle area. Centipede doesn't take traffic very well.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

I now have Empire Zoysia and couldn't be happier. It chokes out the weeds and other grasses and gives you a thick carpet look to your yard. Go with Empire Zoysia.

Empire zoysia is awesome. I had it at a previous house. Thick, green, needs less water and grows slower than other grasses. If you have full sun, get empire zoysia.

 

[Sutterkane]

I just know here in the Nashville area everyone's expected to grow fescue, and no matter how much it claims to be "drought tolerant" it 17ing sucks in July and August unless you water the **** out of it. Looks great in the spring while it's in 60s. Also stays pretty green in the winter while dormant. Blows goats if it gets over 90. 17 fescue.

 

[ShrubDog]

You don't need to use regular St. Aug.

Use St. Augustine 'Floratam'

Its a cultivar that is more drought tolerant, chinch bug resistant and bigger blades. Most municipalities in Florida specify it within land development codes.

 

[RocketDawg]

I had fescue in Huntsville for about 20 years, and every year it got a fungus around June 1 and basically died out. Last year I sodded with Zorro Zoysia and like it pretty well. I've got some spots that get no sun so I'll have to do something else in those areas ... mulch or I may try bent first. Both Nashville and Huntsville are in the "transition zone", meaning you can grow both cool season and warm season grasses. It also means that neither one does particularly well because of cold winters and hot summers, but zoysia can be grown as far north as Chicago so it's the best warm season variety for the transition, and even the cool-season-only, areas. It turns dormant in the winter so if you want green, you have to overseed with rye.

But to address the original question ... St Augustine seems to be the grass of choice in Florida, so the fact that everybody expecting you to grow it may be just because you're in Florida. Bermuda should do just fine ... all the golf courses have it. St Augustine is too wide-bladed and rough for a golf course. Actually, it looks like crabgrass to me. I may be wrong but I think both St Augustine and centipede need a sandy soil, which Florida has.