Centipede, fescue, St. Augustine for South Texas?

Kyle_in_Tex · Nov 5, 2004

Actually, I want to know about ALL types of grass available. I just could'nt fit them into the subject line.
I'm about to plant my yard in a few weeks. I'm hoping to get opinions about any types of grass that could be recommended. Mostly hot and sunny with a clay base soil. Right now, it is planted with coastal bermuda hay grass.
I've grown up with St. Augustine but it sure takes a lot of water in the summer.

I see Home Depot is selling perenial ryegrass now. Will this stuff die off in summer and return the next year?

Gatorboy · Nov 5, 2004

If you have a sprinkler system, then I'd consider St. Augustine -- without one, take it off your list. I don't know much about centipede, so I have no opinion for you on that one. Fescue is probably your best bet. It is pretty drought resistent, so it can handle some dry summers fairly well.

Yes, perennial ryegrass will come back each year. It is usually mixed in with say, Fescue. It germinates quickly.

DmansPadge · Nov 5, 2004

If you can keep it watered.. St. Augustine would be great. It holds up really well. But, you can't buy the seed so you have to buy sod which is a bit expensive. Ryegrass in my opinion is too thin and weak. Bermuda loves hot weather.

Good luck!

Gatorboy · Nov 5, 2004

But, you can't buy the seed so you have to buy sod which is a bit expensive. 

A cheaper alternative is to buy plugs. You plant them 1-2 feet apart in a grid pattern and because St. Augustine is a spreading grass, usually within 1 or 2 summers, it's all filled in. Another method which costs more than plugs but less than complete sodding is "strip sodding", where you cut strips (about 18" in width) in your current lawn and lay St. Augustine sod in those cut strips. Each strip is spaced about 3-5 feet apart and uses the same principle as the plugs -- it will spread and fill in.

If centipede is considered Bermuda, then to maintain that correctly you need to mow it at an extremely low height -- and mow about twice a week.

Panache · Nov 5, 2004

Centipede is a very low maintenance grass. no ferterlizer and even if you let it grow too long before cutting it still looks good. Go to http://www.centipedegrass.com/ for more information.

EastTexFrank · Nov 5, 2004

( I've grown up with St. Augustine but it sure takes a lot of water in the summer )

I'm just like you, I've always had St. Augustine but do I like it? .... not really. When we lived in the city, it wasn't too bad because it wasn't too much to water, fertillize and mow. Now that we live in the country with a BIG yard, it can be a real pain. I had a well dug for the express purpose of watering it during the summer. I got tired of hauling hoses around and the water bills during the summer were high/high when I used community water. Also we're surrounded by pasture. On one side it's owned by my neighbour who only mows it once a year, if that. So weed seeds are always being blown into the yard and taking root. I usually spray 2 or 3 times a year but you have to be careful with St. Augustine because most herbicides used to control weeds will also kill the grass or make it really "sick". It's the same with bugs and fungus, they love St. Augustine. All in all, St. Augustine is a lot of work but I don't know of a better alternative. It sure looks good when it's healthy and growing strong during the summer. My M-I-L has centipede and it looks OK and is less work than mine but I don't think it looks as good.

I've often wondered about Zoysia but they say it spreads very slowly.

Bellville · Nov 5, 2004

Thanks for the link, made for some very informative reading!

Kyle_in_Tex · Nov 5, 2004

Thanks for all the replies folks...Kyle

hobbyfarm · Nov 5, 2004

Hello Kyle,
If you can find it up there, thry to get the Floratam type of St Augustine. I usually can only find sod though. Here in the Rio Grande Valley, there are many grass farms selling it.
Those Aggies did a good job re-inventing the wheel. It is very drought resistant.
phil