How to Select the Right Grass For Your Lawn

  Upstate South Carolina (Greenville and Spartanburg counties) is my location and it is the climate in which I know the most about grass types.  From Birmingham, AL to Atlanta, GA and then along I-85 up to Richmond, VA encompasses a similar sort of soil types and climate as mine.  The USA hardiness zone we are in is "7b".  When specifically speaking about grass types, we are described as a "Transitional Zone".  This means that we are not perfect for warm season nor cool season grasses.  Our primary type of cool season grass is Fescue.  We have 3 primary warm season grasses - Centipede, Bermuda and Zoysia. 
   Fescue - This is the right choice if you want the greenest most beautiful lawn you can have for twelve months a year and don't mind the effort of irrigation, weed preventers, lime, fertilizing and other issues.  Fescue can be installed fairly easily by planting seed in the fall.  We recommend an Oregon grown certified blue label.  This is also the best for predominantly shady lawns.  For deep shade we recommend mixing in some Creeping Red Fescue. 
Centipede - Is sometimes called the lazy man's grass.  Although establishment from seed can take 3 years, it requires the least amount of watering, mowing and fertilizing.  It likes sandy soil and direct sun but does ok in other environments as well.
Bermuda - Is the right choice if you want a low cut golf course look.  For areas with plenty of sun it can also be the easiest to grow.  You can actually have a lawn of this type without seeding.  Common Bermudagrass occurs naturally in our environment.  All you need do is to kill the competition with herbicides and fertilize and water the Berumda.  In 2-3 years you can have a thick lush lawn.  For a little better and quicker result, you can purchase a hybrid Bermuda seed.  For the best and quickest Bermudagrass lawn, sod with a Bermuda known as 419.
Zoysia - Is the most versatle grass in that it does well in sun or partial shade.  It is a very strong grass that is superior in choking out weeds.  Zoysia, after establishment, takes little care.  Irrigate once a week during the growing season and fertilize twice per year are the main requirements.  Zoysia needs to be installed by sod and is by far the most expensive grass to install.

   For more information you can see Carolina Fresh Farms.  Clemson also has some good information.