What Are Cool-Season Grasses?
Cool-season grasses, like ryegrass and fescue, are typically grown from seeds and thrive during the spring and fall seasons when average temperatures sit between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When the weather warms up during the summer months, the grass becomes dormant. Dormancy occurs during winter, as well, with the grass likely to appear brownish in color following the first frost.
What Are Warm-Season Grasses?
Warm-season lawn covers, like centipede grass and St. Augustine grass, thrive in warm temperatures between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit and go dormant in cooler temperatures. These grasses require consistent and measured watering to keep them moist and promote growth. Warm-season grass is perfect for people living in the southern parts of the country, where temperatures stay warm throughout the year.
What’s the Difference Between Cool-Season and Warm-Season Grass?
As the names suggest, the most significant difference between these grasses is when they grow. Warm-season varieties typically grow from June to early September. Cool-season varieties thrive in the fall and early spring when the weather is, well, cooler.
Warm-season grasses can survive in hotter, drier climates but go dormant when the temperatures get too cold. Their counterparts usually stay green for most of the year, even when temperatures drop below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
It's best to seed cool-season grasses in the fall after the heat of summer has lifted, although there are variations in the next planting time depending on species and local climates. For successful germination, you should seed warm-season grasses when there's no risk of frost, so late spring or summer are the safest bets.
Warm-Season Grass Pros and Cons