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At its core, soil pH is a measure of how many hydrogen ions are present in your soil. In highly acidic soil (low pH), plant growth is difficult due to reduced microbial availability in the dirt.

In highly alkaline soil, plants may struggle to grow due to iron deficiencies. In either case, a lack of balance deprives grass or plants of some key nutrients they need to grow.

A pH reading of 6 to 7.5 is ideal for most plants. Slight acidity is, generally speaking, less of an issue than slight alkalinity. Many plants can still thrive in slightly acidic soil.

If your lawn and general landscape are struggling, consider calling a local landscape specialist to suggest lawn amendments, local plants, and hardscape changes to boost the long-term health of your outdoor space. While you may be able to take on small projects yourself—such as reseeding your lawn or testing the soil—a professional can help you build a plan to bring a struggling yard back to life quickly.

Depending on the species, most fescue grasses thrive in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8, though some varieties can thrive as far as zone 10. While it’s a cool-season grass, it has the unique ability to adapt and thrive in many different types of climates. For this reason, you'll mostly find fescue grasses throughout the transitional temperature zones of the country.

Bermuda grass may be drought-resistant, but it still needs to be watered once or twice a week. The suggested amount of water Bermuda grass needs varies from season to season. Bermuda grass needs about 1 inch of water a week in summer, fall, and winter; it needs up to ¾ inch in spring.