How to Find the Right Kind of Grass for Your Southwest Florida Yard

Are you a Southwest Florida homeowner? Would you like your yard to stand out from the rest? Are you interested in finding the right kind of grass for your home in Southwest Florida? Then I highly suggest that you read on.
There are numerous types of grass you can grow in your yard. However, you need to consider a number of factors that will influence your choice before setting out on your landscaping Sarasota project.
Your choice of whatever grass you will grow on your yard will hinge on your soil type, climatic conditions and what you intend to use your yard for. You also need to consider whether the grass you choose is resistant to pests, diseases and how easy it will be to maintain.

BEAR THIS IN MIND BEFORE STARTING OUT
Before you start out on your landscaping Sarasota project, there are a number of factors that you need to consider. Check out the following out before embarking on your project.
1. Soil pH level
You will soon discover that different types of grass require a certain pH level in order to thrive. It is important that you establish the pH level of the soil in your yard. This way you will be able to select the best type of grass to grow in keeping with your soil’s pH.
To start you out, take a sample of soil from your yard for testing.
2. What Do You Use Your Yard For
As you toil over your landscaping Sarasota project, you need to ask yourself what you intend to do with your yard. Do you want to keep up with the Jones’s next door or would you want your yard to be a playground for your kids and pets?
3. Maintenance Costs
That particular variety of grass that you may want to grow in your yards look great but may end up costing you an arm and a leg in terms of maintenance.
THE BEST GRASS FOR YOUR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA YARD
As you embark on your landscaping Sarasota project, you need to know that the Southwest Florida climate is best described as warm. Moving forward, the most suitable grasses for your yard would be the St.Augustine or Bahia variety. However, you can also grow Zoysia or Bermuda grass types for your landscaping Sarasota project.
Check out the features of these grasses below.
St. Augustine Grass
Going by statistics, this is your most popular choice as it grows to be lush and full and works well in hot climates.
It comes in different cultivars:
Floratam – This blue-green cultivar is the most widely produced and purchased turfgrass in Southwest Florida. It performs best in full sun, has moderate cold tolerance and requires a fair to moderate amount of weed control.
Seville – This is a fine-leaved, dwarf St. Augustine with a dark green color and low growth habit. It performs well in both shade and full sun, but is especially shade-tolerant.
Palmetto – This is a hardy, low maintenance turfgrass, with an outstanding emerald green color. It performs well in full sun, yet also thrives in shaded areas with three-to-four hours of direct daily sunlight. It succeeds in challenging soil types, such as sand, clay, and muck.
Bitterblue – Originally engineered in the 1930s, it is sometimes confused with Floratam but can tolerate much more shade and cold temperatures. But, it is prone to fungal diseases, as well as infestation from chinch bugs, grubs, mole crickets, sod webworms, and cutworms.
Bahia Grass
In case you are interested in an all-weather type of grass for your landscaping Sarasota project, then Bahia grass is your ideal candidate. It is resistant to most pests, diseases and can tolerate drought conditions well. To crown it all up, Bahia grass is affordable and cost-effective.
However, avoid growing it in the shady areas of your property. You can use it in outside perimeters of your property, easements, quails or medians.
Bermuda Grass
This type of grass is quite expensive to maintain as you will need to mow it frequently. It compensates for this inadequacy by tolerating high traffic and lots of sunshine quite well.
During the winter season, it goes dormant. When you water them well after a long spell of drought, then reinvigorate quite well.

Zoysia Grass
In case your yard has some shady areas, this is your best choice. Much as Zoysia grass grows slowly, it is able to tolerate direct sunshine quite well.
With Zoysia grass, you need to appreciate the fact that patience is a virtue. Once it is established, you will find that it has a well manicured, carpet-like appearance. In case you have pets or kids, it handles traffic quite well.

PARTING SHOT
At this point, you are much better off in your quest to find the best kind of grass for your Southwest Florida yard. So long as you establish the pH of your soil, maintenance costs and what you want to use your yard for, your landscaping Sarasota project should be off to a great start.
So as you grab your wallets and credit cards, make sure that you choose the best type of grass for your landscaping Sarasota project.