Geography

• You must be located in the southern region of the United States to grow warm-season lawns. This region includes all areas from coastal Virginia to Georgia on the east to Texas on the west. Any location within these parameters could cultivate a warm-season lawn. There are certain types of grasses that can be grown in the mountains of North Carolina, in Virginia and in the northern sections of Tennessee and Arkansas.
  
  

Features

• Warm-season grasses are tropical in origin, which allows them to withstand hot and dry summers. They will grow into a solid lawn cover that becomes denser as it ages. These grasses will most often thrive when planted from sod or plugs, instead of from seeds. This particular feature allows you to generate a lawn much quicker.
  
  

Types

• Warm-season grasses fall into five main categories: Bermuda, Centipede, St. Augustine, Kikuyu and Zoysia. Each type has different characteristics, including its own tolerance of the cold, required sunlight, capacity for use (heavy or light), overall appearance and required maintenance. Other types of warm-season grasses include Carpet and Bahia.
  
  

Warning

• Most warm-season lawns will become dormant during the winter months. You can turn your lawn green again in winter by7 seeding your lawn with ryegrass just after summer. This is known as "winter over-seeding," and will provide you with a beautiful green lawn for the winter. You will also have to maintain the specific type of grass you have selected for your lawn to prevent unwanted grass from overtaking it.
  
  

Considerations

• Before deciding to grow a particular type of warm-season grass, consider how much shade your lawn gets and the amount of activity the grass will be subjected to, along with your desired texture and height. Explore the various types of warm-season grasses to find the one that will work best for your lawn.