How To Grow The Best Grass For Florida
Florida is famous for its sun but if you have a lawn that’s going to be seeing significant amounts of shade, you need the right kind of grass if you want it to thrive. Even a grass that can tolerate shade will probably need around four hours of sunlight per day.
AT A GLANCE: Our Top Picks for Grasses for Floridas
For this reason, your best bet is probably St Augustine Grass. It comes in several varieties and two of the best for growing in the shade are Seville St Augustine and Classic St Augustine.
[wptb id="6958" not found ]The blueish-green Seville St Augustine is particularly shade-resistant even by the standards of shade-resistant grasses and only needs around 2 hours of sunlight per day. However, it can begin to develop a thatch after a few years if it receives too much sun.
If you can count on more than 2 hours of sunlight per day, you could try the Classic St Augustine instead. It has the classic, deep green color that is popular on lawns and is reliably resistant to both insects and disease.
One other option might be Zoysia Palisades, which is noted for growing well in shade and for needing less water than many other kinds of grass. In Florida of all places, this is a great bonus to consider.
When Should I Plant Grass Seed In Florida?
If you’re planning to plant warm-season grass in Florida, then the best time of year to do it would be somewhere between April and July. This is because you will be giving it time to grow for an entire season before the cold weather comes along in the fall and winter.
It also means you’ll have to water your new grass a lot less since the weather of the rainy season will take care of that for you. You might have seen others in Florida planting at all times of the year.
It’s relatively common and you might well get away with it, but you do run a risk if you plant your grass seeds at other times.
There is some variation between North Florida and South Florida, however. In the north, the problem of the winter cold killing off your young grass is more serious.
In the South, however, the weather is usually warm enough for you to be able to plant all year. Nevertheless, sticking to the time between April and July is best.
Photo by Leonard J. DeFrancisci licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
