Which Is Better: Buffalo Grass Or St Augustine? Appearance wise, fescue is fine and hair-like, whereas St. Augustine is broader with a more rounded tip. St. Augustine grass is a warm-season grass that is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. Fescue, or fine fescue as its often known, is a broad term given to a number of different fescue grasses that are popular in the northern parts of the US, and more temperate climes around the world. It is recommended that you seek appropriate professional advice regarding your individual circumstances. Depending on where youre purchasing from, a pallet of sod will cover around 450 square feet, while a tray of 18 plugs will cover 32 square feet. Buffalo grass needs water on a regular basis to survive, but over-watering can lead to fungal diseases. However, it will take some time for this to happen. Need professional help with your project? Decades ago, if you lived in Florida, you had a choice of St Augustine, St Augustine, or St Augustine. Its unique blue-green shade is an attraction to those who want a fresh and healthy looking lawn for long periods of time, but in winter this grass does have the risk of running into a certain level of dormancy when growth slows down, and the grass color fades. Known for its lush appearance and drought tolerance, buffalo grass thrives in hot, dry conditions and grows best in warmer climates. In addition, there are 11 cultivars available that make excellent turf grass. Pick up a soil testing kit and make sure you have optimum conditions. Plan to water a new fescue-based lawn two to three times a day, for around five minutes at a time. It also has a beautiful texture thats soft underfoot but doesnt get matted down by foot traffic or rainstorms like some other types of grass do. However, remember that maintenance costs for St. Augustine grass may lead you to spend more in the long run than centipede grass. In order to speed up the process, you can take some steps to encourage the growth of Buffalo grass. There are many varieties of Buffalo grass, some more common than others. Buffalo grass is a warm-season perennial, which means it grows during spring, summer, and fall but dies back in winter. You can feel free to wait until the grass reaches up to 4 1/2 inches before giving it a trim, and whatever you do dont cut it down any lower than 2 1/2 inches. It is also a drought-tolerant type of grass, which means that it can survive in dry conditions. Depending on how often you want to cut your grass, you may be wondering which type of grass grows faster: Buffalo grass or St Augustine? Although we all want the best-looking lawn, budgets can be tight. Additionally, this kind of grass is a good choice for people who live near the ocean or in other hot, humid climates. As this is a summer season grass, it ideally needs to be sown in the Springtime for it to flourish in the summer heat. We are a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Failing that, spring is also a good time to plant a fescue seed mix. However, in colder areas, it is possible for the grass to die off and stop growing. If you struggle with picking a grass species perfect for your needs and wants, and youre considering either Bahia grass or St. Augustine, read on to discover the main differences between the two as well as their pros and cons! Types of Gardening Tools The Essential Guide to What You Need in Your Shed! This encourages deep root growth and helps the grass to become more drought-tolerant. These pesky plants can quickly take over our lawns if were not careful. You dont need to go out of your way to care for this grass species as its not susceptible to common lawn pests or diseases. If none fits your needs dont worry. Compared to other grass species, such as Bermuda and Kikuyu grass, St. Augustine is in the low-risk category of invasive grasses. It is soft, dense and has that really great green color that shows health in a lawn. You need not worry about pests and disease if you grow a Buffalo Grass lawn. How to Protect Grass From Frost & What to Do, top tips on how to properly mow your lawn, best chemical free weed solutions for your lawn. St Augustine is plagued by pests and disease, many of which dont have effective controls. It also requires very little maintenance. Centipede grass is a popular southeast grass that needs plenty of sunlight. Can Grass Catch on Fire from the Sun (And Also what Temperature? Unlike Bermuda grass grows well in the full sunlight. If youve ever walked barefoot across the grass in the South, theres a chance you walked over centipede grass. This guide will cover all the ins and outs of common Buffalo grass identification. Similar to Buffalo grass, warm climates should not have any problems with St Augustine grass going dormant during the winter. taking 14 to 30 days to germinate from seed, other warm-season grasses that like shade, drought-hardy, meaning it can survive extended dry periods. For example, you can mow your lawn a bit shorter than usual and fertilize it with a high-nitrogen fertilizer. It grows . Buffalo grass is a warm-season grass that is dormant in the winter and green in the summer, so if you have been experiencing colder temperatures, this may also be the cause for a slight discolouration. Therefore, Buffalo grass should be installed in sod roll form or Buffalo grass plug form. These include freezing temperatures, drought, and certain insects and diseases. Many homeowners love its versatility, saying that when well maintained, it does not attract weeds or pests as other grasses can. Buffalo Grass needs full sun and has very little shade tolerance as it evolved to grow among other grasses. Another advantage of Buffalo Grass is that it needs very little fertilizer, as little as 1 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 sq foot per year. Hi, I'm William K, an avid gardener, and outdoor enthusiast. Even better, its extremely low maintenance and does best with benign neglect. How to Identify Kikuyu Grass (Australian Guide), The Best Lawn Fertiliser for Kikuyu, Couch, and Buffalo, What is Sir Walter Buffalo Grass? And if you want some more information on how to do that, check out this article on lawn recovery after winter. If youre looking for a low-maintenance option that you wont have to mow very often, Buffalo grass is a good choice. Look for days when the temperature is consistently between 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Buffalo Grass needs full sun and has very little shade tolerance as it evolved to grow among other grasses. Most visually attractive: Centipede grass. Weed resistance: Sodded St. Augustine instantly chokes out any weeds. Since centipede grass needs six or more hours of full sunlight, this grass is not ideal for any shaded areas. Key Differences Between Fescue and St Augustine Grass, Characteristics, Growing Conditions, and Appearance. Buffalo Grass or St Augustine: What is Better? Medium. It is favorable along the Gulf Coast as well as deep south as it is unopposed to variating soil pH levels as well as nutrient content. There are plenty of other types of grass seed to choose from. As a home owner and as someone with garden centre experience, I know plenty about backyard and lawn care products. As one of the few native North American grasses, Buffalo Grass is becoming more popular as a turfgrass, as its uniquely suited to growing in areas with low rainfall and frequent droughts. As mentioned, youll find that fescue grass is often mixed with other species, as it wont take over and crowd out other variants. St. Augustine grass costs around $0.55 per square foot or $250 per pallet. The biggest difference between these two types of grass is that. St Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) and Buffalo Grass (Buchloe dactyloides) are not the same; in fact, theyre very different grasses. This is because it grows quickly and will need to be mowed more often. Compared with fescue, St. Augustine is certainly the more aggressive variant, but when it comes up against something like centipede, theres not a lot in it. Buffalograss: every 21-45 days Zoysia: every 7-10 days Bermuda: every 5-10 days St. Augustine: every 5 days Buffalograss is a beautiful and water-thrifty alternative to traditional landscaping turfs. If youre looking for a new type of grass to put in your yard, you may be wondering whether Buffalo Grass or St Augustine is the better choice. It is an excellent choice for low-maintenance lawns because it needs the least mowing and fertilizing of any other lawn grass. (Answered!). Andy Gibson. These blades contain seed-heads that drop and propagate themselves, causing this grass to have an invasive aspect if left unmaintained. Buffalo Grass vs St Augustine: What Grows Faster? Buffalo Grass is a true transition zone grass that acts like a warm-season grass. (Answered!). But if you leave it be with only the occasional mowing, itll thrive. Of all the turfgrasses, fescue is also the most low-maintenance variety. This makes it a versatile grass, but there's other warm-season grasses that like shade without so many drawbacks. Because of this preference, the location range of St. Augustine grass decreases as it reaches further north as it struggles to cope in cold weather. Buffalo grass is a turf variety that can spread quickly. I like to think of myself as the Bond of the backyard, that is if yard work ever became sexy. When it comes to soil, these grasses are complete opposites. Similarly, St. Augustine does not seed, so St. Augustine grass has to be installed via St. Augustine sod rolls, St. Augustine grass plugs or St. Augustine sprigs. And while they germinate quickly, and youll see new grass blades in as little as two weeks, it doesnt grow so fast as youll be mowing the lawn every couple of days (which you shouldnt be doing anyway). Feb 17, 2023, Is Kurapia Ground Cover Pet-Friendly? You can mow St Augustine low at 2 to 3 inches tall for a more manicured look or left longer to reduce mowing. But remember try not to stick to a set schedule, rather checking the height of the grass. When not working on his own garden projects or blogging, Steve enjoys spending time with his family, cooking meals with produce harvested from his garden, and coaching his sons footy team. So which type of grass is cheaper: Buffalo grass or St Augustine? Whilst it can survive mild winters, when faced with the winter frost, Bahia grass becomes dormant and can turn brown. Its quick to brown when the first frosts arrive, and slow to green when the winter finally ends. St. Augustine Grass, Centipede Grass / By Joe Bethel. For instance, homeowners living in hot, dry climates would be better off with Buffalo grass. As you can see, there are a few key differences between Buffalo grass and St Augustine. However, St Augustine is also more tolerant of being mowed short, so you wont have to mow it as high as Buffalo grass. It should be able to survive in areas receiving as little as 40% sunlight, or around 3 hours per day. High resistance for both insects and disease. While buffalo grass does have a few advantages over st Augustine, there are also some downsides to consider when deciding which type of grass you want for your lawn. St. Augustine and Bahia grass are both great lawn choices if you live in hotter climates and want a low maintenance yard, which, lets be real, dont we all? Follow along to keep your yard up to date! Not to be confused with buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass now grows across the world in sunny, coastal regions like Africa and Australia, where its also called buffalo turf and buffalo grass., High traffic may cause dead, brown patches, Knowing your grass is the key to keeping it green. Newer cultivars of Buffalo Grass like Legacy grow much more thickly and can better crowd out weeds than older cultivars. In this blog post, we will compare and contrast Buffalo Grass vs St Augustine so that you can make an informed decision about which type of grass is best for your needs! Can Buffalo grass overtake it? The confusion comes from St Augustine being called Buffalo Grass (or Buffalo Turf) in Australia and South Africa. The traditional, scratchy Buffalo grass of the past has been drastically improved upon over time. St. Augustine grass and centipede grass are two of the most common warm-season grasses. But if you dont mind mowing your lawn more often and you like the look of a freshly-cut lawn, St Augustine may be a better option for you. Zoysia grasses are usually mowed at a height of .5-2 inches whereas St. Augustines are generally mowed at a height of 2-4 inches. Like Buffalo grass, St Augustine is a perennial grass, which means that it will come back every year. The traditional, scratchy Buffalo grass of the past has been drastically improved upon over time. Andy Gibson. For example, some homeowners may choose an ornamental grass species for their yard to help promote biodiversity in their yards. If youre choosing based on which one is cheaper Bahia grass or St. Augustine the average cost between them differs by around $115 per pallet of sod, with Bahia grass being cheaper. Always check the scientific name when looking for information. Bermuda grass requires about 1 to 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet per year, vs. St. Augustine grass, which needs 3 to 6 pounds per 1,000 square feet annually. St. Augustine grass has a thick rooting system and the grass blades can grow relatively taller. St Augustine is also a salt-tolerant type of grass, which means that it can survive in salty conditions. Bahia grass can suffocate weeds due to its thick carpeted texture. The main characteristics of a fescue lawn is that they are the very definition of low maintenance. Austin. In Australia, it is popularly known as buffalo grass while in the USA buffalo grass is a different species. Well in todays post were going to talk about both kinds of grass and Ill go over some major differences that may help you make your decision if you have not already done so. Buffalo grass grows best in sandy soil while St Augustine prefers clay or loamy soil. 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