No one likes to see their lawn turn brown. Whether you live in an environment with long winter months or blistering summer months, there are grasses available that stay green all year long. The most important step is understanding your local environment and what grass types will thrive under those conditions. The last thing you want to do is plant a warm grass variety in a cold environment and watch it turn brown in the winter months. So, let’s dive in and find out what grass stays green all year.
Grass That Stays Green All Year (An Overview)
Cold season grasses are ideal for states with frigid winters and mild summers and are best planted in the fall:
- Tall Fescue
- Kentucky Bluegrass
Warm season grasses are ideal for states with moderate winters and hot summers and should be planted in the spring:
- Zoysia Grass
- Bermuda Grass
Additionally, cold and warm season grass blends help maintain a green lawn year-round in locations with extreme weather fluctuations.
Year Round Green Grass (4 Varieties That Allow It)
The most important element to having grass that stays green all year is making sure to plant the right grass in the right location. So, let’s take a look and see what grasses stay green in cold climates, which varieties are better suited for warm climates, and alternatives for areas with extreme weather fluctuations.
Cold Season Year Round Green Grasses
Cold season grasses grow in the fall and through the cold months and slow their growth in the spring and summer.
Tall Fescue
If you want a traditional grass type that stays green in winter, then look no further than Tall Fescue. Commonly grown in the transition zones and northern states, Tall Fescue is well liked for its ability to survive both winter and summer temperatures. This is one of the most diverse types of grass varieties available. Not only does it grow in a wide range of climates, but it also thrives in sunny to shaded areas. The best thing about Tall Fescue is that it maintains its rich green color season after season.
Additionally, it’s a pretty low maintenance grass. Tall Fescue should be mowed at a height of 2-3” in winter and 3.5” in summer. It needs 1 inch of weekly watering and fertilization twice a year during spring and fall. So, with just a little regular maintenance, you can keep your lawn green all year.
Kentucky Bluegrass
Kentucky Bluegrass is one of the more popular grass types in the northern and transition areas of the United States. It is more resilient to winter temperatures than other grasses, which enhances its ability to stay green during the colder months. This grass type grows during the spring and fall and is excellent for high-traffic areas since it is very resilient.
In the summer months, Kentucky Bluegrass slows its growth and requires less mowing to ensure energy stays focused down in the roots. If you cut Kentucky Bluegrass while it is dormant, the excess stress might turn your lawn brown.
Also, Kentucky Bluegrass has a short root system making it less tolerant to drought, so making sure to give it extra water in the summer months is key to maintaining a healthy green lawn year-round.
Warm Season Year Round Green Grasses
Warm season grasses grow in the spring through summer and go dormant during fall and winter if temperatures drop significantly.
Zoysia Grass
We all want grass that stays green all year long, and Zoysia is a good option for those living in the southern states and maybe even the transition zone. This warm weather grass type has one of the highest tolerance to cold temperatures than others in this category.
So, if you experience moderate winters, then your Zoysia lawn could potentially stay green during the cold months. To keep your Zoysia lawn green, make sure to detach it yearly or every other year since it produces more thatch than other grasses.
Also, it is key to make sure your Zoysia has access to full sun and 1 inch of water a week, with a bit more during the dry summer months.
Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass is widely used in the southeastern and western US, where temperatures stay warm through most of the year. To maintain Bermuda grass green all year long, especially in arid regions, sufficient watering is a must. On the upside, it requires significantly less water than other grasses, like Tall Fescue, when planted in the same conditions.
Like Zoysia, Bermuda grass requires full sun and good irrigation to flourish. However, it is less cold tolerant than Zoysia and is a leading year-round green grass type for southern states like Florida.
Blends
Keeping your grass green year-round really depends on where you live. For example, if you live in Florida, where the weather doesn’t vary too drastically throughout the year, you can plant one type of grass, and it will likely thrive all year long. However, if you live in a northern state like New Jersey, finding a single grass type that will perform well both in winter and summer might be difficult.
In these states with wide-ranging temperatures, it’s best to plant grass blends in your yard. Blends are a mixture of several grass types, like warm and cool season varieties, which give you a better chance of having a green lawn throughout the year. A trip to your local gardening shop will guarantee you get the right blend for your area.
Key Steps to Keeping a Green Lawn All Year
If you’ve selected the right grass variety for your location, then there are a few key steps you need to do to make sure you have year-round green grass. Let’s take a look at what these are.
- Watering
- Feeding
- Mowing
- Aeration
- Overseeding
- Weed & Pest Control
Watering
Water is one of the three most important elements your grass needs to thrive. Underwatering or overwatering can quickly turn green grass brown. So, make sure to adjust your sprinklers as the seasons change to compensate for weather fluctuations and rainfall.
Buying a moisture tester at your local Home Depot is a quick and inexpensive way to monitor your soil’s moisture level and guarantee your lawn is getting the right amount of water all year long.
Feeding
All grass types thrive under very specific soil conditions. What works for one grass variety may not work for another. So, maintaining the right soil pH will ensure that your grass stays green all year. You can monitor your soil’s pH by getting your hands on a pH tester.
Also, using slow-release fertilizers ensures that your grass is being fed for long periods. If you need quick results, regular fertilizer can help turn brown grass green in a few days. Make sure to buy the right fertilizer for your specific lawn type and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Mowing
Keeping your lawn at its ideal height is essential for a healthy lawn. All grasses thrive at different lengths, so understanding the right height to cut your lawn is essential. It’s also important to keep in mind that dormant grass doesn’t like to be cut too much since the energy is focused down at the roots instead of the blades.
If you mow dormant grass, it takes the energy away from the roots to fix the blades and could accelerate your lawn turning brown or even dying. Oh, and remember that no grass type likes to have its blade cut by more than ⅓ at any one time.
Aeration
For all grass types, making sure that your soil is well aerated is essential for air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots and help your lawn thrive. So if you want your lawn to stay green year-round, get out your aeration tools.
Weed & Pest Control
Nothing makes green grass turn brown like weeds and pests. The main issue with weeds is that they feed off the soil and deprive the grass of the essential nutrients it needs to survive. Weeds that grow out of control will also crowd out your grass and block sunlight, preventing photosynthesis. This is one quick way to turn your lawn brown.
Pests tend to feed off the grass itself or the soil, which is not something your grass will enjoy. So, keeping up with weed and pest control is essential to have a green and healthy lawn all year.
Overseeding
Most grasses thrive under specific weather conditions, either cold or warm temperatures. But northern states especially have a wide range of extremely cold winters to very hot summers. If this is the case for you, then overseeding your lawn might be a better solution to maintaining a green lawn all year long.
Overseeding a lawn is when you spread grass seed over an existing lawn. For example, if you live in the transition zone where temperatures typically drop below 65F for long periods, then spreading Perennial Ryegrass during the fall over your Bermuda or Zoysia lawn will help keep your lawn green during the winter.
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