What is the Softest Lawn Grass?

Most people want a lush, green lawn that the family can enjoy. Not every grass meets that criterion. Lawn grass differs in softness. The thinner the blade of grass, the softer it feels. If you are looking for help finding the right soft lawn grass, you are in the correct place.

What Is The Softest Grass?

Many landscaping experts and homeowners think hybrid emerald zoysia grass (Zoysia japonica XZ. Tenuifolia) is the softest grass to walk on. It is a dense grass with a narrow blade that feels wonderful on bare feet. It is a warm-season grass, so goes dormant and brown all winter. Here’s what it looks like:

And here are some of the main pros and cons that are associated with this lawn grass.

Pros	Cons
Greens up early in the spring	Brown all winter
Drought tolerant	Does not tolerate cold
Heat tolerant	Less dense in heavy shade
Tolerates shade	Must be mowed frequently
Tolerates heavy traffic	Requires frequent fertilization
Water wise
Competitive against weeds
Softest grass type

Other Soft Lawn Grasses to Consider

Because Zoysia grass does not do well everywhere, here are some other grasses to consider.

Light Green Hybrid Bermuda

Light green hybrid Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon x trasvaalensis) is very soft. Make sure you get this hybrid because many types of Bermuda grass are tough and unpleasant to walk on. This is a warm-season grass.

Pros	Cons
Tolerates heat	Needs a lot of water
Tolerates high traffic	Brown in winter
Drought tolerant	Does not tolerate shade
Salt tolerant
Competitive against weeds

Creeping Bentgrass

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) is often used on Northern golf courses. It is a soft, dense cool-season grass.

Pros	Cons
Adapted to cool, humid regions	Does not tolerate heat
Tolerates low temperatures	High water use
Withstands high foot traffic	High maintenance in the south
Forms dense, blue-green mats
Low maintenance in the north
Tolerates partial shade

Creeping Red Fescue, Chewings Fescue & Hard Fescue

Creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. ssp.), Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. commutata Gaudin), Sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.), and Hard fescue (Festuca brevipila Tracey) all have very fine blades and are very soft. They are usually mixed together into a seed mix and grown in the north.

Pros	Cons
The most shade tolerant turf grass	Burns up in the sun
Cold Tolerant	Does not like frequent mowing
Low maintenance	Poor heat tolerance
Low fertilizer needs	Poor heat tolerance
Clumping grasses

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) isn’t really blue, but it is soft. It grows well in the north. It prefers a pH between 6-7.

Pros	Cons
Grows well in cool, moist weather	Does not tolerate heat
Dense enough to outcompete weeds.	Needs dethatching frequently
	High water use
	May need lime treatment
	Poor in shade

Making Your Grass Softer

No matter what type of lawn grass you have, there are ways to make it softer. In general, the softest lawn grasses are dense. Here are some things you can do to get dense stands of grass in your lawn.

Get a Soil Test

The best time to get a soil sample is just before spring green-up. You can get a soil sample bag and instructions from your County Extension Agent. Be sure to write down the type of grass you have. The results of your soil test will give you fertilizer recommendations for that type of grass, based on what is in your soil. If you follow these recommendations, you will give the lawn the fertilizer it needs without wasting money on fertilizer that doesn’t meet the lawn’s needs.

Apply Pre-Emergent to Your Established Lawn

Pre-emergent keeps weed seeds from growing in your lawn. Apply it in the early spring, before things start growing. Without the weeds to 1) hurt when you step on them and 2) grab water, nutrients, and oxygen from your lawn, the lawn will be denser and healthier. Do not put down pre-emergent where you will be planting seeds as it will kill them, too.

Dethatch Your Lawn When It Needs It

Your grass needs water, nutrients, and oxygen. When you have a layer of thatch that is ¼-½ inch, the water, nutrients, and oxygen cannot penetrate it. That means the roots are not getting what they need. Really bad thatch can even kill the roots and thus, the lawn.

Deeply Water Your Lawn

Different types of turf need different amounts of water. All of them benefit from weekly deep watering instead of daily watering. When a lawn is watered once a week, the roots grow deep into the ground so they can suck up all that water. When a lawn is watered daily, the roots do not grow very deep, and the plant is more vulnerable to drought and heat. One way to tell how much water you are putting on your lawn is to use empty tuna fish cans or cat food cans. Place them in different places on the lawn and turn on the sprinkler. Time how long it takes the cans to get an inch of water in them. You can figure out how long to run your sprinkler system based on this time.

Mow Properly

Different turf grasses have different ideal mowing lengths. A cardinal rule of thumb is to cut no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at any one time. This may mean you have to mow more often if the grass is growing a lot. Make sure that your mower blades are sharp (Read this if you’re not sure how sharp your mower blade should be). Sharp blades cut cleanly so the cut seals off quickly. Dull blades leave ragged cuts and even tears. This opens the grass blade to fungus, bacteria, and diseases while the cut heals.

Final Thoughts on Soft Lawn Grass

While not everyone can grow zoysia grass, there is a soft lawn grass for everyone. If you are not sure which grass to grow in your area, reach out to the Extension Agent for your county. It is their job to answer your questions on turf grass. With a little help, you can be walking barefoot in the soft grass in your yard.