It has a fine texture and needs less mowing than other types of grasses-which means its more expensive over time (unless you get it done by a professional). Bahia grass is relatively low maintenance with the lowest rate of disease and pest issues compared to other warm season grasses. They are two extremely different grasses. Depending on the variety of Buffalo you have the colour of the blade could be anything from bright green to dark green. Like Buffalo grass, St Augustine is a perennial and does not need to be replaced very often. Australia and South Africa refer to St Augustine as Buffalo Grass or Buffalo Turf. Since Seville can survive and endure in lawn areas with only 6 to 7 hours of sunshine, it is considered a favored choice among landscapers for moderately shaded lawns. Note: Don't use a corn meal pre-emergent for weeds in a season you are trying to germinate clover seed. St. Augustine grass thrives in full sun and shade, making it suitable for yards with varying levels of sunlight. Heres a great video detailing some techniques for rejuvenating a neglected Buffalo lawn: You may be mowing your Buffalo grass too short or too often. However, St. Augustine grass usually has a deeper, darker green color compared to St. Augustine. St. Augustine sod and Buffalo grass offer an array of benefits to lawn owners. However, both grasses do have an excellent shade tolerance, with fescue being the best out of any lawn grass species, and St. Augustine being the best of the warm season grasses. As I said above, the soil type is not a massive factor that dictates the health of this grass as it is really great in a variety of habitats, on top of this, this lawn is pretty much self-sustaining in that it is very low maintenance: needing mowing once a week or even two weeks with a rotary mower if possible (read more about the best lawn mowers for your needs), and fertilization is only needed once a month in spring and summer, its peak growing period. Because it acts like a warm-season grass, its peak growth is during the heat of summer and goes dormant in the spring and fall. How to Make Grass Thicker, Greener and Fuller The Essential Guide. If you shop through the links on YardThyme, we may earn an affiliate's commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. The blades of this grass start short when young, however, can reach a height of 30cm when fully grown. How Much Topsoil Do You Need Over Fill Dirt? However, it will take some time for this to happen. You may not need to fertilize at all, and when you do, its easy enough to apply a layer of compost in the early fall. The quick answer is, yes! Both buffalo grass and St. Augustine grass are popular lawn varieties that can be planted in warmer climates like those found in Florida, Texas, and California. Youll need to measure the area youre planting in order to figure out how much sod or how many plugs you should order. Buffalo Grass needs full sun and has very little shade tolerance as it evolved to grow among other grasses. A popular warm season grass, St. Augustine is best suited to hotter climes, in places such as Florida, Southern California, and the Gulf states. It uses about as much water to keep it green as St. Augustine, but it does have the capability to go dormant in a drought. In order to speed up the process, you can take some steps to encourage the growth of Buffalo grass. Additionally, its roots dont grow as deep into the ground, making it easier for weeds to compete for resources. However, St. Augustine grass requires regular fertilizer and pesticides, as its prone to disease and can be fussy in a nonideal environment. Its also known to thrive in sandy soils which is convenient for sea-front locations. It can tolerate broad pH ranges, from inland acidic soils to coastal high pH soils. But dont confuse fine fescue with tall fescue here which is a stiffer grass with not as much give. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. He also loves all things DIY and is always looking for a new project. Lets learn more about them! Buffalo Grass has finely textured, rolled, green or blue-green color leaves with pointed blades that bow over when left to grow long (growing a max of 6 inches). As we mentioned above, Buffalo grass is native to North America while St Augustine is native to Africa and Asia. Fertilize the lawn in early spring. Thank you! Providing youre in a cool-season grass region, fine fescue makes an excellent species for lawns although its highly likely it will be mixed with other variants to maximize health. The coarseness of the grass also has the ability to crowd out weeds, undesirable plants, and trouble spots. It is a warm-season lawn grass that is popular for cultivation in tropical and subtropical regions. 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. Fescue grasses dont need to be scalped when it comes to mowing, and you should be looking at trimming your lawn every couple of weeks during spring growing seasons. Once it has taken hold, you can cut that right back and let nature do her thing. It's . Also, if you live in an area with heavy winters, st. Augustine may not be a good choice for you; it tends to die back in cold weather, leaving bare patches where snow collects. Centipede grass, also known as Eremochloa buse, is a medium-textured, low growing grass that produces a dense and weed-free turf.It is an aggressively growing grass that is fairly attractive and requires little care. Over-fertilizing the lawn can burn or kill grasses, so be sure to buy a fertilizer that is appropriate for Buffalo grass. Pros and Cons of Dethatching Your Lawn (The Ultimate Guide). If theyre not, then you may need some lime (or sulfur). Bermuda grass is drought-resistant and can withstand hot weather without water in the summer, whereas St. Augustine grass needs a lot of water to thrive. These stolons are thick as hardy which make it a great garden turn for those who want a grass that can sustain heavy foot traffic; however, the only downfall is that because it doesnt have the rhizomes for extra support, this grass may take longer to repair itself after damage. Despite being moderately high-maintenance, St. Augustine grass is popular for several reasons. Bahia grass can be grown through seed or sod and is known to have a longer growth period than other grass types; this slow growth rate can sometimes cause weed issues in early establishment, however, is short lived once matured. There is no red or yellow colour on the leaves but this warm-season grass may discolour slightly in the colder months. As mentioned before, freezing temperatures and drought can kill off St Augustine grass. Will Buffalo Grass Overtake a St Augustine Lawn? St. Augustine grass is the most popular lawn grass because it has the most shade tolerance, grows fast, has an attractive wide blade and . The Ultimate Lawn Care Calendar Month-By-Month Guide to a Beautiful Lawn, Types of Lawn Fertilizers How to Choose the Right One, Types of Grass Seed: How to Choose the Right One. Aerate your lawn regularly by poking holes into the soil surface with a garden fork or aeration tool. The Best Installation Process But there are few grasses that are as finely textured as Buffalo Grass. It thrives in higher temperatures, anywhere from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit, and is known for its salt tolerance which makes it an ideal option for such coastal regions. What Happens if Grass Gets too Much Nitrogen? Fescue Grass Buffalo Grass does really well in clay-based soils, like silt-clay and loam-clay, and can grow well in loam-based soils as well. Proper maintenance will aid in curbing its invasive behavior through proper watering techniques, to regular mowing. Both centipede grass and St. Augustine grass are popular warm-season grass species that require full sunlight. I have a particular liking towards Bahia grass as I find that it has all the great aspects of St. Augustine and other warm-season grasses such as Zoysia plus more! However, remember that maintenance costs for St. Augustine grass may lead you to spend more in the long run than centipede grass. Andy Gibson. This type of grass is a good choice for people who live near the ocean or in other areas where there is a lot of salt in the air. Whilst Bahia grass prefers to grow in nutrient rich soils which are well-drained as well as acidic, it can also thrive in sandy or clay soils that are less fertile. One way to do that, is to know when to aerate your lawn, so follow that link for some more top lawn care advice no matter the species of grass. Approximately 1/2 inch of water at least twice a week is required. No longer is Buffalo grass sharp and scratchy, but it has been altered to no be much less problematic . If the lawn gets little water, has full sun, and is rarely fertilized, then Buffalo Grass will outcompete St Augustine. Yes, Buffalo grass is a perennial grass, which means that it will come back every year. It requires at least 6 hours of sunlight each day to prevent it from dying. When it comes to mowing, St. Augustine is a thick grass, a full-bodied, broad species that demands to be cut high. Zoysia and Buffalo grass are two of the most popular grasses used for both small and large scale lawns. Buffalo grass and St. Augustine have stems above the soil surface, also referred to as stolons, as well as rhizomes growing under the surface. Proper maintenance of St. Augustine will encourage it to grow back. If your lawn is Kikuyu, you will need to mow it every week during summer to keep it looking its best. Even better, its extremely low maintenance and does best with benign neglect. Its rough texture is terrible to walk upon. The Best Sod Grass for Fresno This means it can thrive through long, hot summers and survive cold winters that would kill off many warm-season grasses. 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. That means It needs a whole day of sunlight. St. Augustine grass ( Stenotaphrum secundatum ), also known as buffalo turf in Australia and buffalo grass in South Africa, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. Buffalo grass is also adaptable to coastal regions as it has good tolerance to salinity. Buffalo grass is a type of warm-season grass that is native to North America. Known for its lush appearance and drought tolerance, buffalo grass thrives in hot, dry conditions and grows best in warmer climates. Centipede grass costs around $0.80 per square foot or $365 per pallet. Prairie, Stampede and 619 are the common selections. However, remember that maintenance costs for St. Augustine grass may lead you to spend more in the long run than centipede grass. Buffalo Grass vs St Augustine: What is Cheaper? Since I have a fescue lawn Im slightly biased. If you love to walk barefoot on the lawn or have children playing on it, then go with Buffalo Grass. Of all the warm-season grasses, St. Augustine tops the charts as the most shade-tolerant grass. Similarly, if you have clay or loamy soil, St Augustine would be a better choice. This makes buffalo grass a good choice for people who live in areas with harsh winters because they wont have to worry about their lawn dying back or being covered with snow all winter long. Sitemap | About Us | Affiliate Disclosure | Contact Me | Privacy Policy. Whenever looking up information, make sure that it references the right scientific name and which country the info comes from. Also, ensure that the lawn is getting at least 1" to 1 " of water per week. St Augustine prefers full sun but can tolerate part shade, so long as it gets about 4 hours of sun per day. Based in Melbourne, Steve's passion is vegetable gardening, and hes been writing about it for almost 5 years. Bermuda grass, compared to St. Augustine, has much thinner blades, is softer to the touch, and has a higher tolerance for colder weather. Buffalo grass grows best in sandy soil while St Augustine prefers clay or loamy soil. However, it will always come back in the springtime, as long as you take care of it. And those tropical origins for this grass give it high levels of tolerance for many things, including specifically salt (coastal climates) and shade (woodland margins). It is not drought tolerant at all, needing twice as much water as Bermuda grass. It is soft, dense and has that really great green color that shows health in a lawn. Pests & Disease Plugs can help speed up the process. You can tell the difference between Buffalo and Kikuyu grass by their appearance: Also, if you dig up Kikuyu turf, you may be able to identify the under-ground rhizomes, or runners, which arent present on Buffalo. The traditional, scratchy Buffalo grass of the past has been drastically improved upon over time. St Augustine is plagued by pests and disease, many of which dont have effective controls. Hard fescue, sheep fescue, chewings fescue, creeping red fescue, and slender creeping red fescue are the main types. Low. This means that if you live in an area where it's hot and dry, or you don't water your lawn often, then st Augustine may be a better choice for you. Buffalo grasses only have above-ground runners (stolons). Most of us love long hot summers, where we can get our vitamin D fix, and enjoy barbecue and pool season to the max.I wish I could say the same for our lawns.Blazing sun, coupled with little Dormant Grass vs Dead Grass How to Tell the Difference & What to Do? 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