5 Best Grass Types for Your Atlanta, GA Lawn

With yearly temperatures ranging from the low 30s to the low-to-mid 90s, Atlanta’s climate is perfect for having a gorgeous lawn. Geographically, it sits on the edge of the transition zone, which means both warm- and cool-season grass types grow here. We’ve narrowed down the options for you to present the five best grass types for your Atlanta, Georgia, lawn. 

Bermudagrass

Bermudagrass is the most common turfgrass type you’ll find in Atlanta lawns. It’s also used on golf courses, sports fields, and high-trafficked areas due to its tolerance to foot traffic, drought, and cold. That being said, it suffers in shaded areas, so if you choose to go with Bermudagrass, you’ll want to make sure that you lay another type of grass in shaded areas of your lawn.

• Classification: Warm-season grass
• Spreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
• Shade Tolerance:  Low
• Drought Tolerance: High 
• Foot Traffic Tolerance: High
• Maintenance Needs:  High
• Mowing Height: 1 to 1 ½ inches
• Potential for Disease: High; susceptible to spring dead spot, dollar spot, large patch, leaf spot, rust
• Color/Texture: Light to dark green; fine to medium texture

Grass Seed Options:

– Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass (10-lb. bag)
– Hancock Seed Co. Bermudagrass (50-lb. bag)

Centipedegrass

Centipedegrass is best used in the southern part of Atlanta. Also known as the “lazy man’s grass,” it’s a low-maintenance grass type with a good tolerance for drought and warm climates. When it’s healthy, centipedegrass is great at fighting off weeds and other grass types.

• Classification: Warm-season grass
• Spreads by: Stolons
• Shade Tolerance:  Moderate
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate   
• Foot Traffic Tolerance: Low
• Maintenance Needs: Low
• Mowing Height: 1 ½  to 2 inches
• Potential for Disease: Moderate; susceptible to large patch (formerly known as brown patch)
• Color/Texture: Apple-green colored; coarse texture

Grass Seed Options:

– Gulf Kist Coated Centipedegrass Seeds (1 lb.)
– Scotts EZ Seed Patch and Repair Centipedegrass (3.75 lbs.)
– TifBlair Centipedegrass (5-lb. bag)

Tall Fescue

Tall fescue is a cool-season grass that requires more water in the summer than warm-season grasses. It needs frequent mowing in the fall and spring, as those seasons provide optimal growing conditions. That being said, tall fescue is a great grass to have in many sun-shade yards since it prefers lots of sun but also tolerates moderate shade.

• Classification: Cool-season grass
• Spreads by: Bunch forming
• Shade Tolerance:  Moderate
• Drought Tolerance: High
• Foot Traffic Tolerance: High (needs to be overseeded if wear occurs)
• Maintenance Needs:  Low
• Mowing Height: 2 inches
• Potential for Disease: Low; susceptible to brown patch
• Color/Texture: Dark-green; coarse texture

Grass Seed Options:
– Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend (5000 sq ft)
– Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed (choose your size)
– Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix (7 lb.)

Zoysia

Zoysia (AKA Zoysiagrass) is a warm-season grass that is fairly tolerant of cold temperatures, which is great for yards residing in transition zones. The grass is drought resistant, although it will need more watering during the hotter months compared to other warm-season grass types.  

Zoysia thrives in direct sunlight but can also grow well in partial shade. You’ll find that Zoysia comes in fine and coarse-textured cultivars but isn’t as wide-bladed as St. Augustinegrass.

• Classification: Warm-season grass
• Spreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
• Shade Tolerance:  Low to moderate
• Drought Tolerance: High
• Foot Traffic Tolerance: High
• Maintenance Needs:  Low to moderate (may require moderate mowing frequency)
• Mowing Height: 1 to 2 inches
• Potential for Disease: Moderate; susceptible to brown patch, rust, dollar spot, powdery mildew, fairy rings, pythium blight
• Color/Texture: Light green; from fine to coarse texture depending on the cultivar

Grass Plug and Seed Options:

– Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)
– Zenith Zoysia Grass Seeds (1/8 lb. of seeds)

St. Augustinegrass

St. Augustine is another popular grass type for the southeastern United States. It’s a wide-blade grass that works best in high-temperature, sunny areas, especially in coastal landscapes. When it comes to cold weather, St. Augustine isn’t the most tolerant, but it will survive the mild Atlanta winters. Homeowners either lay down sod or use plugs when adding St. Augustine to their lawns because seed is not available.

• Classification: Warm-season grass
• Spreads by: Stolons
• Shade Tolerance:  Low to moderate
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate 
• Foot Traffic Tolerance: Moderate
• Maintenance Needs:  Moderate
• Mowing Height: 3 ½  to 4 inches
• Potential for Disease: High; susceptible to gray leaf spot, take-all root rot, pythium root rot, brown patch, fairy ring
• Color/Texture: Blue-green; coarse texture

Grass Plug Options:
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Seville Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Floratam Grass Plugs (2 Trays)

How to Choose the Best Grass for Your Atlanta Lawn

Heavy-Traffic vs. Low-Traffic Areas

When choosing the best grass type for Atlanta, it is a good idea to choose a grass based on your needs. For instance, would you like a grass type that can withstand lots of foot traffic from people and pets? Or do you want a grass perfect for the minimal foot traffic of your yoga sessions? 

Best grass types for high-traffic areas:

• Bermudagrass, Zoysia, tall fescue 

Best grass types for low to moderate traffic:

• St. Augustine and centipedegrass

How Much Maintenance?

Do you have time to devote to maintaining your lawn? If so, you may be able to handle a high-maintenance grass type. However, if you don’t, opting for one that isn’t much trouble is a better option. 

High-maintenance grasses:

Bermudagrass

Low to Moderate Maintenance:

Centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, Zoysia, tall fescue

Soil Type

Georgia is known for its red, clay soil. This soil, which is rich in iron, is not easy to grow certain types of grass in. This is why it is essential to know what types of grasses grow well in such soils, especially if you’re starting a lawn from seed.

Grass types that tolerate clay soil:

Bermudagrass, Zoysia (either clay or sandy), tall fescue

Grass types that tolerate sandy soil:

Centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass 

Homeowners, are you unsure which lawn grass to plant in your Atlanta, Georgia yard? A lawn care expert can help you decide the best grass for your new lawn.

Main Image Credit: Daderot / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

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