Sod Varieties
- Warm season sod types include St. Augustine, Bermuda, zoysia, buffalo, seashore paspalum, kikuyugrass, centipede and bahia. Gardeners generally install warm season sod in the spring or late fall. It is important to give warm season sod enough time to establish before the winter. Also, warm season sod should not be installed too early in the spring because roots need temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit to grow, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
- Cool season sod types, with the exception of tall fescue and bentgrasses, are blends of different grass varieties. These sod types are a mix of shade-tolerant and shade-intolerant grass varieties. Cool season sod is a mix because shade-tolerant grasses are bunch-growing grasses and do not spread well, while shade-intolerant grass spreads over the yard. Gardeners can choose cool season sod types like Kentucky bluegrass mixed with a fescue or ryegrass, perennial ryegrass mixed with Kentucky bluegrass or red fescue mixed with Kentucky bluegrass.
- Gardeners must consider their soil and amount of sunlight when choosing a sod variety. Most sod types prefer to grow in a soil pH range of 6.0 to 7.0, according to the University of Rhode Island. A few grass types such as bahia and centipede can grow in acidic soils or soil with a pH range lower than 6.0, according to Clemson University. Furthermore, the majority of sod types available prefer full sunlight. However, St. Augustine, zoysia, fescue and bentgrasses can tolerate shady lawns. Avoid planting Bermuda or bahia sod in the shade.
- Certain types of sod require more maintenance than other varieties. For example, zoysia sod is a heavy producer of thatch. Therefore, gardeners may need to dethatch their lawns every year if the thatch layer exceeds 1/2 inch. Homeowners who do not want to devote a lot of time maintaining the lawn can plant bahia, centipede or fescue. In addition, gardeners who expect a lot of foot traffic on their lawn should consider wear-tolerant sod types like Bermuda, zoysia and tall fescue. High foot traffic damages centipede and fescue.
