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What's the Best Grass for Memphis, TN? Tips to Identify Grass Type & Improve Your Lawn

When it comes to having a beautiful lawn, the type of grass that you use is going to make a big difference in its overall success (or failure). There’s no question you not only want quality grass seed but also the best types of grass in Memphis, TN—after all, some grasses are simply better-suited to the region than others. 

Getting to know more about the best grass for West Tennessee will help you make wise choices about your lawn. Since different grass types can require different care, it’s important to know more about the grass type that you have or might be seeding with.

The Best Types of Grass in Memphis, TN

Choosing the best grass type of your lawn is important. 

Tall Fescue

Of the Fescue grasses (which is a group of cool-season grass varieties), Tall Fescue grasses have a coarser, wider blade. This particular grass is more shade tolerant than other cool-season grasses. This grass type is valued for its adaptability. It is known for being fairly disease resistant.

Fescue - edits

Note, for lawns that don’t receive a lot of sunlight, we will also seed with an Extreme Shade Mix Fescue, which has a finer blade than traditional Tall Fescue.

Here are a few best practices Tall Fescue lawn care:

  • Tall Fescue lawns benefit from ongoing overseeding in order to maintain their density and avoid clumping.
  • Tall Fescue lawns require more irrigation than warm-season alternatives.
  • Tall Fescue grass performs best in soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Soil amendments can help maintain the proper pH balance and keep nutrients available.

Perennial Ryegrass

Perennial Ryegrass is another cool-season grass type. It is known for a fast germination rate. Once established, it spreads slowly, and like Tall Fescue, it naturally grows in clumps. It doesn’t have the same drought-tolerance as Tall Fescue but is still considered to be a relatively hardy and low maintenance grass type. Like Tall Fescue, it has some natural disease resistance.

Rye grass in Memphis, TN

Here are a few best practices for Perennial Ryegrass lawn care:

  • Perennial Ryegrass has relatively high fertilizer and watering needs in order to maintain its color. A thorough lawn care program will help ensure all needs are met.
  • Perennial Ryegrass thrives best in soil that has a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. 
  • A lawn with Perennial Ryegrass will benefit from periodic overseeding for that “green up” effect.

Annual Ryegrass

Different from Perennial Ryegrass, which comes back every year, Annual Ryegrass requires replanting. Since annual varieties cannot be used for a permanent lawn, this grass type is generally used for overseeding dormant, warm-season lawns to keep them green throughout the dormant season. Annual Ryegrass is generally part of a mixed grass seed blend. It is generally selected for its fast germination, though it’s higher maintenance than other grass types.

Here are a few best practices for Perennial Ryegrass lawn care:

  • Annual Ryegrasses require nitrogen to stimulate maximum growth, so make sure that your lawn care program includes fertilization.
  • In general, Ryegrasses cannot tolerate drought well, so water regularly.

Bermudagrass

Finally, of the most common types of grass in Memphis, TN is Bermudagrass, a perennial warm-season grass type. It requires full sun and good drainage and is often used in our region for spring/summer seeding. It is both heat and drought-tolerant and therefore known as a hardy grass type.

Bermuda Grass in Memphis lawn

Here are a few best practices for Bermudagrass lawn care:

  • Because of its aggressive growth rate, Bermudagrass may require more maintenance than other grass types including both fertilization and mowing habits.
  • Bermudagrass performs best in a soil pH between 5.8 and 7.0.

The Best Lawn Care Plan for Your Memphis, TN Property

No matter what grass type you have, you want to make sure that your lawn care company is properly caring for it. This all begins with the process to identify the grass type and then care for it the proper way.

Master Lawn care technician identifying grass with customer

Once your lawn care professionals have properly identified your grass type and evaluated its condition and needs, they will come up with the best possible plan to care for and even improve it. This includes not only specific soil amendment, watering, and mowing needs but also which grass seed is best to overseed with.

At Master Lawn, we generally like to seed with an 80 percent Tall Fescue/ 20 percent Rye blend mix, which really does provide the best of what each of those grass types has to offer.

We recognize that a beautiful lawn begins with choosing the best grass seed but ultimately transitions into the proper, ongoing care. That’s why, when it comes to your lawn, we’re here for you from the seeding stage to the ongoing care so that you can be confident your lawn is getting exactly what it needs. 

Ready to be able to feel confident that your lawn is living up to your expectations at your Memphis, TN or Northern Mississippi home? Talk to a lawn care expert, choose from 3 program options, and become the master of your lawn.

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Michael Hatcher

Michael Hatcher is president of Michael Hatcher & Associates.

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