Drought-tolerant lawn grasses are a great way to conserve water in your lawn. They remain green for an extended period without much water or attention. You can plant them in your lawn to keep it a lush green even during the dry season.
If you want to plant drought tolerant grasses in your lawn, then consider these 5 varieties which conserve water and add greenery to your landscape.
1) Buffalo Grass
Buffalo grass or Buchloe dactyloides, is widely used by gardeners around the world. It is a perennial grass that has coarse and sharp leaf blades. It enjoys sunlight and only requires half the water other grass varieties need to flourish. This low maintenance grass doesn’t need to be mowed frequently; once a month is sufficient. Some examples of buffalo grass are Matilda, Palmetto, and Sapphire.
2) Zoysia Grass
Be it extreme summer heat or water scarcity, Zoysia grass can remain green all throughout. It provides a dense carpet of turf in your lawn with minimal effort, tolerates heavy traffic, requires less water and flourishes well both in sun and shade. Some examples are Empire, El Toro, and Palisades.
3) Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass is a famous drought resistant variety that can withstand exceptional heat. It has the ability to recover from a drought quickly and provides a high-quality turf even in different types of soil. It is a preferred choice for outdoor sports fields, golf courses, and parks. Its growth rate is high which means it requires frequent mowing. The common examples of Bermuda grass are Jackpot, Yuma, and Ormond.
4) Fescue Grass
Fescue is a cool season grass that performs well in the transition zones and can thrive in infertile soil. It can survive drought and adapts to different weather conditions. It is a low maintenance grass as it develops a deep root system, thus requiring less fertilizer and water. Some popular drought resistant varieties of fescue grass are Tall Fescue, Sheep Fescue, and Hard Fescue.
5) Bahia Grass
Bahia is a versatile grass as it has an innate resistance to drought, disease and insect attacks. Like fescue grass, Bahia has a deep root system which helps it survive in the hottest weather conditions. Regardless whether you have irrigation systems installed in your lawn or not, Bahia can thrive in areas with little or no irrigation. Note that frequent mowing is required in warm seasons. Argentine, Pensacola and Tifton 9 are some of the popular varieties of Bahia grass.
These drought resistant varieties of lawn grass are tough and help with water conservation. If you live in an area with hot weather conditions, then these low maintenance species are ideal for your lawn. Mow them at regular intervals and provide ideal growing conditions to get a lush, green and drought tolerant garden.