By SHANNON HATHAWAY, Landscape Horticulturist and Sod Specialist
Summer is heating up, and if you are an experienced gardener you know that hot weather is not ideal planting weather for most plants. The exceptions to the rule are warm-season grasses! Bermuda, Zoysia, and Centipede are called “warm season grasses” because they are actively growing in the warmest weather, and thrive when they are planted in warm weather.
If you are used to Fescue, planting now can seem counter-intuitive. But Fescue is a “cool-season grass” which means it performs best when planted in cooler weather. Here in central North Carolina (Zone 8a), Fescue really struggles with our heat. Warm-season grasses, on the other hand, are ideal for our climate.
Warm-season grasses are dormant in winter. In early spring they begin growing very slowly. The soil temperatures must reach a consistent 60+ degrees to allow warm-season grasses to come out of dormancy, begin new root growth, and green up. They like it hot! While a couple warm-season grass varieties can be laid dormant, others must be laid after they are fully greened up to ensure they root properly and don’t suffer frost damage.
All Bermudas, and wide-bladed Zoysias like Zenith, can be laid dormant in our area. The trick to dormant sod installation is to minimize traffic and maintain consistent moisture. You can expect to see winter weeds pop up in the seams between dormant-laid sod rolls because the sod is not actively growing and cannot close the seams until warm weather.
Centipede sod, and fine-bladed Zoysias like Zeon, should not be laid dormant. They are too sensitive to frost and root rot. Ideally, Centipede should be laid between June 1 and August 15 here in central NC. Zeon and other fine-bladed Zoysias should be laid between May 1 and August 31 for best results. Remember, warm-season grasses love hot weather!
As cooler temperatures increase in the fall, warm-season grasses slow their growth and prepare for winter dormancy. Root growth slows down as well. Centipede and Zeon Zoysia are cold-sensitive and need to be well-rooted by fall to ensure their survival in the winter. That is why we stop installing them in late summer.
So, if you are thinking it’s too hot to lay a warm-season lawn now, think again! Give us a call at (919)-205-4256. We are here to help!
