Selection of Best Grass Seed For Tidewater Virginia is not a tough job. Seeding the right grass seed type has much influence on the performance of seeds, lawn thickness, and maintenance. A dreamt lawn with thick, weeds-free, and lush green colored grass cannot be achieved without choosing the right type of grass seed.
Every region of land has its own unique atmospheric conditions like soil structure, soil profile, climate, and weather changes. All of these factors impact the grass seed type that grows well in these regions.
Some are warm-season regions and some are cool season, so the type of grasses for every region also differs so as to get the thicker and green lawn without having any blank patches.
In the same way, this guide on the best grass seed for Tidewater, Virginia, also performs great in warm-season regions of Virginia.
Growing grass in Tidewater, Virginia
Seed selection is the wisest step to get a beautiful and healthy grassy lawn. Not just only for southern Virginia, but in any region, selection of the best seed type is the main thing to achieve the lawn of your dreams.
Tidewater Virginia is a warm-season region of Virginia and is located among the southern regions of Virginia. Warm-season grasses that could grow best in USDA hardiness zones from 6 through 9 are best for southern Virginia.
Zoysia grass, Bermuda Grass, and Centipede grass are the top-performing grasses in the southern Virginia regions of piedmont and tidewater.
In Tidewater regions, these grasses grow best if planted in late spring or early summer when the soil temperatures go up to 65-70 or above and no chances of frost are present during their early planting days.
Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Grass Seed for Tidewater Virginia
Choosing a grass seed is not as simple as buying a thing from a nearby store. But it needs proper guidance from choosing the grass seed to growing it.
Choosing the required grass seed type from the overwhelming types and brands becomes easy if you know which qualities should be present in the grass seed to make it the best.
The following qualities make a grass seed best for Tidewater, Virginia:
- Warm season grass seed
- 100% pure to type
- Free of other weed seeds
- More than 90% growth rate
- Tolerate drought
- Low water needs
- High quality grass seed
If the grass seed has all these qualities, it can be used for planting a new lawn or patching the bare spots in an early established lawn.
Furthermore, prefer to choose the high-quality grass seed over low-quality graded grass seed. The high-quality grass might look a bit expensive but it is worth the money and you will be proud among your neighbors after establishing the thick lawn with high-quality seed.
But all the brand’s packages look similar so it will be difficult for you to find the best one by yourself especially when you are a newbie.
So, I built this guide to help you in choosing the best grass seed for Tidewater Virginia that really works for me.
Grass types that grow well in Tidewater Virginia (Southern Virginia)
1. Bermuda grass
Bermuda grass is the primary choice for seeding a lawn in warmer regions of southern Virginia. It is a rapid establishing, fast germinating, and excellent turf-producing grass in warm regions of the state.
Bermuda grass seed blend is a perfect choice for high-profile projects of establishing lawns in Tidewater and Piedmont regions of Virginia.
Root system: It is a fine-bladed grass that has a long root system having stolons and rhizomes.
Mowing: It can be mowed to as low as ½ inch by a reel mower.
Growth pattern: It has vigorous growth and tolerance to heat, salt, and drought.
Planting time: Mid-May to July is the planting time for bermudagrass.
Seed rate: The seed rate for planting a lawn of bermudagrass is 1.5 to 2 pounds per 1000 square feet.
Fertilizer: Apply 2 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet for low maintenance and 4 pounds nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. for greener Bermuda lawn.
Bermuda grass in Virginia lawns is a perfect match for establishing a new lawn as well as patching the old one. It has all the exactly matching abilities to grow a lawn in Virginia.
Recommended Seed: Scotts 18353 Turf Builder Grass Seed Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass seed is a perfect choice for seeding Bermuda lawn in southern Virginia regions like Tidewater and Piedmont.
It helps to grow a thicker and greener lawn having high tolerance to drought.
The premium feature of this grass seed is it’s 4 in 1 WaterSmart Plus coating that helps in absorbing 2X more water than ordinary seed and this more absorbance boosts the seed growth.
This fine-bladed grass can withstand the scorching of drought and heat.
PROS
- Fine bladed grass
- Thicker and greener lawn
- High tolerance to drought and heat
- Absorbs 2X more water than ordinary seed
- Protection from diseases
CONS
- Seed will not grow if the temperature is not as required by seed for germination
2. Zoysia grass
Zoysia grass is a low-maintenance grass. Zoysia grass seed is a medium to fine-textured turf with a long-dormant season and a perfect match for the lawn in the southern regions of Virginia. Its prolific stolon production makes it a recuperative potential grass for Virginia.
It has optimum growth during the high temperatures periods of warm regions of southern Virginia.
You must have noticed the lawns of many houses having zoysia grass in Virginia.
Zoysia grass seed has the following characteristics:
Root system: It has a thick root system having rapid spread through stolons.
Mowing: zoysia grass is mowed at ¾ to 1 ¼ inch.
Growth pattern: Grows well in warm and hot summer seasons with strong and rigid stems and has tolerance to heat and drought, and that character of zoysia makes it a perfect match for Tidewater Virginia.
Planting time: The best planting time for zoysia grass is early spring to late summer.
Seed rate: Applying the grass seed at a rate of 1 to 1.5 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. is enough. But it may alter, also follow the package directions.
Fertilizer: fertilizing the zoysia grass with a nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 4 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. is enough.
Zoysia grass is the best grass seed for persons that have no time for regular maintenance. Its tolerance to cold season stress and not thatching features make it a favorable grass seed for Virginia.
Recommended Seed: Zenith Zoysia Grass Seed (2 lbs.) 100% Pure Seed
Zoysia grass is the premium choice for planting lawns in Tidewater, Virginia. Its low maintenance feature adds in its value and makes it popular among lawn growers.
Zoysia grass seed by Zenith is a perfect match for zoysia seeds that grows a thick, dark green, drought-tolerant lawn.
It is the most suitable grass seed for light shade areas of lawns in Southern Virginia.
If the temperature is suitable, it takes 14-21 days to germinate completely.
2 lbs of zoysia grass seed are enough for seeding a 2000 square feet area.
PROS
- Perfect grass seed for warmer regions, more than 60 degrees
- Dark and thick lawn
- Dense growth habit
- Drought tolerant turf grass
- Germinates in 14-21 days
- Medium-texture turfgrass
- Great replacement for Tall Fescue
- Suitable for full sun to light shade
CONS
- A little costly but it value for money
- Needs care in the starting days of germination
3. Centipede grass
Centipede grass is also known as the lazy man’s grass. Its shade and drought tolerance make it a perfect choice for the southern Virginia Tidewater region.
It is coarse-leaved turf, low maintenance grass having a slow growth rate but aggressive enough to spread and cover a large surface with low maintenance.
Root system: It spreads by stolons with upright stems that can grow to 3-5 inches.
Mowing: It is mowed to 1 to 2 inches in height. Never cut more than ⅓ rd of the grass leaf.
Growth pattern: Slow-growing grass but have huge spreading by stolons and underground root systems.
Planting time: The best planting time for centipede grass is spring when the temperature reaches 70 degrees. Planting should be done 10 weeks before the frost onset.
Seed rate: Centipede grass is sowed at a rate of ½ to 1 pound of grass seed per 1000 square feet.
Fertilizer: Apply 1 to 2 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per year for gaining the lush green lawn.
Centipedegrass has a worldwide reputation for providing a lush green attractive lawn cover with the lowest maintenance. Its tolerance features make a perfect choice for the southern regions of Virginia.
3. Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Centipede Grass Seed and Mulch
Centipedegrass is one of the grasses that have the least maintenance requirements. It is drought-resistant grass that could bear the dry periods after it is established.
Centipedegrass seed by Scotts is a perfect match for seeding centipede lawns. This grass seed product by Scotts has both grass seed and mulch in the same package and mulch improves the water-retaining capacity in soil.
Mulch and seed combination is designed especially for full sun to lightly shaded areas grass and its medium bladed texture gives a thicker and drought-resistant lawn.
It could be grown in sandy and acidic soils.
The best planting time for this grass seed is in spring and early summer when the temperature is 75-90 degrees so that it germinates before the onset of the frost period.
It begins to grow from 10-28 days but could take 30-60 days in some conditions.
Watering in the early days of planting is the most crucial time for getting a thicker lawn.
PROS
- Thicker lawn
- Both grass seed and mulch in a single package
- Full sun to light shade areas
- Grows in 10-28 days
- Mow to 3 inch height
- Best for acidic and sandy soils
CONS
- Timely watering at early germination is necessary otherwise low growth rate
Best time to plant grass in Virginia
In all the warm season regions of Virginia, like Tidewater and Piedmont, the best time to plant grass seed is the late spring and early summer.
Grass seed planted in these seasons gets more time to establish before the onset of a cold. The active growth months make the warm-season grass produce more turf by providing the high-temperature soil profile for the emergence of grass from seed.
The middle of May and end of June are the typical months for planting the grass seed in southern regions of Virginia, Tidewater.
Steps to follow while growing Grass in Virginia
Establishing a lawn in Virginia state is a challenging task but it could become easy for following some easy steps that ensure a beautiful and green lawn.
These steps are:
- Make sure that grass seed type is compatible with the regional conditions.
- Ensure the optimal time for planting the grass as northern and southern parts of Virginia have different times of planting.
- Consider doing the soil pH test and amend the soil if needed.
- Before planting the grass seed, remove any debris, rocks or weeds from the yard and loosen and aerate the soil with an aerator.
- In most regions of Virginia, the problem of low soil phosphorus exists. To counteract this problem, till the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 to allow amendments penetration.
- By doing a soil test, if results show the deficiency of any nutrient, add and till the two-third of fertilizer to the soil at preparation and rest just before the planting.
Caring for Your Virginia Lawn
Caring for lawns in Virginia can be overwhelmed for some persons if they have no knowledge of the maintenance and requirements of grass.
Timely fertilization with proper lawn fertilizer and timely irrigation are the two major aspects that measure lawn health and life.
- Irrigation is the most crucial factor for caring the lawns in southern warm regions of Virginia.
- Timely irrigation ensures more transpiration and turf growth.
- The one major beneficial thing for Virginia state lawn growers that helps them to maintain a thicker lawn is overseeding.
- Overseeding of the lawns in tidewater Virginia allows thicker and greener lawn and more turf.
- The best time for overseeding the lawn in Virginia is late summer and early fall, before the onset of leaves falling.
- The overseeding lawn at this time of year provides an opportunity to germinate before the cold stress months.
- Care from pest and disease attacks by using fungicides and pesticides is also the primary concern for maintaining the health of the grass.
FAQs
What is the best grass type for Southern Virginia?
Bermudagrass, zoysia grass, tall fescue, and centipede are the best-adapted grasses for southern Virginia. Warm-season grasses like Zoysia and Bermuda go dormant at first killing frost.
Can I plant grass seed in February in Virginia?
Grass seeds sown in February remain inactive in the soil profile until the soil surface warms in late spring. But, it is observed that the grass seed sown in February germinates faster than in other months
Which grass is better Bermuda or Zoysia?
Both have their own unique characters. Zoysia grass has a better color than turf while Bermudagrass has extended drought tolerance. Deep roots and more drought tolerance make the Bermudagrass a more valuable choice.
Final Verdict
You can never get the beautiful and thicker lawn you dream of without choosing the right grass seed. Grass seed is the basic necessity of sowing a lawn.
The most critical and wise step in seeding a new lawn in southern regions of Virginia is choosing the best grass seed for Tidewater Virginia.
To ease you in choosing the right type of seed, I added the best performing grass seeds that work for me and my friends in Virginia state.
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