Best Grass Type for Middle Georgia

Not all grass types thrive in Middle Georgia. Here is an honest comparison of bermuda, zoysia, centipede, and St. Augustine for our specific conditions.

Lawn TipsFebruary 15, 2025

Bermuda Grass — The Workhorse

Bermuda is the most common lawn grass in Middle Georgia for good reason. It handles heat, recovers from damage quickly, tolerates heavy foot traffic, and produces a dense turf when properly maintained. The downside: bermuda needs full sun (at least 6 hours), requires more mowing than other types, and goes dormant in winter. It also needs more nitrogen than centipede or St. Augustine.

Best for: full-sun yards with active families.
Mowing height: 1.5 to 2 inches.
Nitrogen needs: 3 to 4 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per year.
Weaknesses: shade intolerance, winter dormancy.

Zoysia Grass — The Premium Option

Zoysia produces a thick, carpet-like lawn with better shade tolerance than bermuda. It handles Middle Georgia heat well and has moderate drought tolerance. Zoysia is slower to establish than bermuda and slower to recover from damage. It costs more to install and requires specific mowing heights. For homeowners willing to invest in a premium lawn, zoysia delivers a beautiful result.

Best for: partial shade to full sun with lower traffic.
Mowing height: 1.5 to 2.5 inches depending on variety.
Nitrogen needs: 2 to 3 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per year.
Weaknesses: slow to establish, slow recovery from damage.

Centipede Grass — Low Maintenance

Centipede is the lowest-maintenance warm-season grass in Middle Georgia. It needs less nitrogen, less mowing, and tolerates acidic soil well — which is common here. The trade-off is that centipede is less durable than bermuda, recovers slowly from damage, and is sensitive to over-fertilization. It goes dormant earlier in fall and greens up later in spring.

Best for: homeowners who want minimal upkeep.
Mowing height: 1.5 to 2 inches.
Nitrogen needs: 1 to 2 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per year maximum.
Weaknesses: slow recovery, sensitive to over-fertilization, less traffic tolerance.

St. Augustine Grass — Shade Champion

St. Augustine has the best shade tolerance of any warm-season grass available in Middle Georgia. If your yard has significant tree cover, St. Augustine may be the only option that thrives. It produces a coarse-textured, attractive lawn with good density. The downsides: it is not cold-hardy enough for our occasional deep freezes, it is vulnerable to chinch bugs, and it does not tolerate heavy foot traffic well.

Best for: shaded yards under tree canopy.
Mowing height: 3 to 4 inches.
Nitrogen needs: 2 to 3 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per year.
Weaknesses: cold sensitivity, chinch bug vulnerability, no foot traffic tolerance.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix grass types in my yard?

You can have different grass types in different areas — bermuda in full sun and St. Augustine in shade, for example — but mixing them in the same area creates maintenance headaches because each type has different mowing, fertilization, and watering requirements.

Which grass is best for clay soil?

All four types grow in clay soil, but bermuda and centipede are the most tolerant of compacted clay conditions. Soil conditioning helps any grass type perform better in heavy clay.

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