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Our builder is using Bermuda grass as sod for our yard, and maybe I am used to the lush green look of Fescue and just not thrilled about the way the grass looks. Apparently, they turn white in winter, but then, in the summer it is drought resistant, and does not need a lot of watering...once it gains roots, it does not die easily. Do you agree? Would you choose fescue over Bermuda? Any tips on how you maintain your Bermuda grass? We had installed an inground sprinkler system at our old house for our lawn, do you think we need to do the same for Bermuda grass?
We had to make this decision ourselves and we are getting fescue. I voted strongly for the Bermuda because it is more drought resistant but lost. We are going to have to do irrigation with the fescue and deal with the water bill that comes with it-which I hear can be high around here. Fescue won out-and I do agree with this-because of it nice lush greenness. Depends I guess on how strongly you like the look of fescue and if you are ready to incur the extra costs. Do some driving around-the Bermuda has started to brown for the winter. I have not been here long though so you may find better answers to your questions from those that have been here longer.
If your neighbors are getting bermuda grass, then you will be getting bermuda grass also, regardless of what you plant initially. It spreads like crazy and is very difficult to kill! It will be brown for about 5 months of the year.
Unfortunately grass is a compromise in this climate. Bermuda will do better in the summer but turns brown after the first freeze. It will green up in the spring after the weather warms. You can overseed Bermuda with rye in the fall to keep green grass all winter. The rye will die in the heat of summer but the Bermuda has turned green by then. You'll see this often on golf courses as they overseed the Bermuda fairways (but not the rough) with rye in the fall.
I tend to try and minimize grassed areas in favor of natural areas. Easier maintenance, less expensive upkeep and better for the environment.
We have fescue in the front yard and Bermuda in the back. I wish I had bermuda in the front. We never water the bermuda, but pay a fortune to water the fescue, not to mention aerating and seeding every year.
I liked the Zoysia I put in at my old house in Apex. Still turns brown in the cooler weather, but I think it looks more "grassy" than Bermuda. My current house has very little grass, and will have even less when the landscaping is done.
I love the Bermuda that was planted with my house two years ago. When mowed and trimmed Bermuda looks like carpet from a distance but up close, it looks like tiny knitted weeds. It is low maintenance and I haven’t had to water it all. Yes, it will turn brown during the winter but if it’s a uniform brown it still looks nice. It doesn’t grow as fast as fescue either meaning less mowing. It doesn’t have the deep lush dark green of well watered fescue. Bermuda green is similar to the color of peas but this is not an issue with me.
I only have two issues with the Bermuda. It will attack your much bed all summer. The grass spreads by sending runners “under” the mulch making it hard to prevent. Persistence in pulling the runners is the only answer. Also, Bermuda needs lots of sun which 3/4 of my yard provides. It grows very thin and wispy in my shady backyard.
You don't absolutely have to water your fescue in the summer. I didn't. In July and August it will wilt but that is better than being brown half the year w/ Bermuda IMO. And to properly take care of bermuda you have to do a lot of work in hot summer months. Bermuda requires lots of fertilizer high in nitrogen to look nice, and to properly manicure a hybrid bermuda lawn you should use a reel cutter vs. a regular gas powered rotary. It grows and looks best when cut really short.
What kind of bermuda are you putting down? There are multiple varities even of the hybrid kind. Tifsport, tifway 419, tifgreen. Tifsport is probably the best looking and best suited for our area. I am fighting common bermuda in my fescue lawn, successfuly, with tuflon ester and ornamec. I might eventually give up, but I will go with tifsport.
Here is a site that shows the difference, you can see tifsport has a nice dark green color vs. tifway 419's pastel-ly greenish color. Tifsport is a newer variety and also has better cold tolerance.
Potable water should never be used to irrigate lawns. Potable water is for drinking, showers, clothes washing, and unfortunately for flushing toilets (for now). That being said, I'm on the side of Bermuda and Zoysia grasses as they are both drough tolerant and very hearty.
We tried for two years with fescue. Our land is very rocky and we have slopes. We just watched the fescue seed and our money wash away in the rain. We had a master landscaper come out and he suggested bermuda because it would vine over the rocks. We only had the back done because of the dogs and the expense. We are going to seed the front ourselves with the bermuda in the spring and transplant some of the vines from the back. We have already tried that and it is taking hold. Fescue definitely looks better but at least the bermuda is grass. For us it was the only choice because of the rocks.
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