Guide
Cool-season or warm-season grass?
The two families of lawn grass grow at opposite times of the year. Knowing yours sets when to feed it.
How to tell them apart
| Cool-season | Warm-season | |
|---|---|---|
| Grasses | Fescue, ryegrass, bluegrass | Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, kikuyu |
| In winter | Stays green | Turns brown and goes dormant |
| In summer heat | Suffers | Thrives |
| Main growth | Spring and fall | Late spring and summer |
Why it matters
Feed a lawn when it grows. A cool-season lawn is fed mostly in fall and spring; a warm-season lawn from late spring through summer. The same calendar for both would feed one of them at the wrong time.
Not sure?
Look at your lawn in midwinter: green means cool-season, brown means warm-season. Your local garden center can also tell you which grass is usual where you live.
With Lawn Calc
The first launch asks which grass you have, with I don't know to use the usual grass for your country. The Grass type can be changed later in the settings, and the app offers to rewrite your program for it. See Lawn care schedule.
