Blades of Thought – Bermuda vs. St. Augustine: Choosing the Right Grass for Your Lawn

We have a special treat for you today. Our very own Shannah Nelson, landscaper extraordinaire, has written a guest post for our TrueTreeTalk blog. Shannah is our new Lead Botanical Consultant. If it’s green, and it’s growing, Shannah knows all about it. She has over 15 years of experience in organic gardening methods and we are excited to learn from her today and every day. 

In today’s guest post, Shannah gives some thoughtful insight into the perennial choice for lawn owners – Bermuda or St. Augustine grass – which is the right choice for you. Thank you Shannah for sharing this great information. 

If you are interested in a consultation for your landscape, you can reach out to Shannah at landscape@arbortrue.com. 

Blades of Thought – Bermuda vs. St. Augustine: Choosing the Right Grass for Your Lawn 

Have you ever wondered what type of grass you have and if it’s best suited for your yard and lifestyle? Lets dive into an in depth discussion on a Southern favorite – St. Augustine grass vs. a golf course necessity – Bermuda grass. 

The majority of Houston area lawns are made up of either a Bermuda Grass or a St. Augustine grass. These two grasses became popular because of their accessibility and their ability to grow in our climate. 

St. Augustine is a coastal native, ranging from the warm coasts of South America to the southern states surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. It is found growing in parts of Africa and Australia as well. It grows from runners, establishing roots wherever this runner system touches soil. 

Bermuda grass is thought to have come across the Atlantic Ocean and entered into the States by contaminated hay from Africa. This special grass likes to grow by seed propagation. Bermuda enjoys hot and dry climates – full sun is preferred. This resilient grass has found its place around the world. 

Texture and Appearance 

Bermuda Grass has a medium to fine ‘hair’ or ‘string’ like texture. Different hybrid varieties offer finer textured grass that will allow for denser growth, however some varieties of Bermuda can be coarser, such as common Bermuda. Bermuda is best described using the 3 parts rule: the bottom two parts of the grass are brown while the top part is green. The grass’s new growth is to thank for its vibrant green, whereas the older growth yellows and looks dormant. Due to this rule, you have to be careful with how short you cut your grass, avoiding cutting the top green section of the grass too short. 

St Augustine grass is known for its broad flat blades that have a coarse texture. Its very distinct appearance and coarseness is a key characteristic, distinguishing it from other grasses. The 3 parts rule can be used when describing St. Augustine grass as well, however it is opposite of Bermuda grass. The bottom 2 parts will remain a vibrant green color, whereas the top of the leaves will slightly brown, due to being trimmed back with a mower. 

Sunlight and Shade Tolerance 

One of the most important determining factors in finding what grass is best for your lawn is the amount of sunlight the lawn receives. St. Augustine and Bermuda grass have very different sunlight requirements for optimal growth. 

Bermuda grass requires full sun and heat to be happy and healthy. Studies have shown that even the shade from parking a vehicle next to this grass will create ‘shade’ that will kill the Bermuda grass over time. That is why this grass is optimal for lawns with little or no trees. 

St. Augustine, however, will grow in full sun as well as dappled shade. St. Augustine grass is relatively shade tolerant, if cared for and maintained properly. Full sun requires this grass be kept at an average of 3.5” in length, while keeping it 4.5” in length is optimal for lush growth in the shade. Think of the blades as solar panels, the more surface area the blades have to absorb sun, the better the grass can absorb energy! 

Weed and Pest Resistance 

Both grasses follow one simple rule of thumb: the denser the grass, the less light that can touch the soil and the harder it is for weeds to grow through. Keeping your Bermuda at 3” tall and keeping your St. Augustine at 4” tall will not only help crowd out weeds but it will help keep new weed germination under control. 

While a rule of thumb can help prevent weeds, pests and disease are a different conversation. 

St. Augustine is very disease and pest prone. It’s susceptible to common diseases such as brown spot fungal infection, but also is a big attractant for grubs and the infamous chinch bug. Keeping your watering schedule to a minimum will allow the St. Augustine to grow deep roots that can help with excess water that causes the fungal infections. In addition, keeping your lawn properly thatched can help reduce the occurrence of chinch bugs.

Bermuda grass is also plagued by chinch bugs, however one of the bigger foes are army worms. Army worms can make your lawn look stressed and it may turn brown. Regularly checking for pests and treating with an organic insecticide will help keep the population of any pest down, all while sparing our pollinators. 

Taking proper steps can help reduce pest and disease issues with both types of grasses. There are alternative grasses and ground covers that can have better resistance and other attributes, and we’ll explore them in later posts. 

Water Requirements and Drought Tolerance 

To water or not to water, that is the question. 

St. Augustine grass is able to tolerate 1” water per week. Yes, you read correctly. The trick to keeping your water bill down is to allow the grass to establish deep roots, and the only way to do that is to encourage the roots to search for water underground. Setting your sprinkler 1-2 times/week at a 15 minute setting is sufficient for your lawn. Setting daily waterings that have shorter time intervals creates shallow root systems, making the grass more susceptible to pests, disease, and scorching. 

Bermuda grass also requires the same 1” of water per week, but because this desert climate grass enjoys the heat and the drought. Bermuda can establish deep root systems but not necessarily to search for water, but to search for minerals and nutrients to help it sustain itself through preferred hot and dry conditions. 

Summary 

At the end of the day, both Bermuda and St. Augustine bring solid strengths to the table—or lawn. If your yard is sun-soaked and you’re cool with a bit more mowing, Bermuda might be your perfect grassy companion. If your space has trees, shade, or you’d rather not deal with constant trimming, St. Augustine could be your lawn of choice. 

The real secret? Know your yard, water wisely, mow thoughtfully, and don’t expect miracles if you’re only showing up with a sprinkler, fertilizer, and a dream. A little attention goes a long way toward a lush, brag-worthy lawn, no matter which side of the fence you land on. 

If you found this information about Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grass helpful, check out our other posts on our TrueTreeTalk blog.  Follow us on Facebook to keep up with these and other posts. Check out our list of blog posts grouped by topic for more to read.  Also, follow us on LinkedIn for industry-related posts.  

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ArborTrue is a science-based tree service company in the greater Houston area. We also serve Austin and other parts of Central Texas. We provide a range of services including tree trimming, tree pruning, tree removal, tree planting, arborist consultations, and more. Call us today at 832-980-8733 (Houston) or at 512-546-3833 (Austin) or reach out to us online to schedule an appointment.

ArborTrue has a dedicated landscaping division, now serving select areas in the greater Houston region—with more locations coming soon. We specialize in organic practices, soil biology, and ecological health to help your entire landscape truly thrive. To learn more or schedule a consultation, contact us at landscape@arbortrue.com.