Tifway vs Palmetto St Augustine

ohtina – posted 22 April 2004 21:33

I am trying to make a decision between Palmetto St Augustine and Tifway Bermuda Sod. These two were the choices I have been given. I need it to do well in with moderate shade and some traffic. I also don’t want anything that has to be cut twice a week or reguire allot of effort on my part. I have 4 little ones and I don’t have allot of extra time on my hands, but I do enjoy working on my lawn a bit at a time. Any opinions would be GREATLY appreciated!

cajun – posted 28 April 2004 19:08

best advice is to visit your local nursery and get some info on both. compare the two along with your enviroment. good luck!

jr – posted 30 April 2004 21:35

What kind of stupid advice is that? The clear decision with any amount of shade is the palmetto. You didn’t mention where you live but it probably doesn’t matter if somebody said those were your two best options. In any case, palmetto will do better with the shade and you will always cut bermuda more often than any cultivar of St. Augustine.

ohtina – posted 30 April 2004 21:48

jr thank you! I thought the previous reply wasn’t offering me any info. but……. Thanks for the advice. The guy installing it and getting it for me can only offer those two sod selections and I have done research on both and I just wanted an opinion from someone who knows the turf types. What’s your opinion on it’s ability to handle some kid traffic on occasion?

I live in Virginia Beach, VA

Thanks again!

jr – posted 04 May 2004 12:25

Mine takes the daily traffic of a 100 pound doberman and a very active 60 pound weimeraner puppy with no visible effect at all. Unless your child has been possessed by a banshee, he or she has nothing on my weim puppy, so don’t worry about traffic.

Will-PCB – posted 06 May 2004 07:46

Think about this way.

Tifway is what our local Golf course owners use. They constantly have lawn maintence people working on it. My guess is that it is because the lawn requires frequent mowing and replugging from all the traffic and divits it gets.

St. Augustine provides the heartiness your looking for. It will thrive in moderate shade, and it is based on stolons that as long as they are not worn through, the blades of the grass will recover.

Personally, I would go with the St. Augustine.