Warm vs. Cool season grasses

[golferinnc]

I have spent the past 8 years working on golf courses all over the southeast and I have decided to change lanes and jump into the lawn care industry. My question is which area should I go after? Currently I am on the coast where the turf is all bermuda, zoysia, and centipede. Or my other option is to move more inward where the turf is predominantly tall fescue with a few bermuda yards in there also.

So my question is warm season vs. cool season. Is one more profitable, etc?

Thanks in advance,
Jon

[agrostis]

I would go for the cool season grasses. They need more care. If you can take care of fescue in the transition zone in the heat of summer and work on irrigation systems you will be a more valuable asset.

[tlc1994]

Originally Posted by agrostis

I would go for the cool season grasses. They need more care. If you can take care of fescue in the transition zone in the heat of summer and work on irrigation systems you will be a more valuable asset.

Not to mention you will not have to worry about dormant lawns in the winter.

[golferinnc]

Originally Posted by tlc1994

Not to mention you will not have to worry about dormant lawns in the winter.

I was hoping to sale overseeding or painting, if I went into the warm season market.


Thanks again for everyones opinion.

[golferinnc]

That is what I was thinking also, fescue needs much more TLC.

[Think Green]

I can't speak for all LCO's out here in Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, etc. that are dominantly warm season grass zones. It is too touchy as stated by the U of A authorities on Fescue grass production. Northwestern Arkansas is the starting point for our Fescue growing as it has been described as traveling northward into Kentucky, Missouri,etc. I can't see this phenomenon as the heat waves travel all around and more than a 600 mile radius of the mid south. I didn't say anything about it not living per say.............all I can say is the stuff dies off no matter how much care, water you add to it until the temperatures recede into the 70's with lower humidity. We are experiencing humidity in the 55% range along with 99 degree days....pushing the plug to around 105+.
I can't help but say........get into both avenues of grass maintenance and you can end up doing all facets all season long considering.

[Think Green]

Golfer,
You can get into the overseeding market pretty well as long as it is for dormant Bermuda lawns. Keep away from overseeding high dollar Zoysia!!
As far as lawn painting.........it is touch and go.......or better yet iffy!! In my area, only a handful of commercial properties will pay for spraying dormant turf green for the winter season. The Zoysia lawns look awesome and hold the color well but the Bermuda's growth characteristics makes it harder to paint and get a sustained color. You end up overspraying and getting the soil green as well. It has a tendency of fading and being sparse.