Help selecting best turf variety

[hilde123]

Im replacing my turf (well 75% of my turf) and am having trouble selecting the best variety for my needs. About 50% of my area gets 6-8 hrs of sun and the rest gets between 3-5, except for obviously right below low trees. I would like stick with one type of turf for replacement. I do currently have chinch bug issues and am looking for a species that is tolerant (I am having it treated to slow them down). As far as drought tolerance, I really dont care as I am on a shallow well and can water as much as needed. I have a fair amount of Seville and like it but where it is in full sun it is real thatchy. I am leaning towards Floratam or Palmetto. I like what I hear about the Palmetto variety but havent heard much from people that have had it down for years. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[unkownfl]

Bitter Blue or Seville IMHO. Just treat your yard right and you won't have bug/water issues. Also, don't mow it like a golf course.

[Landscape Poet]

They all have there good attributes and there bad. Palmetto is what I use now after the last few winters. It has a better cold tolerance as well as being able to tolerate more shade. It still will not live in pure shade - but better than say Floratam. The University says that it has a lighter green color. It has been my experience that is dependent on how it is cared for. I am including a picture of the sod we use for you to get a example of thick it can be as well as a picture of it installed next to floratam in a lawn we did this week. I think you will see that the Floratam is much lighter green than the new sod that has been installed. So again it dependents on your tech and how good of a job he is doing of feeding your lawn if you ask me.
The main thing for you going forward is having a tech that takes care of your lawn properly. I hear you are going with Heron. They will do that and insect damage is not a issue for you as they offer sod replacement from insect damage.

Any of the St. Augustine cultivators can make a attractive lawn - when properly cared for and when they are installed in the correct conditions ie: not installing floratam in a lawn which get partial sun.

[Landscape Poet]

Here is another of that same install - again please note that the palmetto is not a lighter green but rather a much darker green than the existing floratam. The palmetto will adapt and blend with the other lawn as it will be getting the same care from now on - but at this point the Palmetto appears to be much better feed.

[Keith]

I still like Bitter Blue for most lawns that have some shade. They all have their pros and cons, but I think it is less prone to problems than some of the semi-dwarfs. Floratam would absolutely not be a good choice for what you describe.

[jvanvliet]

Bitter Blue and Palmeto are good St. Augustine cultivars. I'd go with the Palmeto since it is one of the most versatile and hardiest strain available. It stands up to a wide range of temperature variations (important in Orlando), develops a massive and deep root system (reducing irrigation requirements) and is able to adapt to changing conditions on the planting site, like maturing trees providing more shade. Both have a proven track record.

Seville is a slow growing dwarf variety with moderate shade resistance and is not as cold or insect resistant as the Bitter Blue or Palmeto.

The one not mentioned is Captiva. Captiva is a newer strain (to me) and I don't have first hand experience with it. People have posted regarding Captiva and I do not remember negative reports other than cost and availability. Captiva is a dwarf variety, slow growing, has moderate shade resistance as well as resistance to southern cinch bug & plant hoppers. It too is not as cold tolerant as the other two.

I'll be doing a lot of sod installations and lawn repairs following our extremely wet rainy season (mostly root rot & fungus and several lawns in St Augustine decline). If available, I'll be looking at all four cultivars and make a decision based on 1. availability 2. performance and 3. price.

Good luck with your installation

[Keith]

I can't recommend Captiva. It's done ok in partial shade, but it has really struggled in my yard in full sun areas.

[bugsNbows]

I'd also say Palmetto. Mind the chinch bug issues...we've got some resistant strains that can be difficult to get a handle on...sometimes.

[fobaum]

Anybody have any expedience w/ sapphire SA? I personalty don't like palmetto it seems way more vulnerable to insect & fungus than flora tam or classic SA. I'm getting my first house Nov. 1st!! and i need to SOD the whole property about 10,000 sq ft. and i was thinking of using sapphire SA for the front yard..

[jvanvliet]

Originally Posted by fobaum

Anybody have any expedience w/ sapphire SA? I personalty don't like palmetto it seems way more vulnerable to insect & fungus than flora tam or classic SA. I'm getting my first house Nov. 1st!! and i need to SOD the whole property about 10,000 sq ft. and i was thinking of using sapphire SA for the front yard..

There's no such thing as a cinch or fungus resistant strain of SA; Floratam is notoriously subject to infestation and disease, used to not be that way. All SA's are susceptible to a degree, some more than others, I'd put Floratam in the "more" class.

Palmetto actually stacks up well next to Sapphire.

http://www.bethelfarms.com/turf-sapphire.php

And you can get Sapphire @ Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart; hmmm...