Re: any grass experts?
Your area is a little colder than mine but maybe not enough difference to matter. Most everybody around here has fescue because it being a cool season grass it stays somewhat green in the winter. But I have had fescue and it is a continual maintenance crop. I really like warm season grass particularly zoysia. I have had hybrid bermuda (not common bermuda) but it requires much more feeding, mowing, and more sun than zoysia. If you get zoysia, you want the variety Emerald. It is finer leaved and more shade tolerant than the other varieties. It spreads slowly so is not invasive, grows slowly so only needs mowing once a week at the most at the height of growing season, forms a thick mat like a golf course fairway, is tough and takes a lot of traffic. I have had no disease, and have a fair amount of shade. The disadvantage is that it is more expensive initially because it ideally should be sodded. You can sprig it but it takes a long time to establish. The fact that it goes dormant in the winter and is brown, in my opinion is not a disadvantage. Winter is winter, the trees are leafless, it is cold and grass should not be green. And it shortens the mowing season. I am presently down in the Keys doing a little tarpon fishing, I'll try to get some photos and post when I get back.
