In most cases, turf identification requires examining the plant at a level which requires advanced tools.
As a result, we have developed a guide that helps you identify easy-to-find Turf ID characteristics. This allows you to determine what kind of turf you have and which Tri-Link Solutions All Seasons Fertilizer is right for YOU!
If you are still unsure about which All Seasons program is right for you, please reference additional turf ID information below.
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Tri-Link All Seasons™ Lawn Fertilizers are specifically blended for both cool- and warm-season turfgrasses to ensure the correct amount of plant nutrition is delivered by our products. We have also specially developed a unique annual lawn fertility program for Centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass which have differing nutrient requirements compared to other warm-season turfgrasses. For help determining what turfgrass you have, please reference the information below.
Turfgrasses are sub-divided into two categories (cool- or warm-season) based upon their adaptation to climatic conditions. Air temperature, sunlight, rainfall, and other abiotic factors greatly affect the adaptability of turfgrasses across various environments. The influence of these factors help define the three primary regions of turfgrass adaptation in the United States: the northern-cool region, the southern-warm region, and the transition zone. The cool-season grasses are best adapted to the northern-cool region while the warm-season grasses are most adapted to the southern-warm region. The area between these two regions is the transition zone, which is defined as the area where the use of cool- and warm-season grasses overlap. Below is a common list of cool- and warm-season grasses:
Warm-Season | Cool-Season |
Bermudagrass | Tall Fescue |
Centipedegrass | Fine Fescue |
Zoysiagrass | Kentucky Bluegrass |
St. Augustinegrass | Bentgrass |
Perennial Ryegrass | |
Annual Ryegrass |
The figure above provides a good illustration for the geographic distribution of turfgrasses managed in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. As previously mentioned, both cool- and warm-season grasses are managed in the transition zone. This zone of adaptation is typically considered to extend from Maryland down to the southern border of North Carolina. As one would expect, although both cool- and warm-season turfgrasses are managed in this area, the further north you are located in this zone, the more likely it is you manage a cool-season turfgrass. Conversely, the further south, warm-season turfgrasses are more prevalent. You can also think about this similarly as one travels from the coast to the mountains in Virginia, North Carolina, and to a lesser extent, South Carolina. Closer to the coast = warm-season grasses. Closer to the mountains = cool-season grasses.
The chart below provides a good depiction of the most common cool- and warm-season grasses managed in home lawns throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast US.
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* Perennial and Annual Ryegrass not shown as they are managed to overseed bermudagrass in our geographic area rather than as a monoculture stand of turfgrass.
The easiest way to distinguish between cool- and warm-season grasses is to ask yourself one simple question:
If the answer is NO, then you have a cool-season turfgrass!
Choose the appropriate Tri-Link All Seasons™ Cool-Season Grass Fertilizer that has been specially blended to meet the nutritional demands of the current season (Spring, Summer, or Fall).
If the answer is YES, then you have a warm-season turfgrass!
Fertilizer requirements among the warm-season grasses managed as home lawns differ. Specifically, Centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass require different fertilizer inputs compared to Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass. As a result, we have developed separate fertilizers for each set of grasses.
If you have a Bermudagrass or Zoysiagrass lawn, choose Tri-Link All Seasons™ Warm-Season Grass Fertilizer.
If you have a Centipedegrass or St. Augustinegrass lawn, choose Tri-Link All Seasons™ Centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass Fertilizer.
Centipedegrass is most commonly confused with Zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass. Since, the Tri-Link All Seasons™ Lawn Fertilizer Program manages Centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass the same, we are going to point out a couple of easy to identify characteristics to differentiate the two from Zoysiagrass.
A quick way to determine Zoysiagrass from Centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass is to examine their vernation. An easy way to do this is to examine plant stolons, which are often referred to as “runners.” Stolons are the lateral stems by which turfgrasses spread on top of the soil surface. See the differences below:
V-shaped leaf blades emerging from a “flat” sheath indicate a FOLDED vernation.
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Cylindrical leaf blades emerging from a “round” sheath indicate a ROLLED vernation.
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An additional characteristic to consider between the three grasses are leaf width. Centipedegrass and Zoysiagrass are very similar, while St. Augustinegrass is much wider.
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A final characteristic to consider is the color of the turf. Centipedegrass naturally has a color that is considered to be “limey” compared to most other grasses that have a darker green color. Also notice that Centipedegrass often has reddish/purplish colors that are present on the leaf blades.
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Identifying zoysiagrass can be a bit tricky since there are multiple species (Zoysia japonica Steud. vs. Zoysia matrella L. Merr.) managed in our area. For simplicity, we differentiate between the two species by the width of their leaf blades. See below:
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The japonica species has a “coarse” textured leaf blade compared to the matrella species which has a narrower or “fine” textured leaf blade. Listed are common cultivars within each species of zoysiagrass.
Japonica | Matrella |
Compadre | Zeon |
El Toro | Zorro |
Empire | |
Meyer | |
Palisades | |
Zenith |
The same can be said for bermudagrass. We manage both common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) and hybrid bermudagrass [C. dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy]. Common bermudagrass has a “coarse” leaf blade and forms a less dense canopy compared to hybrid bermudagrass which has a “fine” leaf blade. For reference, we can consider bermudagrasses established via seeding as common types. Bermudagrass that is established by sodding or sprigging, it is most likely a hybrid bermudagrass. Some exceptions do exist, however, this is generally a good rule of thumb.
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Common Bermudagrass |
Monaco |
Numex – Sahara |
Princess 77 |
Riviera |
Sunbird |
Transcontinental |
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Hybrid Bermudagrass |
Tifway |
Latitude 36 |
Patriot |
TifTuf |
Tahoma 31 |
Northbridge |
The use of cool-season turfgrasses in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast US is primarily confined to Tall fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass. Specifically, these two cool-season turfgrasses are commonly packaged as a seed mixture. A typical mixture will consist of 95% Tall fescue and 5% Kentucky Bluegrass. A mixture of the two are common to help mitigate some of the challenges each component faces throughout our geographic region. Rarely is Kentucky Bluegrass found managed as a stand-alone species in home lawns in our region.
Fine fescues are found sporadically in heavily shaded areas, while it is rare to find a monoculture of bentgrass in a home lawn.
In our geographic region, perennial and annual ryegrass are used during winter months to provide winter color when warm-season turfgrasses are dormant. As a result, their management is not included in the Tri-Link All Seasons™ Lawn Fertilizer Annual Program.
The Tri-Link All Seasons™ Lawn Fertilizer Annual Program has minimized the need to differentiate between any of the cool-season turfgrasses as our cool-season fertility program is safe for all species!
Unlike other fertilizers, All Seasons is not a single bag of fertilizer that promises year-round feeding of all lawns.
We have developed a 3 step seasonal program that delivers premium slow-release nutrition for year-long feeding of home lawns throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. Our blends are optimized for popular turfgrass types and their specific nutritional needs in the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Tri-Link Solutions is a manufacturer and supplier of plant nutritional products to the turfgrass, ornamental, commercial, landscape, and specialty plant markets.
PROUDLY SERVING NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, GEORGIA, ALABAMA AND FLORIDA.
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