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Landscaping in Bethesda MD: The Best Turf?

We’ve been asked: which turf is the best turf for landscaping in Bethesda MD? That’s a really good question.

Maryland is in a part of the country that has is called a "transition zone." In transition zones, neither warm-season nor cool-season turfgrasses do well all through the year. Warm-season grasses go dormant in the fall after the first frost. Cool-season grasses are dormant during our hot, dry summers.

The warm-season grasses have peak growth during hot weather, and are dormant during the fall, winter, and early spring. These types of turf grasses include zoysiagrass and bermudagrass, which have excellent heat and drought tolerance. These are better suited to Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore.

Cool-season grasses grow most during cool spring and fall weather, and usually become dormant during the hot and dry periods of the summer. There are three types of cool-season grasses that are used for landscaping in Bethesda, MD: turf-type tall fescue, the fine fescues, and Kentucky bluegrass. Of the three, tall fescue is the most popular.

There are a few good reasons that tall fescue is the cool-season turf grass most commonly used in landscaping, parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields in Bethesda, MD. Tall fescue is:

  • The most tolerant of heat and drought
  • The most resistant to disease and insect damage
  • Does better in open, sunny areas
  • Is moderately shade tolerant (needs about four hours of direct sunlight)
  • Produces a minimal amount of thatch

Well-drained soil is an important requirement for growing tall fescue. If you have other types of soil and want to have tall fescue, your soil must be amended.

For more information about the most appropriate turfgrass for your landscaping in Bethesda MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. East Coast Landscape Design is head and shoulders above other landscaping companies in Bethesda MD. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has designed and installed beautiful landscape and hardscape projects around Bethesda MD and surrounding communities.


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