Warm Season Grasses in Colorado

Until now the only sod available in Colorado has been cool season grasses like bluegrass and tall fescue. These are grasses typically found at higher elevations in cooler climates capable of surviving prolonged cold weather as well as thriving in temperature ranges and precipitation patterns common in Colorado. Over 50 years of trials, observations, and research we have developed a product line of Kentucky bluegrass blends and our newest Survivalist tall fescue mix. Our Pikes Peak bluegrass and the Survivalist tall fescue are cool season grasses and are both incredibly well adapted to Colorado. We choose our grass blends to be aggressive and drought tolerant as well as resistant to many common lawn diseases. With proper ground preparation and maintenance our products are the keystone to a water-wise landscape. 

Warm season plants utilize an additional process in photosynthesis.  This process allow photosynthesis to continue even during hot parts of the day when cool season plants begin the process of photorespiration.  The increased efficiency of the warm season plants equates to significant increases in water use efficiencies.  The biggest problem until now is that almost all warm season plants have problems with the relatively cold winters that we see in the Colorado front range.  Grasses like St. Augustine, centipedegrass , and bahaigrass cannot survive our winters. 

A new grass, Tahoma 31 was recently bred by turfgrass breeders at Oklahoma State University and survives our winters under most circumstances.  This is a revolutionary step because warm season grasses are much more efficient water users  than cool season grasses.  Tahoma 31 is the only bermudagrass that has shown to consistently survive here.  It is the most cold-tolerant bermudagrass on the planet according to NTEP testing.

Tahoma 31 is best planted in areas that receive significant sunlight and are below 7000’ of elevation. Areas that are hot areas and have traditionally been difficult to maintain with cool season grasses like bluegrass are ideal for Tahoma 31.  As always, matching the right planting area with the right grass is the recipe for success.

Amongst warm season grasses Tahoma 31 has also been shown to be the most drought tolerant grass that will survive in Colorado.  Studies have shown Tahoma 31 even to be more drought tolerant than even buffalograss and grama grasses.