What is the Best Grass Seed for Houston Texas?

Mar 29, 2025 | Austin, Houston

To grow a fine-looking lawn from grass seed in Houston, homeowners must battle heat, humidity, drought, heavy rainfall, pests, poor drainage, and weed infestations.

With lawns used by all the family, including pets, the high foot traffic makes it even tougher to establish and grow a healthy lawn—and the clay-heavy or salty soils don’t help!

It does help to know what to expect from your grass type, what’s the best grass seed for Houston yards, and how to get the most out of your lawn by following a few planting and growing tips.

Let’s get straight into it…

What is the Best Grass for Houston, Texas?

Best Grass Seed for Houston Texas

The best grass seed for Houston, Texas must be able to handle the hot, humid climate and the potential for drought, heavy rainfall, pests, poor drainage, poor soils, and weed infestations. Depending on usage, it may also need to stand up to heavy foot traffic. Typically, this means Bermuda Grass, Zoysia, Centipede Grass, Seashore Paspalum or Carpet Grass.

We go into this deeper soon but first, a grass alternative to consider…

How to Install a Lawn That Needs No Maintenance 

Artificial grass is the lowest-maintenance grass available in Houston—and it looks just like the real thing!

With advances in artificial grass manufacturing methods, it can be difficult to tell the synthetic variety from natural grass in high-quality installations. 

Homeowners and businesses in the Houston area are increasingly turning to artificial turf to beautify their backyard lawns, play areas, swimming pool areas, and dog runs.

Artificial Grass Alternative Real Grass

This shouldn’t be too surprising, given the Houston Texans have been enjoying the benefits of artificial grass at the NRG Stadium since 2015. The Dallas Cowboys also play on turf while college football stadiums in Texas like the UT Stadium also use artificial grass.

Why this trend? It’s largely due to the challenges and expense of establishing and maintaining real grass in our climate. The water-saving benefits and low maintenance requirements of synthetic grass make the synthetic alternative hard to ignore.

Artificial Grass Low Maintenance

We’ve helped thousands of homeowners and businesses in Texas make the switch in the past decade.

SAVE TIME, MONEY & WATER WITH ARTIFICIAL GRASS 

The experienced team at Artificial Grass Pros will provide a free estimate and help you make the switch. Contact us here.

Main Challenges with Planting Grass Seed in Houston 

Growing a lawn from Houston grass seed can be more difficult than using grass sod—and the challenges of the local climate and soil conditions mean that homeowners should follow planting and growing tips for the best chance of success (see below).

The main  difficulties are:

Heat and Humidity

Lawns love water and sunlight but heat can stress some grass seed types. Houston has long, hot summers with temperatures frequently exceeding 90°F. 

Lawn Challenges Heat Humidity

This and the excessive humidity can encourage fungal diseases, such as brown patch and dollar spot.

Heavy Rain and Poor Drainage

Houston’s heavy summer rainfall and higher-than-average precipitation totals year round may not be a problem for an established lawn if the drainage in your yard is adequate—but storms can wash away seeds before they germinate: another challenge when considering the best grass seed for Houston.

Lawn Challenges Storms

Drought 

The Texas Water Development Board reports that landscape irrigation represents a significant portion of municipal water usage in Texas cities – underlining the need for drought-tolerant grass varieties. 

Frequent watering is needed for seed germination in months of lower rainfall but, once established, the lawn must also withstand periodic droughts.

Lawn challenges drought

Water restrictions in Houston come and go, depending on whether there is sustained rainfall, but if restrictions are introduced when you try to grow a lawn from seed, this may limit how often you can irrigate—which will impact the establishment of a new lawn.

Soil Quality

Many areas of Houston have clay-heavy soil, which drains poorly and can lead to waterlogged conditions.

The alkaline nature of the soils also makes it challenging for grass roots to establish and if the soil becomes compacted, good seed-to-soil contact and root growth can be difficult.

Lawn Challenges Clay Soils

Weeds and Pests

Weeds like crabgrass and nutsedge thrive in Houston’s climate, competing with new grass.  Common Texan lawn pests like chinch bugs, sod webworms, and armyworms can also damage young grass.

Lawn Challenges Armyworms

Top Houston Grass Seed Varieties

When selecting the best grass seed variety for your Houston lawn, you’ll need a warm-season grass variety rather than cool-season grass like Kentucky bluegrass, which won’t survive the heat.

One of the best warm-season grasses in Texas is St. Augustine—but it is only available from Houston sod farms—so that’s not an option, either. 

Ultimately, Houston lawns work best with:

  • Warm-season grasses that can handle the heat and humidity.
  • Drought-tolerant grasses that can handle periods of no water.
  • Grasses that can handle the threat of pests, diseases, and weeds.

Whether you’re starting anew or overseeding your Houston lawn, the following five grass types are all good seed options to consider…

Bermuda Grass 

Bermuda Grass is one of the most popular warm-season grass seeds across the southern states, producing a fine, thick lawn for homeowners and gracing many golf courses, athletic fields, and sports stadiums in Texas.

Bermuda Grass Lawn Houston

Pros

  • Highly tolerant of the heat
  • Good drought resistance
  • High traffic tolerance
  • Recovers well from damage, once established
  • Disease-resistant
  • Moderate tolerance of salt

Cons

  • Relatively high lawn maintenance once established (mowing at least every week and fertilizing)
  • Spreads easily and can invade flower beds
  • Struggles badly in shade—needs full sun

Best for: Busy, high foot traffic lawns in full sun.

Zoysia 

Zoysia is the best grass seed for Houston, Texas if your lawn faces a lack of sun and plenty of shade. Many grass types struggle without full sun—not Zoysia. With most varieties, you should be able to establish an attractive, thick lawn.

Zoysia Grass Lawn Houston

Pros

  • Some varieties are excellent in shaded yards
  • Tolerant of the heat (and moderate cold)
  • Good drought resistance (though will turn brown sooner than Bermuda Grass in drought)
  • Can withstand moderate foot-traffic
  • Moderate maintenance requirements
  • Moderate tolerance of salt

Cons

  • More expensive than most other warm-season grass types
  • Recuperates slowly after damage 
  • Struggles badly in shade—needs full sun
  • Some risk of disease
  • Slower to establish than Bermuda Grass
  • Some Houston homeowners get better results from sod rather than seed

Best for: Shaded lawns with moderate foot traffic.

Centipede Grass 

Centipede Grass is one of the best grass seeds for Houston lawns if you’re looking for a low-maintenance option that still looks great most of the time.

Sometimes called “Lazy Man’s Grass’, this coarse-leafed grass type requires infrequent mowing because of its slow growth and minimal fertilizer.

Centipede Grass Lawn Houston

Pros

  • Low maintenance requirements due to slow growth
  • Tolerant of the heat 

Cons

  • Can suffer in drought conditions or cold
  • Less shade tolerant than Zoysia
  • Can also suffer in high foot traffic
  • Some risk of disease
  • Slow to establish (some homeowners in Houston prefer sod)

Best for: Low-maintenance lawns with light foot traffic.

Seashore Paspalum 

Seashore Paspalum may be a good choice of grass seed for Houston lawns in coastal areas, with high salt exposure from soils or irrigation systems. A fine-textured grass, it is also found on sports fields and golf course fairways in Houston.

The poor cold-tolerance of Seashore Paspalum means it is generally only suitable for the southern third of the state—and mainly in coastal areas where other options are unavailable.

Seashore Paspalum Grass Lawn Houston

Pros

  • Tolerant of the heat and salt in coastal areas 
  • Good drought-tolerance
  • Tolerant of high foot traffic
  • Low risk of disease

Cons

  • Relatively high maintenance (mowing every 3-7 days but less fertilizer required than Bermuda Grass)
  • Low shade tolerance
  • Low cold tolerance
  • May encroach on other areas if not restricted

Best for: Coastal lawns with high foot traffic.

Carpet Grass 

Carpet Grass, the final one on our list of the best grass seed for Houston, TX, may be an option if you don’t fancy any of the above choices.

This type of grass is generally not seen in Houston as often as the other types mentioned here but Carpet Grass does have its fans, especially if the lawn is sloped and/or in poor-quality or eroded soil.

Carpet Grass Lawn Houston

Pros

  • Relatively low maintenance (except in summer when tall seed heads or stalks appear)
  • Suitable for low-quality, acidic, wet soils
  • Relatively shade tolerant
  • Suitable for sloped lawns 

Cons

  • Low drought tolerance
  • Quite intolerant of high foot traffic
  • Tall seed heads look like weeds in summer
  • Susceptible to the cold
  • Risk of pests and diseases 
  • Can spread aggressively to unwanted areas

Best for: Low-traffic lawns in poor-quality soil or on a slope.

How to Grow the Best Lawn From Seed in Houston, Texas

Planting grass seed is not a “spray and pray” deal. It requires careful ground preparation and consistent watering after planting—and it helps to follow a few tips from lawn professionals.

Planting Grass Seed Houston

Before You Plant Seed…

  • Consider a soil test: as you’ve seen, the best grass seed for Houston lawns depends partly on the soil conditions; understanding the makeup of the soil in your yard—including its pH and nutrient deficiencies—allows you to make a more informed decision about the best grass seed type.
  • Consider improving soil quality: composting, adding sand to clay soils and adequate aeration can help your chances of success—what you add will likely depend on the result of soil tests. The ideal pH range is 5.8–7.0; add lime if too acidic or sulfur if too alkaline.
  • Consider all the other variables factors: shade/sun exposure, drainage and your local climate factors (likelihood of drought, etc.) will all affect your choice.
  • Consider your attitude toward maintenance and water usage: if you want a truly low-maintenance lawn with low water usage, you might consider other backyard landscaping ideas to grass seed, such as lawn turf, hardscaping, native plants or xeriscaping. 
Preparing Soil Before Planting Grass Seed

When Planting Grass Seed in Houston…

  • Choose the optimal planting time for your grass seed type: warm-season grasses require warm, well-prepared soils to germinate. 
  • Most warm-season grass seed should be planted in the late spring to early summer: April to June is the best time because soil temperatures are consistently above 65°F -70°F (18°C-21°C), which is ideal for warm-season grasses like Bermudagrass, Zoysia, etc.
  • Overseed an existing lawn in the early fall: overseeding a Houston lawn is normally done with a cool-season grass seed like perennial ryegrass, which can germinate in the lower temperatures of fall and improve the appearance of your lawn in the cooler months in Houston.
  • Avoid planting during heavy spring rains or extreme summer heat: this will discourage germination and healthy root growth.
  • Avoid using pre-emergent herbicides before planting: this can inhibit seed germination.
  • Spread the seed evenly with maximum seed-to-soil coverage: then lightly rake the seeds so that they are covered with at least a quarter inch of soil.
Spreading Grass Seed Houston

After You Plant Grass Seed…

  • After planting, follow best-practice watering schedules: it’s essential to get the frequency and timing right when watering a newly seeded lawn.
  • Newly seeded grass requires consistent moisture: In the first 2–3 weeks, keep the soil moist but not soggy, with light watering 2–3 times a day.
  • After 3 weeks, reduce the frequency but increase the depth of watering: around 1–1.5 inches per week.
  • Monitor for weeds and pests early to prevent competition; but avoid using a pre-emergent herbicide before planting, as it will inhibit seed germination.
  • Apply a high-phosphorus starter fertilizer at planting; then a nitrogen-rich fertilizer after 4–6 weeks.
  • Mow for the first time to the recommended height when the grass reaches about 3 inches: use a sharp mower blade for best-practice Houston lawn care.
Grass Seed Germinating Houston

Get a Low-Maintenance Grass in Houston, Texas

Houston landscaping needn’t involve any real grass at all. 

Artificial Grass Lawn

Believe it or not, the above image is from one of our artificial grass installations right here in Texas.

Homeowners looking for the aesthetic benefits of natural grass without the water or work involved in maintaining turfgrass can switch to low-maintenance artificial grass landscaping ideas, xeriscaping, and hardscaping to reduce labor, water usage, and upkeep costs.

Artificial Grass Lawn Low Maintenance

The best artificial grass looks equally at home in front or back yards and should last 15-20 years.

FAQs

Grass seed is cheaper but more difficult to establish than a sod lawn, which is more or less ready to go when it’s laid. Sod can be planted for much of the year while warm-season grass seed will only germinate when the soil is warm enough.

The best grass for shade in Texas is generally either Zoysia or St. Augustine—particular varieties of these grass types are considered highly shade tolerant.

All of the warm-season grasses outlined in this post are highly tolerant of the heat in Texas: Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede, Seashore Paspalum, and Carpet Grass.

The best grass for heavy foot traffic is Bermuda grass, Zoysia or Seashore Paspalum. Your choice may depend on other conditions in your yard—such as sun, shade, soil conditions, etc.

The most drought-resistant grass for Texas is Bermuda, Buffalo or Tall Fescue grass. Avoid St. Augustine or Centipede grass and other less-drought-tolerant varieties if you cannot water regularly during drought periods. 

It’s best to wait a few weeks to apply a nitrogen fertilizer after seeding a grass lawn in Texas.  Otherwise, follow these tips on when to fertilize grass in Texas.

Grass Lawn Texas

Considering the Switch to Artificial Grass?

If you’re considering landscaping your Houston yard with turf, discuss your options with an artificial grass professional.

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