Question
Nashville is in Zone 6b.  What type of grass for a lawn do you recommend? It gets extremely hot here with long drought periods.  Fescue, which seems to be mostly recommended, just cannot take the heat or drought.  I like Bermuda, the only draw back that it seems to creep in all your flower beds. But, to have a green lawn in the summer is worth fighting the spread in areas you don't want it.  Please point me in the right direction regarding my lawn, (how to start and maintain it). I really want to have a healthy yard in the summer.  Thanks.

Answer
Kelly:

I live in the same zone in NC.  Your droughts may be more severe.  Two years ago while in Nashville, I saw lovely landscapes in May and plenty of fescue.  The key to prolonging the health of winter grasses in summer is irrigation.  The same is true for summer grasses.  I have seen brown, crispy Bermuda in drought, rare as it may be.

You noted the drawback for aggressive summer grasses, control.  This will require weekly maintenance, trimming the edges and clear definition between lawn and beds.  I like to make a small trench to make trimming easier.

Bermuda is a fine turf if you can stand brown in the winter.  Bluegrass peaks in July, but looks sparse in winter and early spring.  It recovers well from drought.

You will have to make the choice which one to plant.  I might avoid the coarse textures of St. Augustine or bahia, more suitable for states further south.

I recommend the use of compost for installing turf.  After removal and grading, add one to two cubic yards (CY) per thousand square feet (M), till, and place final grade.  Sew or sod your turf and water regularly until seed or sod is established.  It will also help the soil retain moiture in drought and reduce plant stress.

High quality compost has nutrient enough for a year or more and a balance of micro-organisms to keep soil and plants healthy.  The supplier of good compost will have an analysis (of soluble nutrients) and a track record of professional clients and jobs.

Whichever turf you choose, there are online registries of maintenance practices.  UTenn should have a turf division in plant science.  Texas A&M Univ. has excellent publications on southern turfs.

If you install irrigation, be sure to allow for one inch per week of water in good patterns on your lawn.  Be sure, also, to have a cut off when rain is plentiful.  Fungus is an enemy to all turf and loves damp warm conditions.

Hope this helps.  Make a choice and do your best.