Looking at putting in a yard around the house and was wondering if anyone has used buffalo that has made a good stand and you are happy with it.

I really would like to do this by seed. Also is buffalo tolerant to rye in the winter.

I grew up with a buffalo yard in the panhandle of Texas. We had it on about two acres in the front and an acre in the back. It never was the best looking yard in town but our upkeep costs were 1/10th of everyone elses. I always enjoyed it and it does a good job of choking out the weeds. We had tall fescue directly around the house and buffalo every where else. We are in the process of replacing the fescue with buffalo. I wouldn't really recommend it for a small yard, but for a large yard it works really well. Texas Tech developed a turf grass called turfallo that is supposed to do pretty well.

ETA:
We planted ours by seed using a grain drill. You shouldn't have any problems with a rye grass overseed in the winter.

[This message has been edited by Seven (edited 8/4/2011 2:50p).]

Plant Buffalograss if you:
1. Have no shade at all.
2. Don't mind some weeds.
3. Don't mind neighbor's grass growing into your yard.
4. Don't have dogs.
5. Don't plan on running around on it.
6. Don't want a deep green lawn.

If you plant by seed, you're in for a long, hard road trying to get a decent stand. Common Bermuda is an endemic weed virtually everywhere & it will out-compete the Buffalo as it struggles to grow.

we are out in the country so neighbors are not a concern. however we have some shade, multiple dogs, and are always outside, so I guess no to buffalo.

Any other suggestions.

common bermuda.

Buffalo grass can adapt to droughts better than any other grass you are likely to see in a yard. It just turns brown and doesn't grow much until it gets water again.

I think common burmuda is your answer based on my limited research.

The seed cost of Buffalo is very high compared to Common Bermuda as well. That alone will make you think hard and fast attempting to cover two acres. The seed is pretty expensive to just throw out and hope it takes and rains.

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we are out in the country so neighbors are not a concern. however we have some shade, multiple dogs, and are always outside, so I guess no to buffalo.

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Just teach your dogs to pee on the trees instead of the grass.

I doubt a few dogs could destroy 2 acres of grass.

We had a few acres of it (native panhandle grass) along with fescue/bermuda around the house.

It's fine and doesn't need to be watered and doesn't grow fast, so the mowing isn't weekly like the grass around the house.

It never looks great. But, we didn't have problems with anything trying to push it out because of the lack of water.

I've worked extensively with buffalograss and bermudagrass. If you water and fertilize buffalo in our area, it will absolutely be invaded by common bermuda and probably bahiagrass and other weeds. If you never water it (after establishment), it will likely survive but never look like anything resembling a lawn. It goes dormant at the drop of a hat. Common bermudagrass is much cheaper, looks better, and has almost as good drought tolerance.