Lawn Grass Types in Pakistan: Korean vs Bermuda vs Dichondra
For a sunny lawn in Pakistan or North India, the honest shortlist is two lawn grass types: bermuda (sold as doob, “Mexican” or “Australian” grass depending on the nursery) for hard wearing, fast cover, and zoysia (usually sold as “Korean grass”) for a dense, carpet look that grows slowly. Dichondra is a round leaved groundcover for small, shaded, low traffic patches, not a playing lawn. The right pick depends on three things: hours of sun, how much the lawn gets walked on, and how much water you can give in June.
The short version
- Full sun, kids and cricket: bermuda type grass
- Full sun to light shade, show lawn: zoysia (“Korean”)
- Shady corner, little foot traffic: dichondra, or a groundcover instead of grass
- Planting months, plains: March to April, or the monsoon (July to August)
- Sun: bermuda needs full sun; zoysia copes with a little less; neither likes deep shade
- Fastest result: sod (ready turf); cheapest: runners (sprigs or plugs)
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Which lawn grass types are sold in Pakistan?
Nursery names are loose, so ask what you are actually buying. Most lawns here end up as one of these:
| Grass | Looks like | Good at | Weak at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bermuda (doob, “Mexican”, “Australian”) | Fine to medium blades, fast runners | Heat, drought, heavy wear, quick recovery | Shade; creeps into flower beds |
| Zoysia (“Korean”) | Dense, stiff, carpet like | Looks neat, fewer weeds once thick, some salt tolerance | Very slow to fill in; slow to recover from damage |
| Dichondra | Small round leaves, not a true grass | Light shade, low mowing, soft look | Foot traffic, deep heat, weeds while establishing |
“Korean grass” is the most confusing label. Extension services use the name for Zoysia japonica (Japanese or Korean lawngrass), while fine leaved Zoysia matrella (Manilagrass) and mound forming ornamental zoysias are sold under similar names. They all belong to the same family of slow, dense lawns, but the fine, mounding kind is often a decorative grass for small areas rather than a lawn to run on.
Korean grass vs bermuda: which one should you plant?
Think about what the lawn is for.
- Choose bermuda if children play on it daily, if you want green cover in one season, or if the lawn is in all day Multan or Bahawalpur sun. It recovers from wear fast because it spreads above and below ground. The catch: those same runners invade flower beds and paths, so you need a hard edge.
- Choose zoysia if the lawn is mostly looked at, if a tree or wall shades it for part of the day, or if you want fewer weeds once it is established. Expect it to take one to two growing seasons to close up from plugs, and expect cricket bald patches to stay bald for a while.
Grasses go brown when it is cold. In Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar both types turn straw coloured through December and January frost and green up again in March. Karachi lawns stay greener through winter.
How much sun does a lawn need?
Bermuda performs only in full sun; extension guidance says plainly it should not be grown under tree canopies or roof overhangs. Zoysia tolerates partial shade better, and some fine leaved types do well in moderate shade, but every grass thins in deep shade. A practical rule many gardeners use: if the patch gets less than about half a day of direct sun in summer, stop fighting with grass. Use dichondra, a groundcover, or paving and pots. Our sibling guide on shade plants lists alternatives.
What is the best grass for each city?
| Zone | Plant | Maybe | Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karachi, coastal | Bermuda; zoysia in sun | Dichondra in shade | Cool season grasses |
| Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur | Bermuda | Zoysia with reliable water | Dichondra in full sun |
| Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi | Bermuda, zoysia | Dichondra under trees | Grass in deep shade |
| Islamabad, Peshawar | Bermuda, zoysia | Dichondra in light shade | Expecting winter green |
| Hills | Ask locally: cool season grasses suit cold areas | Zoysia in sunny valleys | Bermuda where frost is long |
On salty, kallar soil or with brackish tubewell water, zoysia and bermuda both cope better than most plants, though very salty water still leaves yellow patches. Our sibling page on lawn problems and yellow patches covers diagnosis.
The edging step that saves a weekend every month
Before you plant bermuda, sink a brick, concrete or thick plastic edge about 10 to 15 cm deep between lawn and flower beds. Bermuda runners travel underground; a shallow edge they can hop over will not stop them, and pulling them out of a rose bed later is slow, frustrating work.
How do you plant lawn grass?
Plant in March to April, when soil warms, or in the monsoon when rain does part of the watering. Avoid planting in May and June heat and in winter.
- Clear weeds and roots completely, especially old doob and motha (nutgrass). Lawns fail most often from weeds left in the soil.
- Dig or till the top 15 cm, break clods, and mix in a few centimetres of fine compost or old manure. Heavy clay benefits from some sand mixed through.
- Level carefully, with a slight fall away from the house so water does not pool.
- Water the bed and let it settle for a few days; pull any weeds that sprout.
- Sod: lay rolls tightly in a brick pattern, press down, and water daily for about two weeks. Runners or plugs: set small tufts in rows about 15 to 20 cm apart (closer for zoysia), firm in, and keep moist until new growth appears.
- Stay off it until it roots, then begin mowing high once runners knit together.
Sod costs the most but gives an instant lawn and fewer weeds. Runners are cheapest but take one season for bermuda and longer for zoysia to close. Prices change by city and season, so get two nursery quotes per square foot.
How often should you water and mow?
Water deeply and less often once established: in the plains, roughly two to three times a week in May and June heat, weekly in spring and autumn, and every two to three weeks in winter dormancy. Morning watering lets blades dry before night and reduces fungal patches. Shallow daily sprinkling makes shallow roots that scorch. For the finger test and seasonal rhythm, see how often to water by season.
Mow bermuda and most zoysia at about 2.5 to 5 cm. Never take off more than a third of the height at once. A blunt mower shreds tips that then brown.
Feed lightly with compost topdressing in spring and a nitrogen fertiliser in small, spread doses through the growing months, following the pack. Skip feeding in winter dormancy.
Myth: walking barefoot on the lawn improves eyesight
It is a pleasant habit, but no, a morning walk on dewy grass does not repair vision. We checked the claim in our fact check.
Weedkillers and lawn insecticides need care: read the whole label, wear gloves and closed shoes, keep children and pets off the treated lawn for as long as the label says, and never spray on a windy day or near vegetables. Try hand weeding and good mowing height first. Remove mushrooms that pop up in monsoon lawns, since some wild mushrooms are poisonous, and call a doctor or poison centre at once if a child eats one. Petrol mowers and trimmers throw stones: keep people away while mowing.
Find more garden plant guides in Phool aur Paudhe.
Lawn grass questions from Pakistani gardeners
Which is the best grass for a lawn in Pakistan?
Bermuda type grass is the best all rounder for sunny, busy lawns in the plains. Zoysia (“Korean”) suits a neat, less trampled lawn with some shade, and dichondra suits small shaded patches.
Is Korean grass better than bermuda?
Neither is simply better. Korean (zoysia) looks denser and handles some shade, but it fills in and recovers slowly; bermuda takes heavy wear and spreads fast but needs full sun and edging.
What is dichondra grass?
Dichondra is a low, round leaved groundcover rather than a true grass. It looks soft and tolerates light shade, but it bruises under regular foot traffic and struggles in full desert sun.
When should I plant lawn grass in Pakistan?
March to April, or July to August in the monsoon. Both give warm soil for rooting without the worst of the June heat.
Which grass grows in shade?
Zoysia tolerates partial shade better than bermuda, and dichondra copes with light shade. No lawn grass does well in deep shade, so switch to groundcovers there.
Why does my lawn turn brown in winter?
Warm season grasses like bermuda and zoysia go dormant in cold weather. They green up again in March, so water lightly and avoid feeding until then.
Should I buy sod or plant runners?
Sod gives an instant lawn and fewer weeds but costs more. Runners or plugs are cheaper and work well if you can weed and water patiently for a season or two.
How much does lawn grass cost?
Prices vary by city, season and grass type, and nurseries usually quote per square foot. Compare at least two quotes and ask whether laying and soil preparation are included.
How often should I water a new lawn?
Keep new sod or runners moist with daily light watering for about two weeks. Then shift to deeper watering a few times a week in summer.
How short should I mow my lawn?
About 2.5 to 5 cm for most bermuda and zoysia lawns, never removing more than a third of the blade at once.