Best Grass Types for Hollywood, FL

Best Grass for Hollywood's Climate

Hollywood sits in USDA Hardiness Zone 10b, which means winter lows typically run between 35°F (2°C) and 40°F (4°C). Summer highs in Hollywood usually peak in the 90–95°F (32–35°C) range, and the surrounding state of Florida averages roughly 54 inches of rainfall a year. True tropical climate. Year-round growth. St. Augustine 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto' is the volume leader; Bermuda and Zoysia compete on sunny lawns and golf-style finishes.

The dominant lawn grass in and around Hollywood is St. Augustine grass. St. Augustine dominates Florida lawns thanks to its shade tolerance and ability to handle the state's humidity, sandy soils, and salt-air conditions on the coasts. If you're starting a new lawn or overseeding an existing one in Hollywood, this is the grass to compare every alternative against — it sets the local benchmark for cost, drought response, and the look most neighbors are running.

St. Augustine grass performs in Hollywood the way it does because of the specific summer-stress profile here: zone 10b delivers roughly 100+ days of 90°F+ heat each year, summer highs in the 90–95°F (32–35°C) band, and the 54 inches of annual rainfall the state typically receives. Warm-season grasses like St. Augustine grass are evolved for exactly this combination — they go dormant only in the brief winter cool-down and resume active growth as soon as soil hits 18°C in spring. Expect to mow every 5–7 days during peak season once the lawn is fully greened up.

The second-most-common lawn grass in Hollywood is Bermuda Grass. The most popular warm-season grass in the South. Highly drought-tolerant, fast-spreading, and handles heavy foot traffic well. Many homeowners use Bermuda Grass as a blend partner with St. Augustine grass or as a primary grass on shaded portions of the yard. Regional sod farms typically carry both, and overseeding mixes blended for Florida usually combine the two.

The growing season in zone 10b is year-round, no frost, with last spring frost around Frost-free and first fall frost around Frost-free. That window dictates everything from when to seed to when to apply pre-emergent. See our full grass type comparison, the St. Augustine grass care guide, or the Florida lawn care calendar for the seasonal details.

When to Aerate and Overseed in Hollywood

In Hollywood, the ideal aeration window depends on which grass you have. Cool-season lawns (Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Fine Fescue) aerate best in early fall, roughly 4–6 weeks before Frost-free so the roots have time to recover before dormancy. Warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine) aerate best in late spring or early summer, after the lawn has fully greened up — in zone 10b, that's usually after Frost-free.

Specific month windows for Hollywood: cool-season grasses aerate October to mid-November; warm-season grasses aerate May through July. Soil should be moist but not wet — water the lawn the day before aeration so cores pull cleanly. Aim for soil temperature in the 13–24°C (55–75°F) range. Pull cores 5–7 cm (2–3 inches) deep with a hollow-tine aerator; spike aeration is mostly cosmetic and doesn't deliver the compaction relief most Hollywood lawns need.

Overseeding in Hollywood works best within the October–November window. That timing gives new seed soil temperatures warm enough to germinate but cool enough to avoid summer heat stress, and enough remaining growing season before Frost-free for roots to anchor. The target soil temperature for overseeding is 10–18°C (50–65°F) at 5 cm depth — measure with a soil thermometer or use the lawn-mowing-calendar tool for Florida. Skip overseeding outside this window — too early and seedlings cook; too late and they die back before establishing.

DIY vs. professional service: a homeowner with a rented core aerator can aerate a quarter-acre Hollywood lawn in 2–3 hours for $60–$90 in rental costs plus seed and fertilizer if overseeding the same day. Professional aeration in Florida typically runs $80–$200 for the same lawn, with overseeding adding another $100–$300 depending on seed quality and lawn size. Pros bring sharper tines, run a heavier machine that pulls deeper cores, and usually fold in a starter-fertilizer pass — worth the premium on compacted clay soils or larger lots.

For step-by-step timing, see when to aerate your lawn, the Florida-specific aeration cost guide, and the overseeding cost guide. Local pricing and contractor ranges for both services are included.

Not Typically Recommended for Zone 10b