See my blog.

I added blue grama this spring, but don't know if it was successful yet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Buffalo Grass

One of them supposedly takes longer to fill in --

I just never had a lawn before, and wasn't going to do one at all--bad juju for my climate and resources. But then I saw my neighbor's yard full of grass (which makes sense for him since he has small children) and how they hosted a whole wedding there and I thought how much more utility I would get out of my yard if I had a little spot of grass. But I still want to be sensitive to my site.

ETA: ooh, missed the blog entry first time around. very helpful!

This post was edited by Violet.West on Fri, Jul 11, 14 at 13:24

Where do you live? Which desert?
Is there ANY shade from trees, shrubs, fences, or buildings? These grasses will not tolerate any shade.

Buffalo grass has the unfortunate characteristic of sending up seeds and flower stalks much faster than the grass grows. That makes it look shaggy about 3 days after you mow. Were you planning to mow? Were you planning to water it?

Buff also has the characteristic of being thin and not spreading very well/fast. There is a variety called Turffalo which spreads like wildfire and grows very dense. It also has seed heads and flower stalks which grow at almost the same rate as the grass itself. It takes about 3 weeks before it looks shaggy. It does get a brown cast over it from the color of the seeds and flowers. Here's a picture.

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The grass in that picture was about 3 weeks since mowing. you can see that the grass in the front of the picture is in the shade. That grass was on the north side of a tree. It was significantly thinner in that shade than it was out away from the tree. Due to the density of growth, fast spreading, and the low seed/flower heads, Turffalo is unlike any other buffalo grass. Turffalo is a little expensive to buy, but since it spreads so well, you can get away with less than you think. If you have a small area, one tray of plugs would work.

I live in the Chihuahuan desert, in El Paso. No shade. I will mow and water appropriately (I hope). Shaggy is okay, and I think that the mixture with the blue grama is supposed to help fill in thin spots.

Blue grama does not spread, either. That Turffalo grass is from Lubbock, so it's a good Texas product!!

El Paso has a problem with soil that practically requires grasses like these. Is your soil gravelly?

it's pretty sandy and gravelly.

I don't have direct experience with those grasses, but I think you're on track for your location. Something else you might add to the mix is a wheatgrass adapted to West Texas. I don't know what those are but Google might help.

I planted it! (forgot I even posted this last year) Am watering it -- we'll see if it grows.