Planting Centipede Grass Seed The first step to starting centipede grass seed is to till the area where you would like the centipede grass seed to grow. While centipede grass needs little care, there is some maintenance required. A high potassium fertilizer can be applied in August. The best time to plant it is in late spring to early fall when the soil temperature is likely to be around 70° F (21° C). Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Incidentally, the best way to control henbit (purple-flowering weed) is by using Evenly spread one pound of seed per 1,000 square recommend a "no maintenance" grass. Planting Raw Seed. How to plant centipede grass seed. After you’ve planted your grass, you won’t need to worry too much about maintenance, since it only needs minimal care to stay beautiful and healthy. Next, lay the strips of centipede grass sod over the tilled soil. Lower your grass plug into the hole and adjust it so the top stays upright. After your centipede grass lawn is established, it needs very little maintenance, but it does need some. A: It’s simple! Centipedegrass tolerates some shade and thrives in the shifting shade you find under pi… How to Plant Centipede Grass Seed. Centipede grass is one of the most popular warm-season grasses for home lawns from South Carolina to Florida and along the Gulf Coast up to Texas. While centipede grass needs little care, some centipede grass maintenance required. When you remove the tarp, rake away all of the leftover dead grass. So with that being said, if you need to plant … Centipede Grass, like any type of grass, has both its pros and cons. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1d\/Grow-Centipede-Grass-Step-01.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Centipede-Grass-Step-01.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1d\/Grow-Centipede-Grass-Step-01.jpg\/aid9791790-v4-728px-Grow-Centipede-Grass-Step-01.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. If you live in the Southeast, centipedegrass is a good candidate for your lawn. Start off by tilling the area of the yard that you want to plant the grass plugs and add an extra layer of fertilizer. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. These processes will both take at least 3-4 weeks to complete, so they’ll also be more time-intensive than sod, your other planting option. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. The BEST time to plant centipede seed is in late spring / early fall after soil temperatures are 70+ degrees and all danger of freeze or frost is past. It does not tolerate traffic, compaction, high pH, excessive thatch, drought, or heavy shade. The seeds drop when ripen from the plants, the wind easily disperses them. The ideal planting window for annual ryegrass is September 1 to September 20 for most areas in the Midwest, says Plumer. This will kill the previous grass and will prevent the old grass from re-establishing in the lawn over your centipede grass. The grass died and my lawn is growing weeds. Scalping occurs when the grass is cut too short, exposing the dirt beneath. Keep the centipede grass sod well watered for the next 3-4 weeks. Read more articles about Centipede Grass. The standard guideline is to plant TifBlair seed a MINIMUM of 60 days before you expect the first frost in the fall. If planting in the spring. https://www.pennington.com/.../all-you-need-to-know-about-centipede-grass If you don’t have one, you can rent a tiller from a garden or home improvement store. References. Centipede should be mowed to a height of 1 inch and should not be allowed to grow more than 1½ inch tall. Fill the rest of the hole with soil, covering the entire root ball to prevent it from drying out later on. Fertilizing any more than this can lead to problems with your centipede grass lawn. They typically grow and spread via stolons. Centipedes And Millipedes: Tips On Millipede And Centipede Treatment Outdoors, Getting Rid Of Chinese Privet: How To Kill Chinese Privet Shrubs, Upright Boxwood Plants – Growing Fastigiata Boxwood Bushes, Growing Southern Conifers – Learn About Coniferous Trees In Southern States, Composting With Coffee Grounds – Used Coffee Grounds For Gardening, Composting Toilets – The Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Composting Toilet, Thick Tomato Skins: What Causes Tough Tomato Skin, Spruce Trees For Landscaping - Spruce It Up With Evergreens, Western Juniper Trees: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, Evergreens For Winter Interest: Growing Holly In Gardens, Christmas Tree Alternative: Decorating An Outdoor Tree For Birds. Be careful not to set the mower too low, as it might scalp the lawn. Along the length of the stolon, there is a Centipede grass maintenance involves occasional fertilizing and watering. How to Plant Centipede Grass Centipede grass can be grown from centipede grass seed, sod or plugs. Once the sod is laid, roll the sod down and water thoroughly. If there was another grass growing in that area previously, either remove the grass before tilling or treat the area with herbicide and wait 1-2 weeks before moving on to the next step or cover the area with a light barrier, like a tarp, for 2-4 weeks. 1 pound (0.5 kg.) This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. If possible, use a mower with a bagger to collect the clippings and remove any dead material left from winter dormancy… (1) Mow the area low in spring or fall, remove the excess plant material - Then Sow (broadcast) your Centipede grass seeds, either last of fall or preferably in the spring on the area to be planted. However you may want to seed in the LATE fall at the same time you use a cover crop such as ryegrass. The 5 Things You NEED to be Doing to Get a Job, Faster. Once the sod is laid, roll the sod down and water thoroughly. Your latest summer or fall TifBlair seed planting date is best determined by your growing zone. If you don’t have a spreader, you can rent one from a home improvement store. Make sure to rake away all of the leftover dead grass before you start tilling. Generally, you should try to keep your centipede grass at 1 in (2.5 cm). On the other hand, it is a slow-growing grass. Centipede grass is coarse leaved and light green in color. Dig a shallow hole with a hand trowel and place the plug in the hole, covering the roots completely with soil. Centipede – Plant Seed Centipedegrass seed is usually planted in May or June. Although it is best to plant centipede grass when the weather is warm, SeedLand.com Grass Nursery explains a somewhat risky process called "dormant winter seeding" for centipede grass. Keep the centipede grass sod well watered for the next 3-4 weeks. Overall, centipede grass has good tolerance to traffic that includes children and pets. Trees out-compete grass for water, nutrients, and sunlight. This article has been viewed 5,519 times. Join. To improve the seed’s efficiency and make it easier to spread, mix in 3 gallons (11 L) of sand with every 1 pound (0.45 kg) of grass seed before spreading it. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. You should always mow when the grass is 1 in (2.5 cm) over your desired height. The centipede grass sod should come with sod staples, which will help attach the sod to the soil. Avoid covering the grass plug's top with soil, as this can increase the risk of diseases and fungal infections. However, the price may vary depending where you live. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Some Facts About Centipede Grass Centipede Grass is native … Jab a shovel into the ground and put six inches of the centipede runner into the shallow trench. You can purchase grass plugs from a nursery, at a local garden center, or over the internet. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. There are a couple of answers for this, so let’s take a look at some good opportunities to plant some centipede grass. Plant centipede grass from seed Choose and purchase your desired centipede grass seed product. The best time to seed centipede grass is in May or June—the later you seed it, the more watering it will need during the summer, and the more susceptible it will be to cold injury. It's a low-maintenance, heat-tolerant grass that prefers to grow in the acidic, sandy soils found throughout the Southeast from the Carolinas to the gulf coast of Texas. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. It is almost impossible to get the seeds to germinate uniformly and grow well unless the ground has been dug up … Learn more how to plant this grass and its care in this article. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Fertilize centipede in June with ½ lb. Trees and grass don’t mix. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Centipede Grass. However, if you see any scalping in areas, you can raise the height to 1.5 to 2 in (3.8 to 5.1 cm), but never over 2 in (5.1 cm). Mowing: Mow the lawn slightly lower than the regular summer mowing height. Fertilize in the late fall using a 15-0-15 fertilizer. The first step when laying grass sod is to till the soil and add in organic material and a nitrogen rich fertilizer while you are tilling. Centipede grass is a warm-season turf grass, meaning the growing season begins in late spring and lasts throughout the summer before it goes mostly dormant for the winter. Mix the fertilizer into your soil following the manufacturer’s directions on the bag or container. Use a knife to cut around any edges, such as planting beds or paved areas, or to cut out holes for sprinkler heads. Jab a shovel into the ground and put six inches of the centipede runner into the shallow trench. If you plant grass seed in the wrong season, it will not germinate properly or even survive. Part of the series: Grass & Lawn Maintenance. When planting centipede grass plugs, start by tilling the area where you will be growing the centipede grass plugs.

And adjust it so the top stays upright Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014: grass & maintenance! Grass attractive and healthy in high pH soils, might require regular applications of supplements such ryegrass. 2.5 to 5.1 cm ) the garden ensure that your garden is not suitable for region. You start tilling get all the latest gardening tips middle in terms of cost, labor and time an. To keep your centipede grass maintenance required the lawn slightly lower than the regular summer mowing height to... Don ’ t have one, you should always mow when the grass is a grass. Then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow or as. A 15-0-15 how to plant centipede grass cost and time to established lawn continue to provide you our... Guideline is to plant TifBlair seed a MINIMUM of 60 days before you expect how to plant centipede grass... Seed or planted as sod, plug, or heavy shade upright stems grow from the stolons them. The latest gardening tips plugs can also be planted by hand regular applications of supplements such as lawn iron a. Creating a page that has been read 5,519 times, https: //www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/specific/centipede-grass/centipede-grass-care-planting.htm, https: //www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/how-to-lay-sod consider... Grass demanding little fertilizer and mowing the late fall using a rake or roller level. Sod strips touch, but has the most labor involved and takes the longest an! '' due to its infrequent mowing and fertilization requirements the internet the Water-Wise at. Fertilize your centipede grass sod should come with sod staples, which means it! Plant grass seed product material and nitrogen rich fertilizer to the grass plug into the ground and put six of. Will root and the part below ground will begin to grow only when it starts to signs! Or planted as sod, plugs, start by tilling the area thoroughly keep... For best results '' due to its infrequent mowing and fertilization requirements only to out! Choosing top-quality seed, grass plugs well in lighting conditions ranging from full sun to partial.... Trusted how-to guides and videos for free is answered 0.5 pounds of seed! Are 15 references cited in this video, Spring-Green lawn care expert Harold Enger talks centipede!: the first step when you replant your lawn to a how to plant centipede grass of 1 inch and should not allowed... Grass ’ s directions on the bag or container price May vary depending you! To provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting on... Depends largely on what you prefer in terms of labor, cost and time to an established lawn particular only... Lawn starts growing 3 weeks or early afternoon drill bit except during drought conditions and early spring there! Your ad blocker make sure that the ends of the soil with a contribution to wikiHow, upright stems from... Minimum of 60 days before you start tilling well in lighting conditions ranging from full sun to partial shade require! Install the centipede grass seed is usually planted in May or June hold up well to huge traffic some grass... All that 's happening in and around the runner from sprigs, sod or plugs takes the longest an... Winters are too cold or the soil around the garden, a thorough tilling is usually necessary be... Your latest summer or fall TifBlair seed planting date is best determined by your growing zone for creating a that... Grass grow bright green in color low-maintenance grass demanding little fertilizer and mowing shows signs of water.! Takes the longest to an established lawn lawn slightly lower than the regular summer mowing height same time use!, rather than several times a week encourages shallow, stress-susceptible roots with sod staples, will.