Planting A Centipede Lawn~ Southern Lawn Grasses

[@tracytuten5116]

Love Centipede had it in my Georgia back yard for 20 years.

[@BIGALTX]

It IS pretty grass :)

[@tw9433]

I’m pondering seeding it in with my st Augustine to fix spots where weeds killed my grass. Bad idea to mix the two? Im tired of sodding/plugging every year..

[@StanThePigeon]

@@tw9433I’m not an expert, but centipede thrives in conductions where st Augustine will not, so it might take over. Centipede requires far less nitrogen and is more forgiving in less than perfect soil conditions

[@ElGatoLoco698]

I was in East Texas the last few days. I kept thinking I was going to come across ole TP2, then I realized how big East Texas is.

[@beebop9808]

Yeehaw. :) I planted some once. Close to a quarter acre I guess. Didn't even see it for the first year hardly, second year it was up and green, third year it took off. Advances about 6 feet a year. Never tried that again. I bought sod and broke the pieces in half and spread them out randomly around the rest of the property. One year to get hooked in and second year started taking off. Seems to do much better at choking everything out and staying thick and even by keeping it cut to a couple of inches, maybe a hair less. Awesome grass tho, feed it just a little and cut it. It does the rest.

[@BIGALTX]

It really does take a few years to really take hold. But you're right.. It chokes out just about everything around it!

[@randallalderman2260]

Id like to see your results to this seeding. I dont believe the Centipede will choke out the Bermuda, I think just the opposite will happen. Bermuda is a tough, resilient undesirable (in my opinion) grass. It looks like you have quite a bit of shade in that area of your yard too. And Centipede doesn't do well in shade

[@BIGALTX]

Actually, the Saint Augustine has pretty much choked out the centipede in this yard. In the south, we don’t consider Bermuda a nuisance grass. It’s the best grass we have for very sunny areas, and for pastures.

[@CP-nf9my]

I'm in the south and hate Bermuda in my Centipede because it does take over. So does St. Augustine. You have to kill the roots before you seed or it returns.

[@deannaray1726]

The bermuda didn’t take over? I barely had any Bermuda and now it’s like half my yard. The centipede stood no chance and I’m in south Louisiana

[@BIGALTX]

Understood. Bermuda is a hard grass to kill.

[@tangle70]

I'll take your word on the lushes grass there is. But I have not seen too much in the way of good grass or soil since moving south.

[@tybeeislandgoat1402]

This crap in the south sucks. Centipede is garbage and never comes up. I have laid 5 bags and over the last 4 years saw nothing but a few spots get a minor seedling at best. I tried everything even the pros said just rock it. Live on the beach and it's direct sunlight.

[@michaelbacile8439]

Zoysia grows in salty sandy soil pretty well. You do have to fertilize it pretty frequently and water almost every day.

[@CP-nf9my]

@@tybeeislandgoat1402 You need acidic soils for Centipede. I've had it for over 20 years here in the Conroe (north of Houston) areas. I love it. It'll get weeds if you don't take care of it, but it needs very little in terms of care.

[@Atoyota]

slow growing is what I like... That and choking out the weeds which we have plenty of. One weed in particular we fight every year is Johnson grass. Right now it's coming up like gangbusters and some is already going to seed. That and thistle... I've been hitting the Johnson with roundup and what we can't get to in time we will mow down to prevent seed.

[@RhodeToPrepping]

Atoyota I went to Farm Store we have here in Southeastern Illinois ...called Rural King after I had the Johnson Grass identified, they sold me something that killed it pretty fast. I had been digging the stuff up as far as three feet deep and dumping on Round Up with no results at all. I am sorry I can't remember the name of the stuff but go to a farm store and ask them so you can kill the Johnson Grass.

[@Atoyota]

Roundup only works on the leaves which takes the poison to the root system. It kills Johnson grass also same way. Problem is it also kills the good grass. 24D won't kill either grass or Johnson grass but does kill weeds. Dangerous to use in a vineyard because it's volatile and can affect the vines even a mile away depending on wind direction. Right now we have a combined strategy of keeping it cut down so it won't got to seed, and using roundup on the bigger patches

[@RhodeToPrepping]

Atoyota I have a landscape friend who said she knew someone who sprayed Round Up very low and about four feet from grape vines and the grapes never have made grapes....ever.

[@Atoyota]

We use roundup every year and only have problems when we hit the leaves which damages the root system as a result. Simply plucking the leaves or shoot will remedy that. The vines that are not hit produce as normal. Roundup does not enter through the ground or root system, only the leaves. We spray at the base of the vines every year before bud break and also use "Prowl" (a pr-emergent which prevents germination).

[@guse34]

I cant get mine to grow in great in a mildly shady area (in Dallas). The sunny areas are coming on but under the tree where its not super shady its barely moving. Any tips???

[@BIGALTX]

Might have to trim out the tree a little to give it more sunlight

[@covecityboys]

I’ve thought about using a pull behind yard rake for the raking process but removing the bag first so it doesn’t pick up and it just fluffs up the dirt real good. How do you think that would work?

[@BIGALTX]

I've got a 6' rake for my 3-point hitch. If I used it, I think I'd turn it around backwards so it wouldn't "rake"... but would just scratch over the dirt. (rake teeth pointing backwards) I have some roots and rocks, etc that it would pick up if I had it in the rake position.

[@rahangman]

Sounds very similar to our Zoysia Grass here in N Central Akansas....

[@RhodeToPrepping]

...Humm and here I have done all kinds of research on how to kill out the Bermuda Grass (which is impossible ) that keeps sending runners over into my Back to Eden Garden. the stuff drives us crazy. The garden in 150 long rows...that is a lot of edging, or grass pulling. ..best of luck.

[@BIGALTX]

The centipede would take over too... but much slower :)

[@fumasterchu]

I agree about Bermuda, it's the bane of my existence! Nothing overtakes it or chokes it out and it's very hard to kill. I have a daily fight with it to keep it out of my garden. I would never, ever plant it on purpose. The struggle is real with that devil grass.

[@RhodeToPrepping]

Jenerous Soul Hi, I did some research on the Bermuda grass as I think I said, I will look for the name of the stuff I finally ended up getting. I also called a local landscaping place, they told me the same that is out there on the internet, it can only be controlled and not completely killed. It seems that Bermuda grass loves it when we cut our grass low...it gets more sun and will grow better.

[@fumasterchu]

RhodeToPrepping, thanks, I would be interested in the stuff you use to manage it. I ended up laying thick black plastic down and placing raised beds on top of it and then cut the plastic just under the beds before filling them and then I heavily mulched between them. I tried the BTE garden when we first moved here, without realizing how Bermuda grows and as you can imagine, it was a total failure. I have subscribed to a channel on youtube called Plant Based Large Family who is in my same growing zone 7b, but in North Carolina and she has successfully done a large Back To Eden garden over Bermuda using tarps to kill (not really) the Bermuda for a season and then heavily mulched. She just keeps tarps around the edges of her garden at all times and slowly expanded it. I think I'm going to give this method a shot. I have over 20 acres and it seems like all of it is Bermuda and stickers lol

[@anniegaddis5240]

I'm slowly digging a 6 foot path all the way around my huge garden for the same reason. A 6 foot sheet of plastic is going down in that path as I go. Bermuda is HORRIBLE stuff!

[@davebeard4987]

Are you concerned about you new grass BAKEING in July and August???? I also live down south just above the Alabama line north of Pensacola. As with Texas it get damn hot and dry towards the end of the summer. Do not want to put all the effort in to this if it going to die in two months??? Interested n your advice on this as you have never let us down....... Keep up the great work and subjects!!!!!!

[@BIGALTX]

Must water a new lawn... until it germinates I have to water twice a day for about 5 minutes each.

[@hurdman7899]

SCREAM!!!!!!! Bermuda grass is my enemy. I had to spray my yard many times to get "control" of the Bermuda grass. As I patrol my yard, I keep an eye out for any Bermuda sprouts. When I see them, I hit them with Glyphosate which is the only thing I have found that will kill it.

[@BIGALTX]

I know Bermuda can be a nuisance, but it makes a nice lawn. This yard is far from anything I have planted in a garden... but my garden is flanked by bermuda anyway... and yes, it's tough to keep it out

[@wills5615]

Pesticides are a scam

[@bobperson1173]

"...grass in no time I hope"? Is that 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months...?

[@BIGALTX]

Centipede is very slow to germinate. It took about 2-3 weeks before I saw much action. The yard filled in nicely with Cent and St Augustine grass, but it did take a while The 2nd year is when it really filled in

[@JorgeL721]

Nice video. Could you have raked anything but the concrete? lol

[@BIGALTX]

Next time! 👍🏻😎

[@lonewolf-eh9jq]

You are so wrong you can grow it above the Mason-Dixon line because I live there and I have centipede growing in my yard

[@BIGALTX]

Wow... good to know!! Thanks

[@choppergirl]

Hi, I don't want to do any of this work. Can I just throw centipede seed on a lawn full of highway grass like before the spring rains come and have it take hold that way? Because I have a 5 acre field I have to do.

[@BIGALTX]

Read the directions. It says must be planted on tilled soil.

[@rockscorner5991]

Howdy Texas Prepper!

[@BIGALTX]

Well, howdy there !

[@justinb2374]

Ever made a part 2?

[@BIGALTX]

This was last year, and the grass really did poorly. I watered regularly for weeks, then went out of town for a couple of days and it looked like crap when I got home. THIS year however, I'm seeing a lot of centipede grass out there. So, I guess some of it either rooted well, or the seed remained viable over the winter. I'll try to do a follow up soon...

[@justinb2374]

TexasPrepper2 ah thanks for the reply. In rehab over here with this yard of sand on the nc coast. Best of luck to ya!

[@juliocs5483]

Yup I'd be interested in the progress as well...planning on seeding new lawn with centipede. Not sure if July is a bad time for it?

[@randyc5650]

TexasPrepper2, after raking in your seeds, try going over them with a roller. I noticed the grass growing very thick in footprint shapes where ever I walked. I rolled over it and got thicker growth. Keep reseeding every year if needed. Good luck.

[@15RunAway]

Buy a pallet of sod, cut them in quarters and checker it out and water like crazy. It'll spread like wild fire..

[@raybaker8653]

Are you Matthew Mcconaughey?

[@BIGALTX]

Yep... :)

[@hpgdawnpatrol9456]

Alright alright alright

[@howardwhite9773]

Have had centipede grass since the early 1980s in South Carolina. Grew fine in Hopkinsville KY and now north of Nashville TN. ;) global warming... ;)