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- Centipede is so low maintenance compared to other lawn grasses it has earned the title: 'The Lazy Man's Grass!'
- Centipede requires half the mowings per season than other types of lawn grasses.
- Our Centipede Lawn Seed is an advanced formula coated with Pinnacle Coating™. This coating is packed with micronutrients that help seedlings to fight disease and promotes vigorous root growth after seed has germinated.
- When planted properly, this Centipede Lawn Seed with Pinnacle Coating™ will develop into a beautiful, solid lawn that requires little or no chemical treatment.
- Centipede Lawn Seed grows well in poor soil with full sun to partial shade.
- The convenient Shaker Lid makes for easy application or you can use a hand held rotary spreader to broadcast seed.
- 1 pound of Centipede Lawn Seed will cover approximately 4,000 square feet of lawn area (100' x 40' area).
Centipede...'The Lazy Man's Grass!' Centipede grass is a slow gowing, meduim-to-coarse warm season perennial lawn grass which produces a very dense, attractive, weed-free turf. Compared to other grasses, Centipede requires less care, less mowing, and less fertilizer. It is generally resistant to most insects and diseases.
On a year round basis, Centipede will require about half the number of mowings than most types of Bermuda, Zoysia or Fescue lawns. Centipede is also more shade tolerant than Bermuda or Zoysia grass.
Since it produces only surfaces runners, it is much more easy to control around flower beds and walkways. Centipede grass prefers a more acid soil so usually does not require liming in average soils.
Planting a Centipede Lawn
The Best Time to Plant a Centipede Lawn From SeedWhere it grows in USDA Zones 7 to 9, Centipede seed sprouts and develops best when planted sometime from March through early August. Seeds planted when temperatures are cooler will germinate when soil temperatures rise to 70 degrees F and above. Spring through early summer plantings tend to do best. Competition from weeds and other grasses are less at this time.
Note: If you are in Zone 7, check with your Local Extension Service Agent to see if Centipede grows well in your area.
Soil Preparation
Site preparation is critical for establishing a thick lawn in the shortest amount of time. You can aerate and overseed an existing Fescue or Bermuda grass lawn, however, you will achieve better and quicker results if the soil is loosened with a tiller or garden rake to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. In hard-packed clay soils addition of sand can help to loosen the soil. After tilling soil, use a garden rake to level and smooth seed bed and create 1/2" deep furrows across the entire planting bed. This depth is critical for proper germination of seed.
Note: Keep in mind, whether aerating and seeding or using the till method that seed planted too deep may not germinate.
Before tilling soil, a pre-plant fertilizer such as 5-10-15, 15-0-15 or 18-0-18 may be added by broadcasting at a rate of 10 to 15 pounds per thousand square feet of lawn area. Alternatively, we've found that using a 'Lawn Starter' fertilizer works best.
Note: Never use a 'Weed & Feed' fertilizer or Lawn Weed Killer sprays prior to planting seed as this will inhibit germination or kill the Centipede seedlings as they sprout!
Planting Seed
To broadcast seed evenly, broadcast seed with a hand-held or walk-behind rotary type spreader. Make sure to set spreader on a very low setting as you will need to cover a large area with a very small amount of seed (1 pound covers 4,000 square feet: 100' x 40' area). Avoid mixing seed with sand as the seed might condense in the mixture and not spread evenly over the planting area.
To start, spread half of the calculated seed over the entire planting area following the direction of the furrowed rows you created. Broadcast the other half of the seed in the opposite direction (perpendicular) to the first pass. This crossing pattern will ensure even coverage. Finally, carefully cover the seed using a leaf rake or by using a lightweight lawn roller.
After Planting
If the area is prone to washing or erosion, lightly mulch with wheat straw, hay or some other type of straw. Distribute mulch thinly: just enough to cover the soil. Mulch applied too heavy can inhibit growth by shading young seedlings.
The most critical step in establishing a lawn from seed is keeping the soil bed moist...but not too wet. The soil should remain moist to a depth of 1" until seedlings have reached at least 1/2" in height. In cooler weather, this may be accomplished by watering 2 to three times per week if there is no rainfall. In warmer weather, daily watering may be necessary if there is no rainfall.
Once seedlings have reached the requisite height watering may be cut back, but not stopped completely during the first active growing season. During the second growing year, Centipede should only require watering during prolonged periods of dry weather.
Caring for a Centipede Lawn
Mowing a Centipede Lawn
TIP #1: Cut your Centipede lawn using a mower with a sharp blade. It's a
good idea to use the two-blade system. Keep one extra sharp blade around for a
replacement every 8 to 12 cuttings.
TIP #2: Don't scalp the lawn too low. Remember each time you cut the grass
you're stressing it out. Never cut more than one third of the grass blade off at
a time. Maintain your Centipede lawn at 3 inches height. Wait until it reaches
4-1/2 inches and then remove 1-1/2 inches.
TIP# 3: As long as you mow on a regular basis, leave the clippings since they are a natural way to feed your grass. Clippings also reduce the amount of water the lawn needs to stay green and healthy looking.
TIP #4: Mow when grass is dry. Mowing long grass that's wet is a sure fire
recipe for those dreaded clumps. And clumps can promote the onset of damaging
fungus.
Tip #5: Avoid ruts and help your grass to stand straighter by mowing at a
different angle each mowing.
Fertilizing a Centipede Lawn
Fertilize a Centipede lawn after it has greened up in spring with a Centipede fertilizer such as 15-0-15, 18-0-18 or 25-0-10. Just make sure there is no phosphorus (middle number). A second application of fertilizer can be done if necessary during summer. A third application of a Fall Feed/Winterizer can be applied during fall.
Tip: Any time during the growing season, an application of iron granules will
promote deep greening of your Centipede lawn. We recommend Hi-Yield Iron Plus.Weed Control in a Centipede LawnIn later winter broadcast a pre-emergent lawn weed control product such as Team 2G over the lawn to kill spring weed seeds before they have a chance to germinate.
During the active growth season, a post-emergent weed kill such as Hi-Yield Atrazine weed killer can be sprayed to kill existing weeds in a Centipede lawn. Use only products containing Atrazine as this is the chemical specifically used for weed control in Centipede lawns. Other products may damage or kill your Centipede lawn.
Disease Control in the Lawn - Find Instructions Here
Insect Control in the Lawn - Find Instructions Here
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