Spring is the time when you step out into your winter ravaged lawn and say "What the heck happened here?!" It's also the time to plant grass plugs and reclaim that yard as the beautiful lawn specimen you know it should be. Here at Naturehills.com we often get asked about grass planting this time of year. People say that they like the idea of grass plugs over the expense of sod or the uncertainty of seeding, but are afraid that planting grass plugs is too hard. We are here to tell you a resounding "NO!" Grass plugs are a cinch to plant and care for and are a great alternative to seeds and sod.
Picking your plugs may be the toughest part. They come in St. Augustine, Zoysia, Centipede, Bahia, Bermuda, Buffalo and many others. If you're not sure what to plant, Zoysia is a pretty safe bet as it grows over most of the continental US from the Deep South to the frigid north.
Once you've picked them out, planting plugs easy as easy as 1-2-3:
Step 1 - Thoroughly water the area you intend to plant, whether a whole lawn or a small bare patch. This softens the soil.
Step 2 - Dig holes for the plugs in a checkerboard pattern for the best coverage. The holes should be only as deep as the plug roots. To speed this up use an auger made for planting bulbs and plugs. This is attached to a hand drill and will save you time and a backache. In each hole put a scoop of lawn fertilizer to give the grass a head start. Plant the plug in the hole and tap the soil around it so that is snug and secure.
Step 3- Water the whole area again and every day for a week to 10 days. This is enough time for the plugs to get securely rooted. Water regularly thereafter to assure a healthy lawn.
After 4-6 weeks you can mow the lawn as normal. A couple of pro pointers:
*The closer you plant the plugs, the quicker the lawn will fill out.
*Typical grass plug spacing:
- 12" Apart-1 tray of 18 plugs will cover 32 square feet
- 15" Apart-1 tray of 18 plugs will cover 40 square feet
- 18" Apart-1 tray of 18 plugs will cover 56 square feet
See? Planting plugs is easy! Good luck with your lawn and give us a call if you have any questions. Here is a quick example in a video as well:
