Centipede
Find out what lawn environment Centipede is great for!
Centipede
Centipede is a slow-growing, sun-loving, low-maintenance turfgrass that performs best in sandy soils. It struggles in heavy clay soils. Centipede is very chemical-sensitive and does not like most lawn chemicals used on other grasses. In fact, many lawn chemicals will kill Centipede, so make sure you read all labels carefully. It is often called “lazy man’s grass” because it seems to thrive on neglect. Centipede is available in seed form, but the process is very slow – 3 years to a full lawn from seeding, and weeds take advantage of that, so sodding is the preferred installation method.
Centipede
Medium-Wide flat blade which hugs the ground
Medium root density
Sun-loving (7-8 hours minimum required)
Drought tolerant
Mow every 10-14 days at 1-2”
Kelly green color
Repairs itself with runners at a slow rate of speed
Budget-friendly
Fertilize once a year with low Nitrogen fertilizer (5-10-30)
Good choice for coastal NC and the Sandhills
Very chemical sensitive – do not use standard lawn products
Installations of Centipede
Centipede is an ideal lawn for a sunny yard that gets light traffic and has sandy, acidic soil. Centipede is considered low maintenance because it needs less frequent mowing, and few (though specific) chemical applications. Do not use high Nitrogen fertilizer, lime (unless specified in a soil test), or standard lawn weed killers. It will go dormant in the winter with a tannish brown color. Here’s a Maintenance Calendar for Centipede.
