Budget grass for larger yard?

[hks003]

Hi,
My wife and I bought 8 acres to build on, and the loggers are finishing up this week. I had about 2 acres cleared clean for a yard, and an acre for a food plot. I plan to plant perennial seed in the food plot, but what type of grass should I plant in the yard area? I've always heard St augustine or centipede grass for my area (south east arkansas, just west of the delta), but holy crap are those expensive to do for large areas. A 1 lb bag of centipede grass covers 1,000 Sq ft and costs $30. I'm looking at around 150,000 Sq ft, so I'd need about 150 pounds. That's $4,500 for grass, and I don't even like to mow. St augustine only seems to come as plugs or sod, and that's crazy expensive to do 2 acres. Bermuda is a little better, at 2 lb per 1,000 square feet, I'd need 300 lbs, but $60 gets 15 lbs, so $1,200 or so.

I'm looking for something to prevent erosion mostly. Slow growing and weed choking would be nice, but not needed.

Thanks for any input!

 

[herm0016]

find a local, commercial / municipal seed and whatnot supplier. they will have a great, commercial, low maintenance seed mix for your area at a good price. i get a rye and Kentucky grass mix great for our area at a few bucks a pound for a 25 lb sack. i also recommend a straw mat, at least for around the higher traffic areas. we did used them on half our yard which was totally dug up last year for a new septic, and the grass in that section did worlds better than the seed with out the mat in the rest of the yard. did not effect mowing much and was not a problem driving on it or for our dogs. has a thin green plastic net with straw woven in it. the mats are less than $50 each for 8 ft x 300 foot rolls at the same supplier i use.

 

[ovrszd]

I seeded around an acre for my new house project last Fall. I used a mix called "Quick Green" that I got from a local supplier. I expect a lush yard next Summer. I paid $2 p/lb. I don't think I could pay $30 p/lb.

 

[Diggin It]

I used to buy a 'contractor's mix' for a buck a pound or so. You don't want fancy grass that you may be tearing up during building. You just want something green-ish.

 

[Norm W]

If you want something green in a hurry then seed it. However, some of the hardiest "Lawns" are the ones that the owner just mowed what came up. If there was grass there before it will grow back. Weeds don't like being mowed. Grass seem to thrive. My "lawn" stays green all summer, I try to kill it by mowing close (I hate mowing). The neighbor pampers his lawn, it goes brown about the third week in July. Maybe my lawn is just trying to spite me. I park cars and trucks on it, run tractors and dozers across it and it just keeps growing.

 

[hks003]

I spray mine with msma every year, and it turns brown for a couple weeks then comes back full force. I'm currently on 4 acres, all of which I have to mow. At the new place, I'm not mowing more than 2 acres. I'll definitely look for the contractor mix! Thanks!

 

[hks003]

If you want something green in a hurry then seed it. However, some of the hardiest "Lawns" are the ones that the owner just mowed what came up. If there was grass there before it will grow back. Weeds don't like being mowed. Grass seem to thrive. My "lawn" stays green all summer, I try to kill it by mowing close (I hate mowing). The neighbor pampers his lawn, it goes brown about the third week in July. Maybe my lawn is just trying to spite me. I park cars and trucks on it, run tractors and dozers across it and it just keeps growing.

Also, it was a pine thicket last Monday, so no grass to grow back.

 

[Diggin It]

Also, it was a pine thicket last Monday, so no grass to grow back.

You might be surprised. I eliminated a large area of blackberry, honeysuckle and miscellaneous other undesirable junk. For the next couple of years, I just mowed it regularly to keep the junk from coming back. It's now one of my better areas of grass and has never seen grass seed or fertilizer.

 

[RickB]

Hi,
My wife and I bought 8 acres to build on, and the loggers are finishing up this week. I had about 2 acres cleared clean for a yard, and an acre for a food plot. I plan to plant perennial seed in the food plot, but what type of grass should I plant in the yard area? I've always heard St augustine or centipede grass for my area (south east arkansas, just west of the delta), but holy crap are those expensive to do for large areas. A 1 lb bag of centipede grass covers 1,000 Sq ft and costs $30. I'm looking at around 150,000 Sq ft, so I'd need about 150 pounds. That's $4,500 for grass, and I don't even like to mow. St augustine only seems to come as plugs or sod, and that's crazy expensive to do 2 acres. Bermuda is a little better, at 2 lb per 1,000 square feet, I'd need 300 lbs, but $60 gets 15 lbs, so $1,200 or so.

I'm looking for something to prevent erosion mostly. Slow growing and weed choking would be nice, but not needed.

Thanks for any input!

First thing you致e gotta do is start pricing 30-50 pound bags. Only a chump buys grass seed a pound at a time.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I've found that Centipede grass is more durable than San Augustine. Both are equally durable but the centipede does better with less watering.

Plugging about 1 plug every 6"-8" apart really cuts down on your initial cost. It'll take about 2 years for it to cover over solid, but it much easier on the pocket book. A couple of pallets of squares should be enough to get a good start on your lawn.

 

[KennyG]

It may not be what you are looking for but check out Hard Fescue. I got mine from one of the mail order, on line places. It's a slow growing grass that is very hardy and thrives in poor soil. No fertilizer needed. It's more of a meadow grass but looks pretty good. Although it's a clumping grass, if you sow it evenly it doesn't have a clump appearance. I have it around my pond. I mow it once a month or so to knock down any weeds that come up. I have other poor grass areas that I'm going to reseed to hard fescue.

 

[ovrszd]

It may not be what you are looking for but check out Hard Fescue. I got mine from one of the mail order, on line places. It's a slow growing grass that is very hardy and thrives in poor soil. No fertilizer needed. It's more of a meadow grass but looks pretty good. Although it's a clumping grass, if you sow it evenly it doesn't have a clump appearance. I have it around my pond. I mow it once a month or so to knock down any weeds that come up. I have other poor grass areas that I'm going to reseed to hard fescue.

There are a lot of different types of fescue. I think what you are referring to is what I prefer in waterways. Very strong root system. Wide blade grass.

 

[KennyG]

Here is a description of hard fescue. It's a fine leaf grass:

Hard fescue

It doesn't like high heat or drought, but otherwise it's the perfect low maintenance grass cover.

 

[ovrszd]

Good stuff Kenny. Never heard of it. Sounds like a good choice for a heavily treed area??

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Hi,
My wife and I bought 8 acres to build on, and the loggers are finishing up this week. I had about 2 acres cleared clean for a yard, and an acre for a food plot. I plan to plant perennial seed in the food plot, but what type of grass should I plant in the yard area? I've always heard St augustine or centipede grass for my area (south east arkansas, just west of the delta), but holy crap are those expensive to do for large areas. A 1 lb bag of centipede grass covers 1,000 Sq ft and costs $30. I'm looking at around 150,000 Sq ft, so I'd need about 150 pounds. That's $4,500 for grass, and I don't even like to mow. St augustine only seems to come as plugs or sod, and that's crazy expensive to do 2 acres. Bermuda is a little better, at 2 lb per 1,000 square feet, I'd need 300 lbs, but $60 gets 15 lbs, so $1,200 or so.

I'm looking for something to prevent erosion mostly. Slow growing and weed choking would be nice, but not needed.

Thanks for any input!

You really have only one choice. Bermudagrass. You are in south Arkansas, so any of the cool season grasses will not survive your summer. Don't waste money on any fescue, Kentucky blue grass, ryegrass, etc.

There are several kinds of bermuda available. If you will be mowing this as a lawn, DO NOT use plain old common bermuda. It would be the cheapest, but is better suited for pasture or hay, and not for a lawn, and you would have to mow it more often.

Be sure to get a 'turf type' bermuda seed. There are several good varieties available, and some come as a blend of 3 or 4 varieties. The cost will be around $12-$18 per pound, but it will still be your cheapest and best option. These varieties are bred for lawns and athletic fields and will not have as much upward growth.

Try to get the seed down between your last frost, and about mid June so that it has time to establish before next winter. Small seedlings will not survive a hard freeze.

St. Augustine is only available as sod or sprigs and will cost a lot more to establish.

Centipede seed will cost less, but will take a lot longer to establish. And Centipede will not tolerate as much traffic and/or drought.

I have been building and establishing athletic fields for many years and I only use bermuda

 

[ovrszd]

You really have only one choice. Bermudagrass. You are in south Arkansas, so any of the cool season grasses will not survive your summer. Don't waste money on any fescue, Kentucky blue grass, ryegrass, etc.

There are several kinds of bermuda available. If you will be mowing this as a lawn, DO NOT use plain old common bermuda. It would be the cheapest, but is better suited for pasture or hay, and not for a lawn, and you would have to mow it more often.

Be sure to get a 'turf type' bermuda seed. There are several good varieties available, and some come as a blend of 3 or 4 varieties. The cost will be around $12-$18 per pound, but it will still be your cheapest and best option. These varieties are bred for lawns and athletic fields and will not have as much upward growth.

Try to get the seed down between your last frost, and about mid June so that it has time to establish before next winter. Small seedlings will not survive a hard freeze.

St. Augustine is only available as sod or sprigs and will cost a lot more to establish.

Centipede seed will cost less, but will take a lot longer to establish. And Centipede will not tolerate as much traffic and/or drought.

I have been building and establishing athletic fields for many years and I only use bermuda

Good stuff!!!

What is the preferred application method?

How about seed rate?

 

[jeff9366]

Some of the hardiest "Lawns" are the ones that the owner just mowed what came up. If there was grass there before it will grow back. Weeds don't like being mowed. Grass seem to thrive.

Once you tentatively decide on a grass variety or a grass mixture, collect soil for soil tests in three or four places.

Unless the soil pH is near optimum and other nutrients, especially nitrogen, is sufficient you can spend big bucks on seed and your labor and have very low seed germination. It happened to me, planting Argentine Bahia without a soil test and with minimal rain after planting.

PH was a little high, nitrogen was minimal, then erratic moisture and my germination was "0".

That is the advantage of " If there was grass there before it will grow back. ", it is adapted. Some relatively cheap pasture fertilizer, something like 16-4-8 @ $15/50 pounds may be all you need to tune up the returning, adapted grass.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Good stuff!!!

What is the preferred application method?

How about seed rate?

The seed can be spread with any small spreader. The rate is 2 lbs per 1000 sq. ft., which works out to about 100 lbs per acre.

Once you tentatively decide on a grass variety or a grass mixture, collect soil for soil tests in three or four places.

Unless the soil pH is near optimum and other nutrients, especially nitrogen, is sufficient you can spend big bucks on seed and your labor and have very low seed germination. It happened to me, planting Argentine Bahia without a soil test and with minimal rain after planting.

This is also very good advice. Proper pH and fertilizer will help bermuda get established faster. And rainfall, or irrigation will also help any grass establish much faster.

 

[ovrszd]

The seed can be spread with any small spreader. The rate is 2 lbs per 1000 sq. ft., which works out to about 100 lbs per acre.

"Gulp", hard swallow, $1,500 per acre? Or did I miss something?

I spent $650 on one acre and struggled with that.

My Nephew runs a Sod Farm. He said "Do you want a pasture or a lawn?" If you want a lawn put down the proper amount of seed based on variety and don't pay any attention to cost."

 

[Complete Turf Care]

"Gulp", hard swallow, $1,500 per acre? Or did I miss something?

I spent $650 on one acre and struggled with that.

My Nephew runs a Sod Farm. He said "Do you want a pasture or a lawn?" If you want a lawn put down the proper amount of seed based on variety and don't pay any attention to cost."

Your nephew is correct.