Plugging sod to save money

[frank29]

Last fall I leveled an area behind my home to get a relatively flat back yard. This area is about 10,000 square feet. Immediately after the loader work, I seeded rye grass to stablize the dirt. Now, I need to develop a grass yard....I have picked centipede grass.

I want to use sod applied with no gaps about 30' wide from the house. The further out areas I want to save money by taking each piece of sod and breaking into multiple pieces and laying with gaps between each piece.

MY QUESTION: How small of pieces and how far apart? I would like to have complete coverage in no more than 3 years.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Logan]

I have sprigged centipede (maybe a south GA word) a few times. I bought sod and broke it up in fist size wads and buried the roots. I spaced it about every square foot or so. I watered it good and it covered in two seasons.

My son-in-law spread some seed that he got from Lowes in the yard of their new house last year. The builder placed sod about six feet around the house. The seed was cast in bare ground, mostly sand, and kept watered. You can't tell the difference this year where the sod starts. Of course with last year's drought it took a lot of water. I don't know the particular name of the seed but I know it wasn't all centepede seed because it was only about $30 for what looked like a five pound bag. It probably had rye in it to stabilize it like you did, but it had centepede in it and that is all that stayed, except a few weeds.

The problem I see with sprigging it is the gaps tend to fill with weeds and it's an awful lot of work. Plus some of the sprigs die and have to be re-done. Seeding seemed easier and probably less expensive if the seeds don't cost a fortune. In S.GA the real centipede seed, name brand stuff, is like gold and doesn't go very far.

 

[JeffRey30747]

I have sodded, sprigged and seeded centipede with varying results. Sod is by far the easiest route but the most expensive as you have already posted. When I sprigged it, I broke it into as many pieces as I could and still get a viable plant with roots and leaves spacing on about 18". The seeding method didn't cover near as fast for me but made a better looking lawn than the sprigging once it filled in. As was mentioned prior, all the seed in the big box stores seems to be a blend mixed with rye or carpetgrass or something as filler/stabilzer. I'll probably go with the seed to establish it again unless I can get sod scraps for cheap to sprig with. Right now, I'm planning on putting out tall fescue and overseeding/sprigging with centipede later. It has been my experience that it will root out fescue in short order and even give bermuda a tough fight (anything that grows through asphalt is pretty tough stuff!;-) ). Later on if you are left with any bare spots, take the runners you trim from sidewalks and flower beds and sprig them in there.

Jeff

 

[frank29]

Thanks guys.