Shannon Newton
Cooperative Extension
Centipede grass is a low maintenance warm season lawn grass. When grown properly, it provides a beautiful light green lawn.
Because we love our lawns and want to help them grow often extra attention is given to centipede. Guess what, it doesn’t even like or want that attention.
Let’s explore what works and what doesn’t when maintaining your centipede lawn.
Soil pH
Centipede, unlike all other grasses, prefers a soil pH of around 5.5. All other grasses prefer a higher pH. Have you taken a soil sample lately? If not, it will help you know if you need to apply lime to increase the soil pH. Or it will tell you that no lime is required. Often lime is applied because it is spring. This is a no, no if you raise the pH to 6 or more you will be damaging your centipede lawn. Do not apply lime just because….
Fertilizer
Centipede only needs one fertilization a year and of ½ pound of nitrogen in mid-June using a high potassium fertilizer like 5-5-15 or 8-0-24. Most people want to fertilize as soon as warm weather arrives and commercials for weed and feed start showing up. The thing about centipede is not only does the top of the grass die back in the winter so do the roots. If you fertilize too early the roots haven’t’ developed.
Two things can happen, the new roots can be burned and the fertilizer will assist weeds to grow. Burned roots mean less growth of the grass and more growth of weeds. Apply fertilizer from the results a soil sample. The application of lime and fertilizer will then best address the needs of the plant. An additional application potassium in the fall is very beneficial for root growth. Recommended rates are on your soil sample, but in case you don’t have one, apply 1 pound of potassium per 1,000 square feet 4 to 6 weeks before the first expected frost.
Weed control
Centipede is sensitive to certain herbicides (for example, 2,4-D) Be careful when selecting weed control products. Weed and feed can be used but the time to apply pre-emergent herbicides in the spring is different than when fertilizer should be applied.
Always know what weeds you are trying to prevent or manage before applying an herbicide. Herbicide or weed killers are specific to certain weeds, so knowledge is power. Lastly, remember some weeds are ok!
Watering
Actively growing centipede grass needs one inch of water each week. If you have less than 1” of rain, you will need to water. Sandy soils often require ½ inch water every third day. A rain gauge
will help decide when to water. When you are watering with irrigation or sprinklers, place small straight sided containers in various places in your lawn to determine how much water is being applied. Proper watering in the spring will help prevent or reduce problems in the summer.
Follow this link for a complete Centipede Lawn Maintenance calendar: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/centipedegrass-lawn-maintenance-calendar
By following centipede grass requirements you too can have a beautiful lawn.
For information or if you have specific questions about plants in the landscape, garden or trees contact Shannon Newton, by email at Shannon_Newton@ncsu.edu or by phone at 910-875-3461 in Hoke County or 910-277-2422 in Scotland County.