Whether shade or drought has hindered its growth, or it’s been ravaged by disease, insects, or simply being Lady’s lavatory, your lawn is in need of resuscitation–– and learning how to grow a lawn with grass plugs just might be the first aid kit you’re looking for.
Less expensive than pieces of sod and easier to establish than seed, grass plugs can fill in bare spots or replace a full yard. Let’s take a look at how to plant grass plugs in 7 simple steps.
What are grass plugs?
Similar to flowers sold in trays that you pick up from your local nursery, grass plugs, too, are individual plants. This ready-to-plant turf consists of mature grass with a fully developed root system and attached soil, and each plant is generally 2 to 4 inches in diameter.
Besides laying down a new lawn or fixing bare spots, grass plugs also come in handy when the grass type you want isn’t available as seed or sod. Not sure which grass type will thrive in your environment? Grass plugs also allow you to test out different varietals before committing to one.
How to plant grass plugs (in 7 easy steps)
1. Test the soil
Prior to planting anything, including grass plugs, you’ll need to make sure your soil is ready to receive your new turfgrass. To get started, pick up an at-home soil testing kit at your local garden center.
If you opt for a kit that includes sending your soil sample to a laboratory, it may take a week or two to get your results, but the analysis will be more in depth, focusing not only on the pH of your soil but also on nutrient levels, soil type, and amendment recommendations.
If you just want to know your soil’s alkalinity or acidity, go with a simpler pH soil test and get your results in seconds. Based on the results of your soil test, you’ll find out if it’s ready for grass plug planting or if you need to add any amendments to the soil first.
2. Select the type of grass you want
Available in warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses, the type of grass plugs you choose will depend on a few factors:
- Climate zone
- Landscape conditions
- Maintenance needs
- Personal preferences
If you live in a climate that lacks significant rainfall, for example, you’ll want a sun-loving grass type with a high drought tolerance.
Depending on the layout and conditions of your landscape — amount of shade/sun and foot/pet traffic, prevalence of insects/fungi, or proximity to salt water — the grass you choose should be able to withstand it all.
And then, there’s the upkeep; would you rather have a low-maintenance lawn or a lawn that needs frequent mowing, watering, and fertilizing? On top of all that, aesthetics can also be a decider on the grass type you prefer, whether you’re drawn to a certain color or blade texture.
Warm-season grasses flourish in a temperature range of 75 to 90 degrees. These include:
- Bermudagrass
- St. Augustine grass
- Centipedegrass
- Zoysiagrass
- Buffalo grass
Cool-season grasses grow best in a temperature range of 60 to 75 degrees. These include:
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Bentgrass
- Fescue
- Perennial ryegrass
3. Measure the planting area
If you’re planning to use grass plugs to create an entirely new lawn, cordon off the location you’ve chosen to install them with stakes or rope. Then, calculate the square footage of that area; this will help you determine the number of grass plugs you’ll need per square foot to complete your project.
If you’re only repairing a very small section of bare grass, you may be able to skip sectioning off the area, but you will want to make sure you remove any weeds and diagnose and remedy any disease or insect issues before installing the plugs.
4. Remove any old grass or weeds
If you’re replacing an entire section of lawn and you haven’t already done this step, be sure to remove the old turfgrass, along with any weeds that may be covering the area. The quickest way to do this is by digging it up, but other options include:
- Solarization: The process of using the sun’s rays to cook up grass that’s covered in plastic sheeting.
- Sheet mulching: Smother the grass by covering it with newspaper or cardboard and other organic materials.
- Applying a nonselective herbicide like Roundup
Clearing the area of everything except the soil helps ensure weeds won’t take over your new lawn and any disease or insect remnants affecting the old grass won’t carry on to the new.
5. Prepare a grid layout
Also known as square foot gardening, grid planting can make the process of installing your grass plugs simpler. Here’s how to do it:
- Section your plot into squares with a gardening template or with a ruler and trowel. A plant spacing calculator can help you decide how many plugs you’d like to place in each square.
- On your grid, pre-mark the exact spots you’d like your plugs to go using spray paint or by simply placing each plug on top of the spot. The plugs can be as close or as far apart as you wish (within the recommended spacing of 6 to 18 inches). For instance, per square foot, you can opt to plant one, two, or four plugs.
6. Dig holes and install the plugs
Now for the main event. After creating your grid, use an auger — a spiral-shaped power tool for drilling holes in the ground — to make the slots for your grass plugs. Be careful not to dig too deep, though; each plug top should be at ground level. A hole of about 1 ¼ inches, or no deeper than the root ball, should do it.
Pro Tip: Moisten the soil first to make digging easier.
In your newly dug holes, drop some starter fertilizer and a dose of Soil Moist. The starter fertilizer will give your new turf a nutrient boost, while the Soil Moist will help reduce the amount of watering necessary by storing moisture and releasing it to turf roots as needed.
Once the holes have been prepped, you can start placing the grass plugs inside, situating them firmly in the ground by filling any excess space with soil. Cap off this process by watering the entire area.
7. Maintain your new lawn
It can take up to a month for the grass plugs to fully take root, so during this time, ensure your grass is watered daily–– whether that’s through rainfall or manually watering with a hose or sprinkler, just enough to dampen the soil.
After this period has passed, you can reduce watering to once or twice a week. You’ll also want to avoid mowing your grass until at least a month has passed; otherwise, you risk damaging the roots and possibly killing the turf plants.
As the weeks and months pass, you’ll see your grass plugs begin to spread and give your yard a lush, green ground cover.
FAQ about grass plugs
In addition to costing less than sod, being easier to establish than seed, and working to fill in bare spots and lay down full lawns, other benefits of grass plugs include:
Availability in a large variety of grass types
Comes with an established root system
Uses less water than sod and seed
When deciding among grass plugs, seed, or sod, consider the following disadvantages:
Takes longer than sod to form full ground cover
Can be labor intensive
Is more expensive than grass seed
While grass plugs can technically be planted any time of year, the most ideal season is spring when the weather isn’t too hot nor too cold. Just make sure any risk of a late spring frost has passed, and manage any weeds that may try to sprout in between plug plots with herbicides.
The absolute worst time of year to plant grass plugs is in the summer. This is because you’ll need to water more frequently, which may accidentally lead to overwatering. Overwatering can, in turn, cause turf diseases. On the flip side, if the plugs don’t get enough water during those higher temps, they can dry out and die.
When to call in the pros
If you’re not quite confident in your DIY skills — or you simply just don’t want to do it yourself — consider calling in a professional landscaper near you. With their expert tools and knowledge, these pros will prepare the soil and install the plugs to the right specifications.
And, once your grass plugs have grown in and your lawn is a lush carpet of green, let the pros help with the upkeep, too. Whether you’d like your lawn mowed weekly, biweekly, or monthly, there are plenty of lawn care professionals ‘round your way that’ll be happy to tackle the job.
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