- Carpetgrass at a glance<\/a><\/li>
- What is carpetgrass?<\/a><\/li>
- Pros and cons of carpetgrass\u00a0<\/a>
- Pros<\/a><\/li>
- Cons<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- How to establish carpetgrass<\/a><\/li>
- How much does carpetgrass cost?<\/a><\/li>
- Caring for carpetgrass<\/a>
- Mowing<\/a><\/li>
- Water<\/a><\/li>
- Fertilization<\/a><\/li>
- Dethatching and aeration<\/a><\/li>
- Disease, insects, and weeds<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
Carpetgrass at a glance<\/span><\/h2>
Classification: <\/strong>Warm-season grass
Spreads by:<\/strong> Stolons
Shade tolerance:<\/strong> Moderate, but not as high as St. Augustinegrass
Drought resistance:<\/strong> Moderate, but won\u2019t survive in dry conditions (shallow roots)
Foot traffic tolerance:<\/strong> Low to moderate
Maintenance needs:<\/strong> Mow weekly to control tall seed heads
Mowing height:<\/strong> 1-2 inches
Potential for disease:<\/strong> Large patch is common
Soil pH:<\/strong> 5-6
Soil type:<\/strong> Infertile, moist but not waterlogged, acidic, sandy
Other notes:<\/strong> Usually established by seed. Flourishes in warm and humid conditions along the Gulf Coast. Does not thrive in arid climates. Not salt tolerant.<\/p>![\"Carpetgrass](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Carpetgrass-infographic-v2-800.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div> What is carpetgrass?<\/span><\/h2>
Common carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis<\/em>), also called Louisiana grass<\/a>, is a common turfgrass found along the Gulf Coast where other turfgrasses will not grow. It tolerates high humidity, infertile soil, high rainfall, and high soil moisture. You can find this grass in Zones 8 and up in coastal regions from the Carolinas to East Texas and Hawaii.<\/p>
Although carpetgrass is a useful lawn grass in hard-to-grow areas, it is considered a weed<\/a> in lawns with other grasses. In addition to lawn use, carpetgrass is used as a roadside grass, pasture grass, or nurse grass in centipede lawns. (Note: A nurse grass is a grass that is planted with another species because it germinates faster and, once the primary grass establishes itself, dies away.) <\/p>
This versatile grass prefers a soil pH of 5-6 but can grow in soils with a pH from 4-7. (You may want to add lime or a soil acidifier if it is below 5 or above 6.) Carpetgrass is inexpensive to start from seed and needs no fertility to grow. For this reason, it often pops up in lawns with other grass types that have low-fertility soils. <\/p>
Pros and cons of carpetgrass <\/span><\/h2>
Since carpetgrass has specific growing conditions and maintenance needs, you want to make sure it is right for you.<\/p>
Pros<\/span><\/h3>
\u2713 Low growing and low maintenance
\u2713 Ideal grass for infertile, acidic, moist soils
\u2713 Low or no fertilizer required
\u2713 Available as seed or sprigs
\u2713 Can be used as a nurse grass in a centipede lawn
\u2713 Ideal for hard-to-grow areas
\u2713 Grown in Zones 8 and warmer<\/p>Cons<\/span><\/h3>
\u2717 Must mow every week during the growing season to control seed heads
\u2717 Not salt tolerant
\u2717 Does not thrive in arid regions
\u2717 Must be watered regularly during dry periods
\u2717 May develop excessive thatch if highly managed
\u2717 Does not produce a \u201cshowcase\u201d lawn
\u2717 Goes dormant quickly once cooler fall temps hit and slow to green up in spring<\/p>How to establish carpetgrass<\/span><\/h2>
As with all warm-season grasses, plan to seed carpetgrass<\/a> from late spring to early summer. A grass drill will make quick work of this project, so look for one at your local machine rental store. Or, use a spreader and go back over the lawn with a rake to cover the seed.<\/p>
Water the soil so that it stays moist for about the next two weeks. Then, continue to keep the soil moist until the lawn has established, which is usually eight to 10 weeks after you plant. Fertilize at 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet when you seed and once per month until the lawn is established.<\/p>
How much does carpetgrass cost?<\/span><\/h2>
Carpetgrass is most commonly available as seed. In big box stores, you may find a carpetgrass\/centipedegrass mix, since these two grasses are similar in appearance and are often planted together.<\/p>
Carpetgrass seed:<\/strong> Starts at around $16-$22 for a one-pound bag. However, the price per pound drops as you buy in greater quantities per bag. <\/p>
Caring for carpetgrass<\/span><\/h2>
Yearly carpetgrass maintenance<\/a> is significantly less than for other warm-season grass types. <\/p>
Mowing<\/span><\/h3>
Mow at least once per week at 1 to 2 inches<\/a> to control seed heads during the growing season. <\/p>
Water<\/span><\/h3>
One inch of water per week is ideal for carpetgrass lawns. If you don\u2019t get this naturally via rainfall, plan to turn on the faucet and give the lawn a drink. Water sandy soils about twice per week at \u00bd inch each time. Soils with less sand benefit from the \u201cdeep but infrequent\u201d watering approach. Remember to water no later than 10 a.m. to discourage fungus growth.<\/p>
Fertilization<\/span><\/h3>
Fertilization is optional. If you wish to fertilize the lawn, use \u00bd pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application and up to 2 pounds per year. <\/p>
Dethatching and aeration<\/span><\/h3>
Excessive thatch<\/strong> may occur, but only if there is too much water or fertilizer applied. Rent or buy a dethatching machine once the levels reach or exceed \u00bd inch. Plan to dethatch<\/a> a few weeks after<\/strong> the lawn greens up in spring, and space the blades at 2 to 3 inches wide and about \u00bc inch deep. Blades that are spaced too closely will cause damage to the turf.<\/p>
A core aeration<\/strong> machine also will remove some thatch as it pulls plugs of soil from the grass. This is most often used on compacted soils<\/a>, so if your soils aren\u2019t compacted, it\u2019s probably not a necessary lawn chore.<\/p>
Note:<\/strong> Thatch is a layer of undigested plant matter that lives between the grass and the soil. A little is okay, but too much prevents water and air from reaching the soil.<\/p>
Disease, insects, and weeds<\/span><\/h3>
Disease: <\/strong>Large patch<\/a> is a common fungal disease on carpetgrass lawns. Apply fungicide preventatively if you\u2019ve had problems in past years. Large patch is not likely to cause long-term damage.<\/p>
Insects<\/a>:<\/strong> White grubs<\/a> and nematodes are sometimes a problem in carpetgrass lawns.<\/p>
Weeds<\/a>:<\/strong> Not many weed problems. This grass fills in well and out-competes most weeds. If you need to manage weeds that come up, consider organic options or hand-pulling<\/a>. There aren\u2019t many herbicides that are suited for carpetgrass.<\/p>
Some information taken from <\/em>Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management<\/em>, 5th ed. by Christians, Patton, and Law<\/em><\/p>
If you think a carpetgrass lawn may be right up your alley, contact one of our <\/em>local lawn care professionals<\/em><\/a>. They can help you select, install, and care for your grass so you can spend your free time doing what matters most.<\/em><\/p>
Main Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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- Water<\/a><\/li>
- Cons<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- What is carpetgrass?<\/a><\/li>