Looking for a different way to install Southern (warm-season) grasses? Consider planting plugs or sprigs instead of sod or seed. Plugs are 2- to 4-inch circular or square chunks of sod planted at regular intervals from one another, while sprigs are tiny, complete plants scattered across the lawn bed. Either method will grow a lush lawn as the plants send out underground roots and stolons that merge together to form a grassy field.
Where soil has a good workable texture, a mini-tiller is sufficient to prepare the soil for installing seed, turf, plugs or sprigs.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
Why plugs or sprigs? They’re cheaper that sod, and they give you a mature lawn faster than sowing seed can. The trade-off is that installation is time- and labor-intensive, and plugs and sprigs require care to achieve even coverage. The other downside is that the gaps between plugs and sprigs are prey to weed colonization before the turfgrass fills in (so be sure to mulch or topcoat to keep weeds at bay).
You can plant plugs in one of two forms: You can buy them precut, or you can buy sod and cut your own plugs with a steel plug-cutting tool. Some grasses also come in trays of plugs, which tend to have well-formed root structures encased in soil. These survive better at transplanting than plugs just cut from sod. Whatever your planting preference, avoid buying your stock until your soil is perfectly prepared for planting or it’s sure to dry out and be useless.
Planting plugs is a little like planting flowering bulbs, except that you plant in spring rather than fall. Begin the planting as early on a spring morning as you can, preferably on a cool, overcast day. Keep your sod or plugs in the shade under a damp cloth or towel. If you’re cutting your own plugs, cut only enough for a row or two at a time. As you press each plug into its hole, give it a good dousing of water to keep it hydrated until the final watering.
Once you’ve installed all of the plugs, tamp or roll the entire planting area, then thoroughly water it. Because so much of the lawn area is still bare ground, water frequently – sometimes several times a day in hot, dry weather. (One watering should be done late at night to maximize the amount of time the water has to penetrate without evaporation.) It’s absolutely critical that you avoid letting the soil surface or edges of the plugs dry out until they’re established. Mulching will also help the ground retain moisture until the plugs grow and fill in. When they do, fertilize every 6-8 weeks to encourage the roots and stolons to spread. Hold off on mowing until the plugs are thoroughly established.
The types of warm-season grasses that take best to plug planting include St. Augustine grass, which should be spaced 6-12 inches apart; Bermuda grass, which should be set 12 inches apart; and centipede grass and zoysia, both of which should be placed 6 inches apart because they grow more slowly. To plant 1,000 square feet, you’ll need 30-50 square feet of St. Augustine grass or Bermuda grass and 100-150 square feet of centipede grass or zoysia.
Planting sprigs is very similar to planting plugs – but the plants are smaller and you need to plant them closer together. The key to successful installation is spacing plugs and sprigs correctly and evenly throughout the planting site. Whether you choose plugs or sprigs, just follow the accompanying photos and captions to get the best results in your yard. (And remember that taking a few minutes to lay out your planting area correctly will pay big dividends when the job is finished!)
If you’re planning a large lawn on a small budget, you can’t find a thriftier method than planting plugs or sprigs. With the right care, you can have a green, healthy lawn that’s the envy of your neighborhood.
Planting Lawn Plugs
Planting Lawn Plugs - Step 1
Follow the plug supplier’s recommendation for spacing the turfgrass or groundcover. Using a tape measure, lay out a string grid across your planting area. Each junction will mark the spot for a plug. Marking the planting holes out properly beforehand – not only will this save you costly materials, it’ll give you superior results to hand-spacing.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
Planting Lawn Plugs - Step 2
Dig a planting hole beneath each junction in the string, and plant a plug at its center.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
Planting Lawn Plugs - Step 3
Remove the string grid, use a tamping tool or water roller to press each plug into good soil contact, then water the bed. Water heavily for the first 10 days to keep the soil constantly and evenly moist.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
Planting Grass Sprigs
Planting Sprigs - Step 1
Each sprig is a complete grass plant with leaves and roots. Scatter them densely across the area to be planted so that each sprig is no more than 2 inches away from its nearest neighbor.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
Planting Sprigs - Step 2
As each 3-foot-square area is completely sprigged, use a shovel to scatter a ¼-inch layer of topcoat mulch over it. (Avoid working in larger blocks – you’ll get an uneven coating.)
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
Planting Sprigs - Step 3
Roll the topcoat and sprigs into good soil contact. (This allows the plants to become established more quickly and receive more water than if left loose.)
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
Planting Sprigs - Step 4
Using a fine-spray nozzle, water the sprigs and soil until the water has penetrated at least 2 inches deep. Keep the sprigs constantly moist for the first 2 weeks after planting.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Reed Estabrook
