Bermuda grass prefers nutritious soils of sand or clay with a higher pH compared to those required for centipede lawns. Large patches and spot diseases are also rampant. Also, common bermudagrass seedheads spread and germinate in favorable conditions. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Bermuda grass tolerates heavy use, whereas centipede grass holds up best under light use. However, its resilience can make it hard to maintain. These shallow, climbing roots rarely grow deep enough to get water from the lower layers of soil on your lawn. If youre starting your lawn from scratch, why not try using sheets of turf rather than waiting for seeds to grow? I write about everything about indoor and outdoor gardening and the dread-it-but-still-need-to-do-it chores around the yard, like cleaning out the gutter guards. It can tolerate freezing temperatures, but itll slow down its growth in temps around 50 F (10 C). They can be bought cheaply from nurseries and installed by yourself at home. Bermuda grass grows more aggressively than Centipede grass, and this will cause it to overtake and choke the Centipede grass. Warm climates are ideal for Centipede grass as it is not tolerant to cold at all and should not be exposed to temperatures until 50 F. If exposed to cold or prolonged shade, your Centipede grass will die quickly. Although it thrives in USDA zones 7 and 8, centipede grass is a perennial. From January to April, mowing your centipede grass to about 1 inch (2.58 cm) tall will help new growth push up from the ground in springtime. Bermuda Grass vs. Centipede Grass: Growing Requirements. Whichever you choose, what you need to do first is to till the soil. Bermuda Grass VS Centipede Grass. Bermuda grass grows best in the warm southern United States that dont get colder than 10 F (-12.2 C) in the winter from the Atlantic coast in North Carolina to the Pacific Coast in southern California. Dont fertilize your centipede grass in winter unless a soil test indicates that you should do so. Common maintenance practices like watering and fertilizing can be done seldomly. This extensive use is due to its resilient nature. Read More, Bermudagrass Calendar - Bermuda Lawn Maintenance for Beginners. Its invasiveness becomes a problem when it grows in places where its not supposed to be such as walkways and garden beds. Unlike corporate website companies who write articles from an office overlooking a major city, the authors on this website live in small towns and regularly use many of the tips and recommendations provided in their own garden and lawn care. Celebration Bermudagrass easily stands out from other popular bermuda grasses on the market. To grow and care for centipede grass, youll need to plant it from seed, sod, or plugs, water it at least 1 inch (2.58 cm) per week, fertilize it once a year and adjust the pH as needed, and keep it short. Instead, it will go dormant until the weather becomes more favorable. are no exceptio. It may be propagated by plugs, seed, sprigs, or sod. Centipedegrass is often called the lazy mans grass since it has low mowing, watering, and fertilizer requirements. This grass originated in China and Southeast Asia. Yellow-green in color, it is renowned for its resistance to heat and salt, making it an ideal choice for oceanfront properties. Unlike centipede grass, which is capable of tolerating moderate amounts of shade, this variety of turf prefers 100% sunlight and requires a minimum of 4 hours of it per day. On the other hand, centipede grass is native to China and Southeast Asia. When necessary, apply less than 2 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet of lawn annually in spring and fall. The roots of centipede grass are shallow, making it difficult for the plant to survive arid conditions with a limited water supply and low water tables. Bermuda is a lush, quick-growing grass that will flourish without a lot of care. Doing so will prevent it from taking root in the thatch rather than the soil and being deprived of essential nutrients and minerals. As the cycle continues, new shoots and roots develop at their nodes to form daughter plants. Bermuda grass requires more attention compared to centipede grass. This is due to the difference in their root system, Bermudas is thick and deep which allows it to store more water over time while Centipede is shallow and thin. The Ultimate Lawn Care Calendar Month-By-Month Guide to a Beautiful Lawn, Types of Lawn Fertilizers How to Choose the Right One, Types of Grass Seed: How to Choose the Right One. This is why it is not a choice for people living in the northern regions of America. Centipedegrass spreads by stolons, while bermudagrass spreads by rhizomes, stolons, and seeds. (As I noted above, your local extension office will be able to provide you with helpful tips on the procedure.). But while Bermuda grass and centipede grass share a few commonalities, they have a lot of differences. If you shop through the links on YardThyme, we may earn an affiliate's commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Invasive weeds such as dandelion, chickweed, clovers, and henbit are common, whereas Bermuda is the desired turf. You cant mix Bermudagrass and centipedegrass on the same lawn. The runners or stolons lie laterally close to the earth from the parent plant. So, if you regularly get snow and frost in your area, centipede grass is probably not the best option for you. If you live in a hot and constantly sunny area, then Bermuda will grow better for you than Zoysia will. Will Centipede grass take over Bermuda? This grass does not tolerate high traffic and will die off quickly if constantly used. Which begs the question: Bermuda vs centipede grass? Centipede and Bermuda grass are both warm-season grasses, but they have different tolerances for heat, drought, traffic, cold, and shade. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Although both centipede and Bermuda grass have many things in common, they have some essential differences that may make one a better choice for your lawn than the other. Both Bermuda grass and centipede grass are considered invasive weeds in some areas. How can I identify if I have centipede grass? Once established in the lawn, Bermuda grass can endure heavy foot traffic while Centipede can only take lighter as it can be harmed easily. All of them can give off that lush beautiful lawn, just with the right condition, attitude, and even the right lawn care tools to help you. Bermuda grass has an aggressive growth habit of forming a thick canopy that can choke other grass, tall fescue, weeds, and any other slow-growing grass. We look at similarities between the two, along with their unique attributes. Leaf colors range from gray and silver to green. And Centipede is the slowest growing grass that has low, moderate tolerance to cold weather. It is found throughout the warm-humid areas of the South. Ultimate Weed Identification Guide With, Best Fertilizer for Zoysia Grass How To Do It, Centipede Grass Pros and Cons When Its Good, Centipede vs Bermuda Grass Comparison Chart. Even though centipede grass is significantly finer than Bermuda grass, it is also categorized as a coarse grass. She is passionate about writing and enjoys digging into new, unique topics. Fertilizer is a critical component in the growth of healthy lawn grass. However, in areas where these grasses are not considered invasive, Bermuda grass makes an excellent addition to lawns, golf courses, athletic fields, and other public spaces. It does not grow well in hot, dry areas and will die if not supplied with adequate moisture. Let us know what you chose and why! Some differences include their origin, uses, leaves, root system, and growing requirements. Bermuda grass is incredibly resilient under traffic, and it grows in almost any type of dirt. So, centipede grass flourishes in humid coastal states like South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, and other areas near the coast (source). You can learn more about this here. It can get damaged easily and is slow to recover. You can apply powdered or pelletized iron to your lawn in the spring or summer to correct it. Centipede may be a slow grower, but it is aggressive to surrounding plants. Although, according to Oregon State University, it thrives best at a temperature range of 75 95 Fahrenheit (24 35 Celsius), this variety of turf can also do very well at 100 Fahrenheit. If you live in a hot country with little rain, then Centipede grass is a good choice, but if you need a more durable lawn, then Bermuda grass is for you. At the end of the day, its not about which is better but rather which is better for you in particular. Yes, that is correct, Bermuda grassroots are designed to absorb retain water for a long time. Andy Gibson. Theres a good chance you may have to mow more often and work harder to keep the grass from spreading beyond the boundaries of your lawn. Since Centipede grass does badly in the shade, you may want to blend it with another grass that will do well in shady areas. St Augustine grass is thicker with large, flat stems. This species is mainly grown in the Southeast, in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 10 i.e., Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and the Gulf Coast of Texas. Since it can also propagate through seeds, it found its way to the US as early as 1916. Bermuda grass is tolerant of drought, and it only needs around one inch of water every week. However, if you get a lot of use out of your lawn and you dont mind the extra watering, then Bermuda grass is for you. You can purchase an inexpensive soil test kit (link to Amazon) to ensure the pH levels are appropriate. Bermudagrass leaves are dark green, dense, and fine-textured, while centipedegrass leaves are wide, yellow-green, and coarse-textured. According to Clemson University, you should dethatch once the thatch layer reaches inch thick. As described earlier, Bermuda grass naturally has a green (darkish to be specific) color but when exposed to cool climates, it adds a greyish tint to the leaves. Both are great grass options and are easy to care for. Its prime soil conditions are high in potassium and iron yet low in phosphorus. It Can Adapt To Different Soils. Bermuda has a slightly higher degree of cold tolerance compared to centipede grass. It will outcompete the centipede grass in nutrient uptake and eventually kill the Centipede grass. This warm-season species should be mowed to a height of 1 inch. Centipede vs. Bermuda grass: which is better? Use a specific Bermuda grass fertilizer or one that is recommended for warm-season turf as follows: Centipede grass is an excellent option if you live in the Southeast and want a thick lawn that requires minimum care. This turf is more suited to residential areas that dont experience a great deal of traffic from pets, kids, or adults. Warm season grass varieties such as Centipede, Zoysia, and Bermuda all thrive in full sun, while there are select warm season varieties that can survive in as little as 4 hours of sunlight per day, such as Leisure Time Zoysia. If the pH is too high, as is usually the case in the areas where this grass grows best, you can apply 5 lbs (2.27 kg) of pelletized sulfur per 1,000 square feet (92 square meters) to lower it. Bermuda is the fastest growing grass, but it has a tolerance limit in cold weather. Different Types of Lawn Mowers Which One is Right for You? Despite their similar outdoor landscaping use, they give different touches depending on their color, densities, and maintenance level. It can easily withstand the impact of a sports pitch. Also, it favors sandy and acidic soils. However, if you are in a home with children and animals, then its likely that your lawn will get a lot of traffic. What does Bermuda grass look like? For more information, read full disclosure here. If a soil test indicates that the pH is beyond the limits for Bermuda grass (5.8 to 7.0), you can use phosphorus to raise the pH or sulfur to lower it. Bermuda Grass requires about one to 1.4 inches of water. Long periods in 5F or less are fatal for the grass. Unless it is completely removed, which is difficult, Bermuda grass will keep coming back. Bermuda grass is high maintenance, and it needs frequent mowing. Centipede grows rather slowly and prefers slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0. What is the best grass to overseed centipede? This is by applying soil pH-lowering additives. Centipede grass doesnt thrive in well-fertilized soil, and it needs acidic soil to thrive. All you have to do is stake them in the ground and allow them to measure the rain. Best Grass for Shade: Shade-Tolerant Grass Varieties for Low-Light Lawns, Dethatching Vs. Aerating: Differences + Which is Better, Sod on a Pallet: How Many Square Feet and Pieces on a Pallet Guide, When Is The Best Time To Plant Grass Seed, Can You Put Too Much Grass Seed Down (How Much Do I Need), Can You Put Too Much Lime on Lawn? Different Types of Lawn Aerators Explained Holy Lawns, Batman! For the best results, monitor the pH of your lawn and adjust it as necessary. The runners or stolons lie laterally close to the earth from the lower layers of soil on your in! Densities, and it needs frequent mowing levels are appropriate with large, stems... Test kit ( link to Amazon ) to ensure the pH levels are bermuda grass vs centipede grass this turf is more suited residential. Its way to the earth from the parent plant temps around 50 F ( 10 ). Lawn in the thatch layer reaches inch thick grass options and are easy care! Link to Amazon ) to ensure the pH levels are appropriate frost in your area, centipede grass incredibly! 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