One of the most common grasses around Lancaster is centipede. Centipede’s popularity is due in large part to its reputation as a low maintenance lawn. I frequently get the question, “How much fertilizer do I need to put on my lawn?” My answer to this question, with respect to centipede in particular, is always to get a soil test. There is a much greater chance of over fertilizing centipede and sending it into a state of decline than with other lawn grasses.
Centipede grows under different soil conditions than
other grasses. These conditions allows
this slow growing grass to better compete with weeds for space in your
lawn. In fact, centipede performs best
in soil conditions that can be considered poor for most lawn grasses.
The nitrogen (N) requirement for centipede is very
low. Dr. Bert McCarty, Clemson University Turf Specialist, recommends no more
than a half-pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet annually, compared to
standard recommendations for warm season grasses that range from three to five
pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.
A small
amount of excess nitrogen does not directly affect centipede negatively but
rather selects faster growing weeds. Higher rates of nitrogen can lead to
chlorosis (yellowing), burning of the leaves and can make centipede more
susceptible to winter injury.
Centipede performs best in low to medium soil
phosphorous (P) levels. Soil retains phosphorous well. If you do not collect
grass clippings from your lawn, there is no need to repeat yearly applications
of phosphorus when soil levels are already adequate. Excess phosphorous can
contribute directly to chlorotic (yellowing) by preventing proper iron
availability and is considered by some experts to be a primary reason for centipede
decline.
Potassium (K) is a nutrient that can benefit
centipede by helping increase winter hardiness. Centipede is especially
susceptible to winter injury when there are large fluctuations in temperatures
during the winter. It takes centipede 10 days of cold weather to harden enough
to handle freezing temperatures, while only two days of warm weather can erase
any built up cold hardiness. Potassium is generally recommended in equal
amounts to nitrogen when applied in the spring.
Never add any lime to centipede without direct
indications from a soil test. Centipede performs best at a more acid pH range
of 5.5 to 6.0. At this pH, centipede can better compete for nutrients than
others lawn grasses and weeds. Soil pH
is a measure of acidity. Most lawn grasses and weeds require a pH of 6.0 to
6.5.
It is important to remember that centipede is a low
maintenance grass. Unless your soil test recommends something different,
centipede can perform very well with little to no fertilizer or lime. A good
general fertilizer for centipede is one that has about the same amount of
potassium (K) as nitrogen (N) with low levels of phosphorous (P). Keep in mind,
there is no substitute for a soil test.
Once you have corrected your soil nutrients,
centipede does grow slowly and it will take longer to fill in. In the right
soil conditions centipede can out-compete and choke out the best of weeds over
time. Have patience, and enjoy your low-maintenance centipede lawn.