Carpetgrass: Low-Maintenance
Alternative To Centipede
Carpetgrass (Axortopus affinis) is
not for everyone. If ease of mainte
nance is more important to you than
a high-quality lawn, then carpetgrass
may have a future role on your lawn.
Carpetgrass is a utility grass best
grown in lawns, roadsides or low
maintenance wet areas receiving lit
tle traffic.
This warm-season grass is native
to the West Indies and Central
America and can be grown only in
the warmest regions of eastern
North Carolina (from Moore County
east). Carpetgrass is relatively
coarse textured with large-leaf
blades and appears intermediate to
St. Augustinegrass and centipede
grass in leaf texture. Carpetgrass is
often included in the "green" mixes
sold at seed stores and only rarely
can gardeners tell the difference be
tween carpetgrass and centipede
grass.
It has about the same shade toler
ance as centipedegrass but responds
to fertilizer application by producing
a good dense turf and green color
(but routine overfertilization will in
duce chronic disease problems).
However the real strength of carpet
grass resides in the ability to grow in
wet, acid, infertile soils where few
other perennial grasses will persist.
Carpetgrass also has a down side.
This warm-season grass goes dor
mant (turns tan-brown) soon after
the first hard frost and is susceptible
to winter kill at about the same fre
quency as St. Augustinegrass. Tail
thinly-stalked forked seedheads will
grace a carpetgrass lawn during the
summer, but unlike the tough seed
heads of bahiagrass, carpetgrass
seedheads can be easily cut.
Carpetgrass will not tolerate or re
cover rapidly from heavy foot or
equipment traffic. Another disad
vantage of a carpetgrass lawn in
eastern North Carolina is drought
tolerance. Carpetgrass is very sus
ceptible to drought injury because
the roots tend to be very shallow. In
sandy, dry soils frequent irrigation
will be required to maintain a living
stand of turf. In addition, carpetgrass
will not tolerate saline irrigation wa
ter or close proximity to salt spray
from the ocean.
Getting Carpetgrass Started
No named varieties of carpetgrass
are generally available, but this may
change soon. Seed is the preferred
method of establishment, but carpet
grass can also be sprigged. Sod is al
so a viable means of establishment,
but carpetgrass sod is not commer
cially available anywhere in North
Carolina.
The secret to establishing carpet
grass resides in soil preparation. In
general, carpetgrass will do well un
der the same soil conditions as cen
tipedegrass but will thrive on soils
with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5. Excessive
liming and fertilization will hinder
the establishment of carpetgrass.
Collect 10 to 12 small plugs (4
inches deep) at random in the area to
be planted and place in small paper
or plastic container. Take your soil
sample to your county N.C.
Cooperative Extension Service of
fice for an NCDA soil analysis.
Add the recommended amounts
(on the soil test results) of lime,
phosphorus or potassium to the site
and thoroughly rototill the nutrients
into the upper 6 inches of the soil
profile. Smooth grade or level the
area with a hard rake and then with a
water-filled roller. Apply at least an
inch of irrigation and allow the soil
to settle for several days prior to
planting. Prior to seeding, hard rake
the area again.
Seed is the least expensive and
fastest way to establish a carpetgrass
lawn. Carpetgrass can be seeded in
eastern North Carolina between
April 15 and Sept. 15. Earlier or lat
er seeding dates can be damaged by
frost.
Carpetgrass is relatively inexpen
sive when compared to other warm
season grass seed. Carpetgrass is
best seeded at a rate of 2 to 5 pounds
of seed per 1,000 square feet. In
general, the higher rate of seed the
faster the establishment.
If seeding very large areas or ar
eas where soil type variability is
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C. BRUCE
WILLIAMS
Extension Ana
Turf Specialist
very high, 1 often recommend that 1
to 2 ounces (per I,(MX) square feet)
of centipedegrass seed he included
in the carpetgrass mix, since cen
tipcdegrass is better adapted to
droughty soils than carpetgrass.
Apply one-half the seed in one di
rection and the remainder at right
angles to the first for better unifor
mity of establishment. Lightly rake
the seedbed. Roll the entire area
with a water-filled roller to ensure
good seed-to-soil contact.
Keep the area seeded moist.
Water several times a day if neces
sary. Carpetgrass is relatively fast
germinating (7 to 10 days) when
compared to other warm-season
grasses. However, do not allow the
soil to dry out the first several weeks
after planting or all of your carpet
grass seedlings will die. Frequent
light watering (2 to 3 times daily) is
better than constant watering.
Caring for Carpetgrass
Carpetgrass is a low-maintenance
grass, thus minimum fertilizer use is
recommended. The application of 4
to 6 pounds of 16-4-8 or 8 to 12
pounds of 8-8-8 per 1,000 square
feet in April and then again in
August will produce a healthy vigor
ous lawn. I have also seen excellent
results in fertilizing carpetgrass with
the same fertilizer and rate that you
fertilize centipedegrass (10 pounds
of 5-5IS or 5-0-15 per 1,000 square
feet).
Carpetgrass will require mowing
every 10 to 14 days during the
growing season. Mow with a rotary
mower to a height of 1.5 to 2.0 inch
es.
I have not found carpetgrass to be
susceptible to ground pearl, but that
may change. A few insects can be
problems on carpetgrass, but in gen
eral this grass is very tolerant of pest
problems. Carpetgrass has only one
severe disease problem. Brown
patch disease will cause severe dam
age to carpetgrass that is overfertil
ized. The use of a slow-release fer
tilizer will help prevent brown patch
severity.
Avoid the use of herbicides on
carpetgrass. Carpetgrass is sensitive
to many of the herbicides that cen
tipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass
tolerate, and few (if any) herbicides
arc labeled for use on carpetgrass.
Under normal conditions, carpet
grass will crowd out most weed in
vaders.
Send your comments and ques
tions to the Plant Doctor, P.O. Box
109, Bolivia NC 2H422.
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