# Proplugger



## Tex86 (Jun 4, 2017)

Anybody have any levels of success?

My yard is coming back very nicely from my Wife spraying a weed and grass killer last Fall. However, in a few spots, the grass just isn't filling the way I want it too. My watering is on point (I even hand water this small area) and apply a little extra fertilizer (19-5-9) to hopefully stimulate more growth. However, It just didn't producing results.

The goal is to help it out by using a proplugger from other sections of my lawn that are thriving. Also, this tool will help my wife in her planting of orientals and annuals. I've seen a few videos on putting in runners as a free option, but I figure the proplugger would do that but with a higher level of success.

I may have answered my own question here, but your thoughts are always valued.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

This is an invaluable tool for warm season grass owners. :thumbup:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I have one, and they are great for helping along bare spots. That said, if there are other reasons why the grass isn't filling in there, the plugs may not take off either. Either way, it's worth a shot - and a good tool to have around. :thumbup:


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## Tex86 (Jun 4, 2017)

Thank you Spammage and Ware for the replies.

The surrounding grass looks fantastic, and the other areas that were sprayed are growing in nicely. The small spot in question, I don't believe that there is anything abnormal about it based on the looks of the surrounding grass. Additionally, research tells me that this round up only has effects on the soil for 2 weeks, after that it dissipates and grass can grow again, and it has been nearly a year. So unless I am missing something, I don't believe it is due to the post-effects of the roundup, but it could also be that it's completely dead even though little bits of bermuda are popping up.

I'm completely new to transplanting, but would transplanting be ineffective in this case considering I can see grass blades coming up but no runners?


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## GrassDaddy (Mar 21, 2017)

hey! proplugger works with KBG too ya know


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

I got mine yesterday, and have used it to not only get soil samples of my neighbor's lot, but also transplant some of the growing Bermuda into bare spots on the lot(and I have a lot of them right now).


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Spammage said:


> This is an invaluable tool for warm season grass owners. :thumbup:


+1


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## Hambone79 (Jul 23, 2017)

They are definitely a great tool, especially for bermuda since it spreads so rapidly. I have a good bit of Palisades Zoysia and have used it pretty extensively to fill in areas where I have removed shrubs and trees the previous home owner had placed in the lawn. It have also used it to core aerate certain problem areas of exisiting turf and instead of replacing plugs just backfilled with sand or compost - works great and heals up quickly!


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## Hambone79 (Jul 23, 2017)

While the topic is up, I will also share a vendor whom I have purchased plugging products from for the places I have worked in the past. I like that they have some stackable tube pluggers that are bigger in diameter. To me the only drawback of the pro-plugger is the small size. Some grasses can be harder to get a healthy plug in such small diameter. Grasses that are being maintained at higher mowing heights don't quite have the density for an ideal plug in pro-plugger diameter.

For those that are interested: https://www.miltona.com/store/Plug-Stackers-C39.aspx


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Hambone79 said:


> While the topic is up, I will also share a vendor whom I have purchased plugging products from for the places I have worked in the past. I like that they have some stackable tube pluggers that are bigger in diameter. To me the only drawback of the pro-plugger is the small size. Some grasses can be harder to get a healthy plug in such small diameter. Grasses that are being maintained at higher mowing heights don't quite have the density for an ideal plug in pro-plugger diameter.
> 
> For those that are interested: https://www.miltona.com/store/Plug-Stackers-C39.aspx


I've considered purchasing one of these when my pro plugger was damaged and they didn't have any in stock. Looks like a good quality product.


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## Hambone79 (Jul 23, 2017)

All of their products are top notch from my experience with them. I have mainly used their stackable hex-pluggers and used them plugging out damaged turf on greens. I am not quite sure how well those will work on native soil, but assuming the ground is pretty soft they should work fine on lawns regardless of how sandy or clay based. Even in sandy profiles plugs come out better if they have a good bit of moisture in them to help hold the soil to the roots.


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## Tex86 (Jun 4, 2017)

Hambone79 said:


> While the topic is up, I will also share a vendor whom I have purchased plugging products from for the places I have worked in the past. I like that they have some stackable tube pluggers that are bigger in diameter. To me the only drawback of the pro-plugger is the small size. Some grasses can be harder to get a healthy plug in such small diameter. Grasses that are being maintained at higher mowing heights don't quite have the density for an ideal plug in pro-plugger diameter.
> 
> For those that are interested: https://www.miltona.com/store/Plug-Stackers-C39.aspx


Thanks for the share. The only problem I had with the pro plugger was the diamter in size. I figured the remedy would be to just overlap the holes. It's good to know that both are quality products. I'll give the proplugger a shot, but when I show my wife the larger diameter one she is going to want it. Why not get both?!


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Tex86 said:


> Hambone79 said:
> 
> 
> > While the topic is up, I will also share a vendor whom I have purchased plugging products from for the places I have worked in the past. I like that they have some stackable tube pluggers that are bigger in diameter. To me the only drawback of the pro-plugger is the small size. Some grasses can be harder to get a healthy plug in such small diameter. Grasses that are being maintained at higher mowing heights don't quite have the density for an ideal plug in pro-plugger diameter.
> ...


I need to get your wife to talk to my wife!


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## Tex86 (Jun 4, 2017)

&#128517; I Say that because my wife tends to cuss like a sailor when we dig holes in our clay soil laced with limestone for our orientals and annuals. So she is more than happy to have the right tool to make it easier.


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

I've used one and even had success with St. Augustine. About 80% of the plugs took, and it took some time but they eventually sent out runners and are spreading. It's hard to get enough grass and root with the plug machine with that particular grass. I had more success with the St. Augustine just digging out a big block and dropping it in another hole. Much messier and harder but took root and sent runners much quicker. I think you have Bermuda though, so I would go with the pro plug. Should be super easy.


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## Jericho574 (May 24, 2017)

The only thing that's stopped me were negative reviews regarding hard soils (clay).


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

What do you do with the empty holes? I got one last year and used it a few times. I filled them with some peat moss I had lying around. But weeds took over. The other grass did not full in well.

Of course this is my front yard which is garbage anyway!


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

pennstater2005 said:


> What do you do with the empty holes?


I fill mine with the bare plugs and/or sand.


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Just ordered mine today. It should be in on Saturday to give it a try. I plan on filling holes with sand.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Ware said:


> pennstater2005 said:
> 
> 
> > What do you do with the empty holes?
> ...


That makes sense Ware. I was just afraid to use the bare plugs because I assumed there were weed seeds in there.


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## Tex86 (Jun 4, 2017)

SGrabs33 said:


> Just ordered mine today. It should be in on Saturday to give it a try. I plan on filling holes with sand.


Me too! Mine will be here Saturday! I'm looking forward to doin' some transplanting!


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Ware said:


> pennstater2005 said:
> 
> 
> > What do you do with the empty holes?
> ...


Do you have success with filling the plug holes with sand? It would seem like those areas won't hold nutrients or water for very long. I've also read that putting sand in the ground (vs on top for leveling) can cause a "concrete" effects where the sand and soil combine to harden worse than it already is. 
I'm going to do some transplanting with my pro-plugger this coming week and I'm just curious what the best medium to put in the plug holes are.


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## Iriasj2009 (Feb 15, 2017)

I use straight sand and I've had no issues. Grass loves it. I still fertilize every 4-6 weeks and water every 5-7 days right now. The last two pics were taken 7 days apart.
Now if you can used a mix of sand and peat or sand and top soil, I'm sure I'd be better, but in my situation that wasn't possible for the amount I had to cover and would've taken much longer to spread. When I do spot plugging here and there, I'll mix peat and sand. No concrete issues either.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

ajmikola said:


> Do you have success with filling the plug holes with sand? It would seem like those areas won't hold nutrients or water for very long. I've also read that putting sand in the ground (vs on top for leveling) can cause a "concrete" effects where the sand and soil combine to harden worse than it already is.
> I'm going to do some transplanting with my pro-plugger this coming week and I'm just curious what the best medium to put in the plug holes are.


Yes, I had success. I put the bare plugs in the ground as much as I could, but inevitably ran short and finished with sand. No concerns with nutrients or water - my soil is _sandy_ loam, and the affected area was statistically insignificant. I think the concrete thing is a myth perpetuated by the likes of TW - notice concrete is not listed anywhere on the soil triangle:


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Ware said:


> ajmikola said:
> 
> 
> > Do you have success with filling the plug holes with sand? It would seem like those areas won't hold nutrients or water for very long. I've also read that putting sand in the ground (vs on top for leveling) can cause a "concrete" effects where the sand and soil combine to harden worse than it already is.
> ...


Awesome! Thx as always


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## Rockinar (Jul 21, 2017)

Jericho574 said:


> The only thing that's stopped me were negative reviews regarding hard soils (clay).


People making those complaints are the ones who have clay soil, have not watered it in 90 days, it's now baked into a brick-like substance, and then they complain the ground is too hard and the tool does not work.

PS: It works fine in hard clay.....IF YOU WATER!!


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

I received mine today and tested it out a little. Rockinar is correct, directions say that the area shouldn't be too wet (plug will break apart) or too dry (won't penetrate).

I plan on using mine mainly in my swale to do many max length plugs back filled with sand to help drainage.


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## Crimson2v (Jun 25, 2017)

How late into the season can you do plugs? I have a couple of large bare spots I would like to plug, not sure if I'm too late to do this. Also what type of sand do you use to fill the holes?


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

For establishment purposes is there much of a difference in success rate or filling/spreading with 4 inch plugs vs 2 inch?

Do most people pull the 2 inch bermuda plugs? Do 4 inch plugs require less water to establish?


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

cglarsen said:


> For establishment purposes is there much of a difference in success rate or filling/spreading with 4 inch plugs vs 2 inch?
> 
> Do most people pull the 2 inch bermuda plugs? Do 4 inch plugs require less water to establish?


I had good success with 4". Not sure if the watering requirements are different. For me, the 2" just wasn't a substantial enough plug. It felt like it was not in the ground enough. The 6" was too hard to get out of the ground for me so 4" was a good compromise.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

@Bermuda_Newbie Thanks for the response. I'm still surprised at how small each plug is in diameter once it's installed. Sometimes hard to even see them. I guess I'll do 4 inch and try some 2 inch and see if there's a difference in success rate.


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