# Replacing centipede w/ Bermuda?



## HARDatLURK (Feb 27, 2019)

I recently bought a house with neglected yard consisting of mostly centipede. I also have 200 sf dirt patch in the middle of the yard. I was thinking about sodding Bermuda over the dirt patch and plugging around the yard as well.

I am maintaining the centipede at 1.25" with a mclane 7 blade.

Will the Bermuda overtake the centipede?

Is over seeding an option?

I'm not wild about a full blown renovation at the moment... any advice?


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

If the choice were between spraying the centipede with roundup and putting down bird seed vs keeping centipede, I'd choose the former.


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## HARDatLURK (Feb 27, 2019)

SCGrassMan said:


> If the choice were between spraying the centipede with roundup and putting down bird seed vs keeping centipede, I'd choose the former.


Ideally...yes. I agree, but we don't really want the full renovation this year.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

If you start with bermuda sod you will want to continue with sod and not integrate any bermuda seed as they will most likely not match when fully grown in. The bermuda will eventually take over the centipede but how long it takes will be up to you. Once the sod is established you can start taking plugs from it and start spreading the wealth. It may take a few years but it can be done.


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## HARDatLURK (Feb 27, 2019)

Mightyquinn said:


> If you start with bermuda sod you will want to continue with sod and not integrate any bermuda seed as they will most likely not match when fully grown in.  The bermuda will eventually take over the centipede but how long it takes will be up to you. Once the sod is established you can start taking plugs from it and start spreading the wealth. It may take a few years but it can be done.


Are there any particular upsides/downsides to throwing down Bermuda seed over the centipede and then catering to the Bermuda once it starts growing with Lower cut and more nitrogen?


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## Jacob_S (May 22, 2018)

HARDatLURK said:


> Are there any particular upsides/downsides to throwing down Bermuda seed over the centipede and then catering to the Bermuda once it starts growing with Lower cut and more nitrogen?


I tried this approach and had poor results, the centipede indeed suffered, but the seed never took off like I thought it would. Now in a smaller part of my centipede area I bought some celebration plugs, I did this in summer of 2015. Since then I have just let them do their thing, by that I mean I didn't do anything special to promote their spread. I basically took 16&17 off from really caring about my lawn and got back last year, long story short, that area has a very solid stand of bermuda now. In fact within that area there are spots that the bermuda has completely choked out the centipede. I would bet if I had really had the time to dedicate to this area the centipede would be gone by now. So in saying that plugging and catering to bermuda will indeed work, I suggest much better than overseed.

I will edit this post in a bit with a picture from my phone showing the area shortly after plugging, it is noticeable where the plugs are.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

You have to be comfortable with your yard looking terrible for a long time if you are going this route. I tried this with letting Bermuda take over Fescue and it was too slow and looked terrible. Since it was my front yard, I caved and did the sod in sections. I'm super glad I did but everyone's situation is different. With the seeded variety, you're basically getting an improved common Bermuda and not the hybrid. There's nothing wrong with this just something to be aware of. If you have a very large area like some people on here, that's really the only affordable option.


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