When it comes to centipede grass, the fertilizer you use can use all the difference. There is too much marketing hype surrounding different products. Don’t be tricked into buying one that may do more harm than good. Products that deliver the best results have quality ingredients with the proper N-P-K ratio.
Centipede grass is a very popular grass that is grown for lawns, particularly in the Southern part of the United States. It is an ideal type of grass because of its ability to grow in all sorts of medium and how low maintenance it is.
Regardless, proper nutrients is needed to let your lawn look luscious and beautiful. The ideal product should have high amounts of nitrogen and potassium with as little phosphorus as possible. An N-P-K ratio of 15-0-15 or 18-0-18 work very well. Also look for quality ingredients.
We highly recommend that you check out our other articles on raising different types of grass. In particular, we have a guide on how to make sure your centipede grass is being managed correctly.
Keep learning about our top picks as well as a short growing guide below.
Comparing Our Top 3 Recommendations
At A Glance
- Simple Lawn Solutions Superior Nitrogen & Potash Grass Food
- Ferti-Lome Grass Fertilizer
- Ferti-Lome Grass Weed and Feed
- Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food
- LawnStar’s Green-Up Lawn Booster
These are our top recommended products. They all have the proper N-P-K ratio and utilize top notch ingredients. Below are some short reviews and descriptions of the ones we recommend most.
Best Fertilizers for Centipede Grass
Simple Lawn Solutions Superior Nitrogen & Potash Fertilizer
N-P-K Ratio: 15-0-15
Simple Lawn Solutions’ product is specifically blended to treat lawns that look shabby or less than full due to potassium and nitrogen deficiencies. It not only contains a balanced blend of these two nutrients but also humic and fulvic acids. These acids help to condition the soil, while the other ingredients add essential nutrients that lawns need in order to thrive. Centipede grass that is treated with this product is often greener and fuller. In addition, it contains no chemicals. It’s also easy to apply, as it can simply be sprayed over the grass.
This is our favorite spray nutrient because it contains optimal nutrients specifically catered for centipede grass. People tend to be pretty divided when it comes to the topic of spray versus granular fertilizer. The way I see it, spray types are easier to apply, but may be a little less exact in their distribution than granular types. Pick whichever you prefer. Regardless, both work as long as you have a quality product. What works, simply works. Can’t argue with results.
Ferti-Lome Fertilizer
N-P-K Ratio: 15-0-15
This slow-release product helps to maintain lawn health by delivering essential vitamins and nutrients, including nitrogen and iron. The nitrogen releases slowly into the soil, so lawns only need to be treated in the spring and fall. This product is specifically crafted to grow healthier grass. It can help to maintain lawns that are already lush but can also be used to treat issues such as sparse patches or yellowing grass.
Fertilome’s product gets is our top recommendation if you prefer granular nutrients.
Ferti-Lome Weed and Feed
N-P-K Ratio: 15-0-15
This weed and feed, which was designed specifically with centipede grass in mind, supports lawns in two ways. First, the carefully crafted blend of iron, nitrogen, and other trace elements slowly releases into the soil, nourishing the lawn for an extended period of time and promoting greener, fuller grass. Second, the mix also gets rid of pesky weeds that steal nutrients from the soil. In addition, this weed and feed is easy to apply. It can simply be sprinkled onto a damp lawn, either after a brief watering or in the morning when there is still dew on the grass.
If you are looking for the simplicity of a quality weed and feed, Ferti-Lome’s will serve you well.
Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food
N-P-K Ratio: 32-0-10
This lawn food from Scotts contains a balanced blend of nitrogen, iron, and potash that helps to promote healthier, more lush lawns. In addition, it helps to protect lawns from heat or drought damage. The blend works well on any type of turf and is gentle enough that it won’t burn or damage the grass blades. It also has a slow-release formula, so it nourishes lawns for up to three months and won’t need to be reapplied during that time.
LawnStar’s Green-Up Lawn Booster
N-P-K Ratio: 12-0-0 + Iron and Manganese
This lawn booster is easy to use and contains the essential nutrients lawns need to thrive. A blend of nitrogen, iron, and manganese helps to boost the color of the grass and creates a more lush lawn. In addition, the nitrogen included releases in two ways. One-third of the nitrogen releases slowly, nourishing the lawn for a long time, while the other two-thirds release immediately, delivering much-needed nutrients quickly. Gardeners who use this lawn booster may find that their grass grows much faster. In addition, it’s easy to mix this concentrated fertilizer and apply it to the lawn using any garden sprayer.
You will also likely be interested in how to tell if your grass is dead or not and what to do about it.
Care Guide
Centipede grass, or eremochloa ophiuroides, is a grass that is known for its heat tolerance and low maintenance requirements. These qualities make it a favorite amongst lawn owners. Compared to other grasses, it requires far less attention.
Nonetheless, if you want a healthy, luscious grass lawn, you will need to take care of it properly.
General Information
Centipede grass is restricted by the climate and soil requirements. It is more sensitive to cold than many other grass types (and conversely much more heat tolerant). It thrives in the sandy, acidic soils of the Southeast.
The grass itself forms a relatively shallow root system. This means that it needs regular water – whether that be through natural rainfall or extra watering. In periods of time where there are low rainfall, the lawn will need to be supplemented with additional water. One quality that makes centipede grass very forgiving is its ability to recover quickly from periods of stress.
Centipede grass is extremely popular in the Southeast. This is because it thrives in these areas and does not require much maintenance. It has fair shade tolerance, so it will not die under shaded areas or trees. Even though it is sensitive to drought periods and will likely turn brown, it tends to go into a state of dormancy and will perk back when watering is restarted. It also grows fairly slowly, which means less mowing.
Soil Requirements
Centipede grass grows well in acidic sandy soils. It tolerates soil with pH as low as 4.5. Many other grass types cannot tolerate soils that are this acidic. In more basic soils, it can become more sensitive to iron deficiencies. In areas where the soil is very basic, you may finding yourself frequently lowering the pH of the soil and supplementing with iron. In some ways, this negates its usual simplicity of maintenance.
Ongoing Maintenance
You’ll want to try to keep your centipede grass around 1.5 – 2 inches tall. When you actually mow your lawn, try not to mow more than 1/3 of the blade of grass at a time. You can leave lawn clippings on the lawn to act as a mulch for the lawn.
Try to avoid excessive foot traffic on your lawn. Unlike certain other grass types, it is not as durable to foot traffic. It grows by spreading slowly, so after it sustains damage, it can take a while to recover.
Watering Frequency
As I mentioned earlier, centipede grass forms a rather shallow root systems. This can make it more prone to periods of drought and may turn brown sooner than other grass types. That being said, you should only water when you see wilting blades or when the grass turns slightly grayish-green. By spacing your watering schedule appropriately, it actually encourages the formation of a deeper root system and also will minimize the risk of developing diseases or attracting pests.
When you water, you want to apply about an inch of water. This should be enough to soak the soil to about 6-8 inches deep. Try to water early in the morning so that the grass has all day to dry off (again to minimize the risk of diseases).
In short, water regularly (but not too often) and let it soak deeply.
Fertilization
Centipede grass can be sensitive to over fertilization, particularly when it receives too much nitrogen or phosphorous. This is why it is vital to buy a product that is specifically made for it. You want one that has higher potassium components and virtually no phosphorous components. A phosphorous-free fertilizer with an N-P-K of 15-0-15 is ideal. You’ll want to use only about 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.
Spread nutrients your lawn after you file your taxes! No, really, fertilize your lawn after tax season. Generally, you’ll want to fertilize your grass a couple of weeks after the grass turns green, but before the temperature starts reaching above 85F. Usually, this means that you will want to start applying it around early to mid-May.
Be careful of using weed and feed products unless it’s specifically made for centipede grass, such as the Ferti-Lome Weed and Feed mentioned above. General weed and feed products can be deadly to centipede grass.
Bottom Line
Depending on if you like a spray or granular fertilizer, I recommend buying Simple Lawn’s or Ferti-Lome’s fertilizer, respectively. Do not make the mistake of buying a product that is not specifically meant to centipede grass. Even though it is a low maintenance grass, it has specific nutrient needs and the most common mistake is using inappropriate fertilizer (which leads to excessive nutrients). You cannot go wrong with any of the products above.
We are confident that these fertilizers and tips will help you be more successful with your centipede grass.