Plugging Backyard

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1.) Can I put pre emergent down this month or will it effect the plugs spreading?

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The best answer I have gotten is to do a half application now and another one later this summer.

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2.) Do I need to kill off everything I have before plugging? (Mixture of fescue and Bermuda)

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It would help a lot. Is there a reason you are choosing St Aug over bermuda? Not judging just curious.

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3.) Should I aerate this month to loosen up soil prior to plugging?

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I THINK you would kill off everything, then remove all dead material/break up the ground. Then plug, then pre-emerg.

Someone with more knowledge could let you know if that is right though.

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4.) When should I apply fertilizer? What mix to use?

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Test your soil to see what nutrients you need. My rule of thumb is 10-10-10 to start the year then nitrogen after that (unless my soil test shows needing something else).

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1.) Can I put pre emergent down this month or will it effect the plugs spreading?

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All I can say if you read the label on the pre-emergent herbicides frequently recommended in other threads they will state to apply it only to established lawns, so I would lean towards not applying for at least a year. But that said, if someone posts here and says they had success using pre-emerge to an area they plugged, then you can follow their advice if you choose.

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2.) Do I need to kill off everything I have before plugging? (Mixture of fescue and Bermuda)

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I would - particularly the Bermudagrass. You are going to want the St Aug to out compete the bermuda, and there are no good herbicide to kill bermuda while not potentially harming the St Aug after the fact. You’re going to want to cut the St Aug high, 3 or 3 1/2 inches, to crowd out any bermuda that escapes herbicide treatment, and some will.

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3.) Should I aerate this month to loosen up soil prior to plugging?

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Couldn’t hurt relative helping the St Aug stolons (runners) take root but not sure if it’s necessary. Down side of tilling, but not true aeration per se, would be exposure of weed seeds underground that you bring to surface germinating when exposed to light.

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4.) When should I apply fertilizer? What mix to use?

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I’d be inclined to plant the plugs and perhaps wait until I saw some of the St Aug plugs begin to produce stolons before fertilizing. And then use a high nitrogen lawn granular fertilizer, slow release formulation (most are), at the recommended rate.

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Are you buying plugs or taking plugs from the front yard?

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I’ll just buy, not sure where yet as I live in N.AL

I have had great success using a post hole digger to make my cut my own St Augustine plugs. Of course, you have to have access to an area that has a healthy and established St Augustine lawn. I just backfill with soil and you would never know the plugs were taken out in a couple months.

I ordered a plugging tool on Amazon this week to repair some zoysia I have. Don't think I haven't thought about stopping by a nice golf course and grabbing a few plugs though.