There are many types of grasses we have available here in Florida, one of the most common is Argentine Bahia grass. Argentine Bahia sod is perennial grass best suited for tropical climates, here in the states, zone 8 to 10 are best. One of the traits that stick with people, is it’s mainly reconcilable by its v shape, spiky racemes. The texture is coarse and the color is a dark green color, that can form in dense seas of green.
Fertilizing Bahia grass 3 to 4 times a year will leave you with a gorgeous lawn that is in excellent health. Argentine Bahia grass is considered a low input sod, or also called a “creeper grass”. It does well to rebound from mowing and damage, making this a great option as a pasture grass as well. This variety doesn’t show a high tolerance to salt levels like many other varieties. It does well in southern regions and does better further away from the Florida coastlines.
Areas with higher pH levels cause Bahia sod to suffer from an iron or nitrogen deficiency and may begin to turn yellow. For the best results, complete Argentine Bahia sod installation is spring to early summer. This helps the grass establish itself before the intense summer heat comes. Don’t worry, though because this sod can be installed at almost any time of the year, but the growth just may be slower. It only requires minimal attention, compared to other grass varieties, but proper watering is needed for a denser lawn.
Those who are looking to keep watering and overall care to a minimal should consider Argentine Bahia sod for installation. When it comes to insects and pest, Bahia has a high tolerance. In Florida, Chinch bugs are a lawns worst enemy to varieties of St Augustine. These bugs are no threat to Argentine Bahia grass, they do not like the root systems.
With a little watering, routine mowing and fertilization, Argentine Bahia will form a dense lawn that will last for years. Because of it’s minimal watering, high tolerance for traffic and low fertilization requirements, make this a great option for pastures, highway and retention pond areas.
Argentine Bahia sod is often used among property owners that do not have irrigation or can’t have one installed. Watering Bahia “as-needed,” is the best way to make sure it gets established and maintains once the grass in matured. Irrigation is necessary once you see the leaf blades begin to fold up, wilt, turn a different color. Another sign to watch for is when footprints remain visible after someone walks on the grass.
Bahia grass only requires a moderate amount of mowing, around every two weeks or less. The height should be 3-4 inches, but keep in mind the more often you mow Bahia, the deeper and more pronounced the root systems will be in the long run.
