The process of establishing a St. Augustine lawn from individual plantlets, rather than sod or seed, involves strategically placing small sections of the grass, known as plugs, into prepared soil. This method allows for gradual coverage and can be more economical than installing complete sod layers. These individual sections of grass are inserted into the ground at regular intervals, giving them the space to expand and eventually merge, forming a solid turf.
Choosing to use this planting approach offers several advantages, including reduced upfront costs compared to sodding and better adaptation to the existing soil conditions in some instances. Furthermore, this method can be particularly suitable for smaller areas or for patching damaged sections of an existing lawn. Historically, propagation via plugs has been a common technique in horticulture to rapidly expand plant populations.
