Bahia Grass in Florida: 1–2 lb Nitrogen a Year, 3–4 Inch Mowing, and Why UGA Calls It a Weed

November 8, 2026

Updated on November 8, 2026

16 mins read

Bahia grass care for Florida: mow at 3-4 inches, feed 1-2 lb of nitrogen a year, choose Argentine or Pensacola, and see why UGA calls it a weed in most lawns.

In short

Bahia grass suits large, sandy, unirrigated Florida yards: UF/IFAS says mow it at 3–4 inches and feed 1–2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft a year.
The University of Georgia says that in most lawns bahiagrass is a weed.
Georgia’s extension says seed warm-season grass when soil 4 inches down stays at 65°F and rising.
Checked against: UF/IFAS, University of Georgia, NC State, LSU AgCenter.

Bahia grass is a good lawn on a big, sandy lot you don’t water, and a weed in almost any lawn where looks matter. Both verdicts come from universities. UF/IFAS says bahiagrass “persists better than other grasses in infertile, sandy soils” and is “a good choice for home sites on large lots or acreage or for anywhere without an irrigation system.” The University of Georgia puts it bluntly: “In most lawns, bahiagrass is considered a weed.” (Extension publications spell it bahiagrass; it is the same plant, Paspalum notatum.)

The two statements describe one set of traits doing different jobs. This guide separates them: how to identify bahia grass and tell it from dallisgrass, ‘Argentine’ versus ‘Pensacola’, when to plant by soil temperature, how to mow the seedheads, what it needs in water and nitrogen, a Florida calendar by month, and how to get rid of it if it has invaded another lawn.

Is bahia grass a good lawn grass or a weed?

It is a good lawn only when low upkeep matters more than looks. UF/IFAS is open about the trade: the varieties on sale “do not produce a carpet-like, dense lawn like some other warm-season lawn grasses,” and its lawn-grass comparison says bahiagrass has low density and rates its wear tolerance as poor and its shade tolerance as fair. The bahiagrass sheet (ENH6) also carries a “Caution” assessment status: “manage to prevent escape.”

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Source	Verdict on bahia grass	Reasons it gives
UF/IFAS (Florida)	A good choice for large lots or anywhere without irrigation; status “Caution – manage to prevent escape”	Deep root system, little water or fertilizer needed, few pest problems; but not dense, and unmowed plants reseed
University of Georgia	“In most lawns, bahiagrass is considered a weed”	Open canopy, unsightly seedheads, light green color, poor appearance after mowing; redeeming traits are drought and nematode tolerance
NC State Extension	“Seldom recommended as a lawn grass”; best used as a “utility turfgrass”	Open canopy, unsightly seedheads and difficulty in mowing
LSU AgCenter (Louisiana)	Listed among weedy grasses in lawns; common along highways	Abundant seed, spreads by rhizomes, forms unsightly clumps in turf

The takeaway from the table: the four universities mostly agree on the plant’s faults and differ on whether those faults matter for your yard.

The traits that let bahia grass live on a sandy lot with no irrigation are the same ones that make it a nuisance beside a lawn you maintain. UF/IFAS describes an extensive, deep root system and a grass that does not need high inputs of water or fertilizer; LSU describes a plant that seeds heavily and spreads by rhizomes. The sources even disagree on temperament: the University of Georgia says that despite its rhizomes and stolons bahiagrass “is not particularly aggressive,” while LSU says its aggressive growth and drought tolerance let it compete with turfgrass. What they share is the practical outcome. Bahia that nobody asked for is hard to remove, and bahia that somebody planted needs a mower that can cut tough seedhead stems every week or two.

How to identify bahia grass, and tell it from dallisgrass

Look at the seedhead: bahia grass carries two slender spikes joined at the top of one stalk, in a V or Y shape. LSU AgCenter calls it a distinct “V” and says the spikes are lined with tiny dark-brown to black flowers; UF/IFAS captions the same structure as Y-shaped with purple anthers on each raceme. Between seedheads, the leaves are coarse, medium to light green, sometimes folded and sharply pointed, and the roots carry robust pink to red rhizomes (LSU).

The grass to rule out is dallisgrass, a fellow Paspalum whose seedheads also rise on tall stalks and branch. The table sets the field marks side by side.

Feature	Bahia grass	Dallisgrass
Seedhead	Two spikes in a V or Y at the top of the stalk; dark flowers with purple anthers (LSU, UF/IFAS)	A tall stalk with 3–5 or more branches and hairy spikelets (Virginia Tech); the University of Georgia counts three to six slender alternating spikes along the main stem
Growth habit	Spreads by rhizomes and stolons (University of Georgia); robust pink to red rhizomes (LSU)	A clumping perennial with short, thick rhizomes (Virginia Tech)
Leaves	Coarse, sometimes folded, sharply pointed (LSU)	A quarter to a half inch wide with a prominent midvein and a tall membranous ligule (Virginia Tech)

The extension sources used here do not compare the two directly. The table sets LSU’s bahia description next to Virginia Tech’s and the University of Georgia’s dallisgrass descriptions, so check the seedhead first and treat leaf details as backup.

Illustration of a bahia grass seedhead with two spikes in a V beside a simplified dallisgrass seedhead with several spikes — AI-generated illustration, not a photograph: a bahia seedhead with two spikes in a V (left) beside a simplified dallisgrass seedhead with several spikes (right). Real dallisgrass spikes alternate along the stalk and carry hairy spikelets, so confirm with the table above, not this drawing.

Where does bahia grass grow?

Bahia grass grows across Florida and the sandy coastal plain of the Southeast. UF/IFAS calls it “well adapted to the southern Coastal Plain region of the US” in its pasture publication. The extension sources below name specific states, and none of them gives a USDA hardiness-zone number, so this guide does not invent one.

State or region	What the extension source says
Florida	UF/IFAS lists it as adapted statewide, in acid, sandy soil; it “can be found throughout the state” and prefers acidic soils
Georgia	The University of Georgia says it can grow statewide but is “well adapted to the sandy soils of mid- to lower Georgia”
North Carolina	NC State lists it in its piedmont and coastal plain tables, not the mountain table, and seldom recommends it as a lawn grass
Louisiana	LSU says it is popular along roadsides and highways, usually seeded, and that sod is not traditionally available
East Texas	Texas A&M AgriLife‘s forage sheet puts it on soils from upland sandy sites, which may suffer in summer drought, to poorly drained sandy areas

The pattern across the table: every source ties bahia to sandy, low-input ground.

Soil acidity matters more than the state line. The UF/IFAS pasture sheet gives the working pH range as 4.5 to 6.5, with 5.5 as the target, and says above 6.5 the grass is “often yellow and stunted.” For lawns, UF/IFAS flags iron deficiency above pH 7.0 and LSU advises keeping the soil below pH 7. A soil test settles it before you spend on seed: UF/IFAS soil test kits are available at county extension offices in Florida, and our soil test guide and Soil Test Interpreter cover how to take one and read the result.

‘Argentine’ or ‘Pensacola’: which bahia grass should you plant?

For a lawn, UF/IFAS says ‘Argentine’ is typically preferred; ‘Pensacola’ makes more seedheads but holds its color and resists winter dormancy better. The table puts the two side by side.

Trait	‘Argentine’	‘Pensacola’
Leaf blades	Wider	Longer and narrower
Seedheads	Slightly shorter and less dense; lower seed production	More of them, which UF/IFAS says reduces its desirability for lawns but suits roadside plantings
Sod and color	A relatively dense sod, dark green	An extensive root system and excellent stress tolerance
Uniformity from seed	A highly uniform stand	Seedlings vary slightly, so the stand is less uniform
Cold and winter color	Shorter growing season; loses color sooner as it cools; starts growing later in spring	Holds color and resists winter dormancy better than other bahiagrasses
Disease and insects	“Good insect and disease resistance”; dollar spot seems milder	Dollar spot seems more severe in Pensacola-type bahiagrass
Where it is grown	An estimated 25% of Florida’s bahiagrass acreage (pasture), mainly south Florida	An estimated 60% of Florida’s bahiagrass acreage (pasture); the most common type infesting Louisiana lawns (LSU)

The table draws on the UF/IFAS lawn sheet (ENH6) and the UF/IFAS pasture sheet (AG342).

The uniformity row has a mechanism behind it. UF/IFAS explains that ‘Argentine’ makes seed through apomixis, so each seed is genetically identical to the mother plant, while ‘Pensacola’ seed comes from sexual recombination, so each seedling is related but different. If you are seeding a lawn and care how even it looks, that difference is the reason to choose ‘Argentine’.

The sources disagree on one point. The UF/IFAS lawn sheet says ‘Argentine’ “tolerates cold temperatures well,” while the UF/IFAS pasture sheet and Texas A&M both call it less cold tolerant than ‘Pensacola’. The lawn sheet says ‘Pensacola’ keeps its color longer as it cools, and the pasture sheet and Texas A&M both rank it as more cold hardy. None of them gives a temperature, so read it as a ranking, not a threshold. Our reading: if your yard sits at the cold edge of bahia’s range, take ‘Pensacola’ and live with more seedheads; if you will mow every week or two and want the neater lawn, ‘Argentine’ is UF/IFAS’s pick.

Check the bag tag whichever you buy. UF/IFAS’s guide to establishing a Florida lawn advises seed with purity of 90% or higher and germination of 85% or higher. Avoid plain “common” bahiagrass: UF/IFAS describes it as coarse, light-colored, open, very susceptible to cold, and not normally recommended for lawns. The University of Georgia adds that bahia seed is not commonly found in most turfgrass retail outlets.

Bahia grass seed, plugs or sod: time it by soil temperature

Seed bahia grass when the soil 4 inches down stays at 65°F and is still rising; lay sod at almost any time of year in much of Florida; skip plugs. Those are the rules from the University of Georgia’s establishment bulletin and UF/IFAS, and the soil-temperature timing is why they work.

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65°F and rising The soil temperature, 4 inches deep, at which the University of Georgia says warm-season grasses should be seeded. Its ideal bahiagrass planting window is May to June.

Source: University of Georgia Extension, Lawns in Georgia: Establishment

Bahia seed is slow. UF/IFAS says it “germinates slowly and takes longer to form a uniform turf cover” than sod does. Texas A&M puts the optimum temperature range for bahiagrass seed germination at 85 to 95°F, but it also notes that weed pressure is greater with later plantings and that the relatively weak seedlings are at a competitive disadvantage. Our reading of those two facts: plant as soon as the soil reaches the 65°F-and-rising mark, so the seedlings get the longest warm runway before weeds peak, rather than waiting for midsummer heat.

Method	When	What to know
Seed	North Florida: spring or early summer (UF/IFAS). Georgia: May to June, soil 65°F and rising	UF/IFAS gives 5–10 lb per 1,000 sq ft and the University of Georgia 3–8 lb; lower rates leave more open turf for weeds. UF/IFAS says to use scarified seed when available, cover it lightly and roll it
Sod	Any time of year in much of Florida (UF/IFAS)	Faster cover and fewer weeds, but most bahia sod is cut from pastures and may carry hard-to-control weeds, and it generally does not form uniform slabs. Do not mow until it pegs down, usually 14–21 days. LSU says sod is not traditionally available in Louisiana
Plugs or sprigs	Not typically recommended	UF/IFAS says plugging leaves open soil that fast-growing weeds take over; NC State says plugging is for lateral spreaders, “not bunch-type grasses such as tall fescue, ryegrass, bahiagrass, and fine fescue”

Whichever method you use, UF/IFAS’s establishment watering runs in three steps: several 5–10 minute irrigations a day for 7–10 days, then once a day at ¼–½ inch for another 7–10 days, then 2–3 times a week at ¼–½ inch. It says to hold off fertilizer for 30–60 days, because the roots are not yet developed and the nutrients can leach or run off.

Size the job first. Our grass seed calculator has a bahiagrass setting with a new-lawn rate and a half-rate for overseeding; it uses 7–10 lb per 1,000 sq ft for a new lawn, which sits toward the top of the UF/IFAS range. For how bahia compares with bermuda, centipede, zoysia and seashore paspalum on sandy soil, see our guide to grass seed for Florida’s sandy soil, and for how it stacks up against nine other lawn grasses by region, see lawn grass types compared.

How to mow bahia grass, and what to do about the seedheads

Mow bahia grass at 3–4 inches every 7–14 days while it is growing, using a sharp, heavy-duty rotary mower. That is the UF/IFAS rule; LSU gives 2.5 to 4 inches and NC State’s table gives 2 to 4. UF/IFAS explains the higher setting: it promotes a deeper, more extensive root system that makes the grass more stress tolerant. Follow the one-third rule: for a lawn kept at 3 inches, mow when it reaches 4 to 4½ inches. Leave the clippings, which UF/IFAS says do not build thatch and can reduce fertilizer needs.

Seedheads set the mowing schedule more than leaf growth does. UF/IFAS says “mowing cycles are often dictated by seed head production,” that unmowed bahiagrass reseeds itself, especially during the long days of summer, and that both the leaves and the seedhead stems are very tough. The UF/IFAS pasture sheet supplies the mechanism: bahiagrass is an obligate long-day plant, so seedheads are produced mostly with long days, and ‘Argentine’ flowers only when days in Florida exceed 13.8 hours (cultivars differ in day-length sensitivity). Day length, not your mower, decides when they appear.

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The mower decides what happens next. A dull blade tears tough stems, which UF/IFAS says leaves a ragged appearance and can lead to disease or insect problems. Our practical reading of those facts: mow when the stalks stand above the leaf canopy rather than by the calendar, keep the blade sharpened, and do not drop below 3 inches to “get ahead” of seedheads, since the mole cricket guide notes that cutting too close increases stress on the grass.

Rotary mower at the edge of a sandy lawn with a clump of tall seedhead stalks beside it — A rotary mower working a lawn edge where tall seedhead stalks stand above the leaf blades (AI-generated illustration; the cutting height is not shown).

Does bahia grass need watering? Drought dormancy versus irrigation

Not to survive, but yes to stay green. An established bahia lawn survives long dry spells by going dormant and turning brown, and it generally recovers soon after rain or irrigation (UF/IFAS). Dormancy keeps the grass alive, not green. UF/IFAS’s comparison table rates bahia’s drought tolerance “excellent” and adds the caveat that this “does not necessarily equate to reduced irrigation since the grass will still need water to maintain its green color and quality.” It also notes that bahiagrass keeps its green color longer in drought than zoysiagrass or centipedegrass, which lose it quickly.

If you want it green, water when the blades fold up, wilt or turn blue-gray, or when footprints stay visible, applying ½ to ¾ inch each time, which wets roughly the top 8 inches where most roots are. Follow any local watering restrictions. If you have no irrigation system and see those signs, UF/IFAS says to leave the grass alone through the drought and avoid low mowing, fertilizer and pesticides. Overwatering weakens bahia and encourages weeds.

How much fertilizer does bahia grass need?

UF/IFAS recommends 1–2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year for bahia lawns in north, central and south Florida alike.

1–2 lb N per 1,000 sq ft a year The UF/IFAS annual nitrogen guideline for bahiagrass lawns in all three regions of Florida. NC State’s table gives 1 lb, and LSU says up to 1 lb a year and never more than 1 lb per application.

Source: UF/IFAS Extension, Bahiagrass for Florida Lawns (ENH6)

Check the date on any page that quotes more. The April 2011 version of the same UF/IFAS sheet, still hosted on the EDIS site and marked as an archival copy, gave 2–3 lb in north Florida and 2–4 lb in central and south Florida. The current revision cut all three regions to 1–2 lb.

UF/IFAS spreads the nitrogen over 1 to 3 applications from spring green-up through fall. The first goes on in early April in central Florida and mid-April in north Florida; in south Florida, where growth is year-round, applications can be made throughout the year. Do not start too early, particularly in north Florida, because late frosts can damage the grass, and do not feed late in the year after growth has subsided. Florida’s urban turf rule allows up to 2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in spring or summer with a fertilizer that is at least 65% controlled release, but UF/IFAS says bahia generally does not need that much, and no more than 0.7 lb of soluble nitrogen may go on at one time. Some Florida cities and counties add summertime fertilizer restrictions, so check yours.

Two bahia-specific cautions. First, iron: UF/IFAS says bahiagrass is prone to iron deficiency in soil above pH 7.0, with yellow blades; the fix is ferrous sulfate at 2 ounces in 3–5 gallons of water per 1,000 sq ft every 6 weeks, and iron does not replace nitrogen. Second, “weed and feed” bags: UF/IFAS warns that products with atrazine or metsulfuron damage bahiagrass and are not recommended for it. Phosphorus is best judged by soil test, since some Florida soils already hold plenty.

Turn pounds of nitrogen into bags. Nitrogen is the first number on the label. A bag marked 16-4-8 is 16% nitrogen by weight, so 1 lb of nitrogen needs 6.25 lb of product per 1,000 sq ft (1 ÷ 0.16), and a 5,000 sq ft yard at that rate takes about 31 lb. That is an arithmetic example, not a product recommendation. Our fertilizer calculator does the same conversion for any bag.

Bahia grass care calendar for Florida, month by month

This calendar follows UF/IFAS’s split of the state: north Florida is anything north of Ocala, central Florida runs south of Ocala to a line from Vero Beach to Tampa, and south Florida is the rest. It covers north and central Florida; south Florida grows year-round. Mole cricket dates come from the UF/IFAS mole cricket guide (IPM-206).

Month	What to do	What to watch
Dec–Jan	Hold nitrogen. UF/IFAS warns against feeding too early (late frosts) or after growth has subsided	Cut back irrigation: mole crickets need moist soil (IPM-206)
Feb	Pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass, sandbur, goosegrass and similar weeds: February 15 in central Florida (February 1 in south Florida). Take a soil sample	Little growth yet: UF/IFAS’s pasture sheet puts about 85% of production in April–September
Mar	Pre-emergent window opens March 1 in north Florida	Tawny mole cricket flights peak March–May
Apr	First nitrogen on an established lawn: early April in central Florida, mid-April in north Florida. Seeding a new lawn: Georgia’s rule is soil 4 inches down at 65°F and rising; UF/IFAS says to hold fertilizer 30–60 days after planting	Southern mole cricket flights peak April–June; switch off outdoor lights at dusk
May	Spot-treat broadleaf weeds such as knotweed, spurge and lespedeza when air temperature is 60–85°F and the grass is not stressed	Tawny mole cricket eggs hatch April–June
Jun	Mow every 7–14 days at 3–4 inches; long days push seedheads up	Summer fertilizer restrictions in some cities and counties. Where patches wilt, do the soap test: two or more crickets in 3 minutes will in many cases justify action
Jul	Keep mowing. Place the rest of your 1–2 lb of nitrogen within UF/IFAS’s 1–3 applications	Dollar spot in hot, damp weather from July to early September (pasture sheet). Small mole cricket nymphs are more susceptible to insecticides in summer than large ones in late summer and fall
Aug	Later seeding is possible but riskier: UF/IFAS says growth will be reduced in fall, and Texas A&M says weed pressure is greater with later plantings	Dollar spot weather window continues
Sep	Put any remaining nitrogen on while the grass is still growing; UF/IFAS says not after growth has subsided	The dollar spot window runs to early September. Tawny mole cricket nymphs can reach adulthood as early as September
Oct	No more nitrogen once growth subsides. The pasture sheet says fall growth is limited by rainfall and short days	Browning from dryness is normal dormancy; water only if you want it green
Nov	Color fades; ‘Argentine’ loses color sooner than ‘Pensacola’	A minor southern mole cricket flight occurs around November

The calendar’s takeaway: two jobs sit early (pre-emergent in February or March, first nitrogen in April) and the rest of the year is mowing, with pest checks timed to the mole cricket season.

Bahia grass problems: symptom, cause and fix

UF/IFAS says bahiagrass is generally less troubled by insects, diseases and nematodes than other Florida lawn grasses. The problems that do occur are mole crickets, iron deficiency at high pH, dollar spot, nematodes and weeds, plus damage from the wrong herbicide.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Wilting or dead patches that stay dry after irrigation; raised tunnels in the soil	Mole crickets, which UF/IFAS calls bahia’s most serious insect threat	Soap test on moist soil: ¾ oz (1.5 tablespoons) of dish soap in 1 gallon of water over a 2 ft × 2 ft square; two or more crickets in 3 minutes will in many cases justify action. Small nymphs in summer are the easier target. Insecticide registrations change, so read the label and ask your county extension office
Yellow blades on a lawn in alkaline soil	Iron deficiency above pH 7.0	Ferrous sulfate, 2 oz in 3–5 gallons of water per 1,000 sq ft, every 6 weeks. Iron does not cure nitrogen deficiency
Pale, slow-growing turf overall	Nitrogen deficiency, which looks like iron deficiency but is a different problem	Soil test, then nitrogen within the 1–2 lb a year budget
Spots several inches across, scattered through the turf in hot, damp weather	Dollar spot	A light nitrogen application, ½ lb per 1,000 sq ft, so the grass outgrows it
Brown, folded or blue-gray blades in a dry spell	Drought dormancy or thirst	Water ½–¾ inch if you want green; otherwise leave it, and do not mow low or fertilize
Thin turf with a weak root system and no insects found	Possible nematodes	Send a soil sample to the Florida Nematode Assay Lab. UF/IFAS suggests lower nitrogen, less frequent but deeper watering and ample soil potassium
Crabgrass, sandbur or goosegrass in open turf	Open canopy; UF/IFAS rates bahia’s density low	Pre-emergent by February 1, February 15 or March 1 by region; UF/IFAS says selective control of emerged grass weeds can only be achieved by hand pulling. See our goosegrass guide
Lawn browns or thins after a weed-and-feed	Atrazine or metsulfuron in the product	Do not repeat it; use only products labeled for bahiagrass. UF/IFAS gives no repair method
Thinning near the coast or where salty water is used	Salt tolerance rated “very poor”	UF/IFAS rates seashore paspalum excellent for salt, and bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass good

The takeaway from the table: most bahia problems are management or site mismatches, and in most rows the fix is a soil test, a nitrogen adjustment or a change of product, not a rescue treatment.

How to get rid of bahia grass in a lawn

Bahia grass in another lawn is hard to remove, and extension agents say so. The NC Cooperative Extension agent in Sampson County calls it hard to control in home lawns and says large infestations take repeated applications over at least 2 years, and an established infestation can be dug up and burned or treated with an herbicide. The agent advises treating 3 to 5 days after mowing, from May through July while the bahia is actively growing. LSU puts the first post-emergence application in late spring, when bahia begins to emerge, followed by a second in summer, and calls metsulfuron methyl highly effective on ‘Pensacola’, the most common bahia type infesting Louisiana lawns.

Two cautions. The product must be labeled for your lawn grass: the Sampson County agent lists metsulfuron products for bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass lawns and a longer list of active ingredients for centipedegrass, so read the label before you buy. And prevention beats removal: LSU’s cultural control is a healthy lawn, with regular mowing, proper fertilization and soil pH management.

Should you plant bahia grass? Choose by yard

If your lot is large, sandy and acidic and you will not irrigate, pick bahia: ‘Argentine’ if you will mow regularly and want the neater look, ‘Pensacola’ if holding winter color matters more.
If you want a dense carpet, foot traffic or salt tolerance, pick something else. UF/IFAS rates bahia’s density low, its wear tolerance poor and its salt tolerance very poor.
If your soil is above pH 7, fix the pH or choose another grass; UF/IFAS says a high-pH soil is not an example of “right plant, right place” for bahia.
If you would rather not mow seedheads at all, look at non-grass options: our clover lawn guide covers seeding method, timing and soil prep, and our frogfruit guide covers a native groundcover lawn replacement.
If bahia is already where you do not want it, use the removal steps above and start with the Sampson County timing.

Frequently asked questions

Is bahia grass good for a lawn?

Only on large, sandy, unirrigated lots where low upkeep matters more than looks. UF/IFAS calls it a good choice for those sites; the University of Georgia says that in most lawns it is a weed.

How tall should you mow bahia grass?

UF/IFAS says 3–4 inches, every 7–14 days during active growth. LSU gives 2.5 to 4 inches and NC State 2 to 4. Never remove more than a third of the blade height at one mowing.

Why does bahia grass have so many seedheads?

Bahiagrass is an obligate long-day plant, so seedheads appear as days lengthen. ‘Pensacola’ makes more than ‘Argentine’. Mowing is how you manage them, and the stems are tough, so keep the blade sharp.

When should you fertilize bahia grass?

Apply the first nitrogen in early April in central Florida or mid-April in north Florida, within a total of 1–2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft a year, in 1 to 3 applications through fall.

Your next step

Before you buy seed or herbicide, test your soil pH: sandy, acidic soil (the UF/IFAS pasture sheet gives pH 4.5 to 6.5, with 5.5 as the target) points toward bahia, and anything over 7 points away from it. Then size the seed with the grass seed calculator and the feeding with the fertilizer calculator, and compare bahia with the other nine lawn grasses in our lawn grass types guide.

Sources

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