Can You Make Your Own Grass Plugs?

You’ve saved, worked hard, and finally succeeded—congratulations on moving into your new home!

As you walk through the door, your mind will probably be racing with thoughts of everything you need to do to make your new space feel truly yours. But creating a comfortable home isn’t just about what’s inside—it also extends to your outdoor space. Beyond elevating curb appeal, a well-maintained lawn also sets the stage for a welcoming and enjoyable environment. These days, planting grass plugs emerges as one of the most innovative ways to achieve a lush, green lawn.

Whether you’re looking to repair bare spots or introduce a new grass type to your landscape, grass plugs provide a practical solution that balances affordability with successful establishment.

What are Grass Plugs?

Grass plugs are a revolutionary approach to lawn care, providing a simple and effective way to repair or start a new lawn. These individual grass plants are grown in trays, allowing each plug to develop a strong root system before being transplanted. Because they are pre-grown, they are more resilient to challenging conditions than starting a lawn from seed.

Like sod, grass plugs are ready to plant and can be used to fill in bare spots, improve an existing lawn, or introduce a new grass variety that will eventually spread throughout the yard. They offer a middle ground between sod and seeding—more affordable than sod but with a higher success rate than seed.

Warm-season grasses such as Bermudagrass, Zoysia, and St. Augustine can be established successfully as grass plugs. Because they are pre-grown, grass plugs establish faster, making them more resilient to challenging conditions, including drought and heavy foot traffic. These grass types thrive in warm climates and provide benefits such as dense turf coverage, durability, and a beautiful green appearance throughout the growing season.

Can I Make My Own Grass Plugs?

Whether you want to repair damaged areas or do a complete overhaul, making grass plugs yourself sounds appealing.

However, DIY grass plugs come with several challenges. For example, maintaining uniform size and healthy root development can be difficult without specialized equipment. Additionally, disease and pest control are more complicated to manage in a home setting, potentially leading to weaker plugs.

Soil conditions can also vary across your lawn, potentially resulting in inconsistent growth rates. The time and effort required to monitor and nurture DIY grass plugs may outweigh the cost savings, making farm-grown plugs a more reliable option.

3 Reasons to Use SodPods vs. DIY Grass Plugs

At SodPods, our commitment to helping you grow a flourishing lawn motivates us to explore and deliver revolutionary solutions to elevate your property. Our grass plugs leverage advanced cultivation methods, optimal growing conditions, and the expertise of our grass farmers overseeing the process.

Not all grass plugs are created equal. What sets us apart from traditional grass plugs is the level of care and attention each plug receives in our family-owned and operated farm to maximize its potential to grow into a dense green landscape.

Expertise and Precision

We have a team of experienced grass farmers who understand the intricacies of optimal growth conditions—a level of expertise that DIY attempts may lack to plant grass plugs successfully.

Disease and Weather Resistance

Nurtured in closely monitored environments, we focus on promoting healthy root growth in grass plugs—a critical factor in boosting their resistance against pests, diseases, and weeds. With less-than-optimal conditions, DIY methods may not achieve the same level of root development, affecting your plug’s ability to thrive post-planting.

Wide Variety of Grass Plugs

We take pride in offering various grass plug options for different lawn needs and preferences. These include several warm-season grass plugs like St. Augustine, Bermuda, and Zoysia, which thrive in different climates and conditions.

How to Plant and Care for Grass Plugs

The ideal time to plant grass plugs is in late spring and early summer when temperatures are moderate, allowing the plugs to establish before the peak heat of summer. Extreme heat can stress newly planted plugs, causing them to dry out quickly and struggle to develop strong roots.

In Florida’s temperate climate, the planting window is nearly year-round. Still, to give the plugs the best chance of establishing successfully, it’s best to avoid planting during the hottest months of summer or during cold snaps in winter.

• Soil Testing – Although optional, a soil test assesses pH, nutrient levels, and composition, guiding the necessary amendments to create an optimal growing environment that supports healthy root development and long-term growth. Based on the results, you can adjust soil pH with lime or sulfur and improve nutrient content by adding organic matter or fertilizer.

• Soil Preparation – Remove debris, break up soil clumps, and clear weeds to create optimal growing conditions and reduce competition for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Loosening compacted soil allows the plugs to establish roots more easily. If the soil is poor or sandy, consider incorporating compost or topsoil to improve moisture retention and nutrient availability.

• Dig Holes for Plugs – Use a grass plug tool like the SodPods Power Planter to create evenly spaced plug holes for the pods. Proper spacing facilitates even growth and coverage.

• Insert the Grass Plugs – Place each plug into its hole, ensuring the roots make good contact with the soil. Fill in gaps and press the soil down gently to remove air pockets.

• Water and Maintain – Water the newly planted grass plugs 1-2 times daily for the first 10-14 days to keep the soil moist and support root development. As the plugs start to spread and establish, gradually reduce watering to 1-1.5 inches per week—the recommended amount for warm-season grasses.

How many plugs you need will depend on your desired spacing and overall square foot coverage. Closer spacing allows for quicker establishment, while wider spacing may take longer to fill in. For reference, each 8-pack of SodPods covers approximately 18 square feet, helping you determine the number of plugs needed for your lawn.

How Long Do Grass Plugs Take to Grow?

Grass plugs typically take at least two weeks to develop strong roots and begin spreading across the lawn. During the first few weeks, the focus is on root establishment, ensuring the plugs anchor firmly into the soil. Once rooted, they will gradually expand, filling in the bare spots.

Full coverage depends on grass type, climate, and soil quality. On average, warm-season grass plugs can take a few months to cover a lawn entirely, depending on how close together they are planted.But following proper maintenance practices can speed up the process and enjoy a lush, green yard sooner.

How to Make Grass Plugs Grow Faster

For quicker establishment and growth, use NutriPod grass fertilizer during planting. With a 17-1-10 NPK ratio, NutriPod supports root development and accelerates grass spread up to twice as fast. This slow-release fertilizer comes in dissolvable pods, reducing the risk of nutrient leaching and over-fertilization. Simply drop one pod into each hole before inserting a plug for precise, efficient nutrient distribution.

To further speed up lawn coverage, consider reducing plug spacing—placing them closer than 12-18 inches apart allows the grass to fill in faster. Keep the soil moist before and after planting to support root establishment, and implement weed control to reduce competition. Once the plugs take root, regular mowing will encourage a denser, more resilient turf, helping your lawn grow thicker and stronger over time. For more insights, discover tips on how to make grass plugs spread faster.

Are Grass Plugs Worth It?

The benefits of choosing farm-grown grass plugs far outweigh the potential drawbacks of DIY methods. At SodPods, we dedicate our time and resources to cultivating disease-resistant grass pugs that have a higher success rate of thriving once planted on your lawn. With the added benefit of NutriPods, our plugs receive essential nutrients right from the start, ensuring they adapt quickly and grow into a healthy, vibrant lawn.

Explore our selection of high-quality grass plugs and bundles at the SodPods website and take the first step toward a healthier, more beautiful lawn today!