What Are Stolons?

Grass has a way of spreading into places it doesn’t belong, but that same behavior is also what helps it recover and thicken. This growth comes from stolons, which allow grass to creep across your lawn and fill in damaged areas.

Stolons are one of the main ways many grasses spread and thicken naturally. Instead of relying only on seeds, certain grass species grow outward using horizontal stems that create new plants along the way. This process helps lawns recover from damage, improve density, and maintain a fuller appearance.

Many warm-season grasses rely on stolons to establish and spread efficiently, especially in favorable growing conditions. In this guide, we’ll break down what stolons are, how they work, and why they play such an important role in lawn growth and repair.

Key Takeaways

Stolons are horizontal stems that grow along the soil surface, allowing grass to spread naturally and form new plants from nodes.
Many warm-season grasses like bermudagrass, St. Augustine, and zoysiagrass rely on stolons to fill in bare spots and create a thicker lawn over time.
Each node along a stolon can develop roots and shoots, helping lawns recover from damage and improve overall density.
Proper mowing, watering, and fertilization all play an important role in supporting healthy stolon growth and faster lawn coverage.
When natural spreading is too slow, planting grass plugs like SodPods® can help speed up lawn repair by creating multiple growth points.

The University of Florida describes stolons as modified stems that grow horizontally along the soil surface. These stems, often called runners, extend outward from the parent plant and form new plants at various points along their length.

In botany, stolons are a type of vegetative propagation, which means the plant reproduces through growth rather than seeds. This form of asexual reproduction allows grasses and other plants to spread efficiently while staying connected to the original plant. As the stolon grows, it produces nodes along its length. These nodes are key points where new growth begins, eventually giving rise to roots and shoots that develop into new plants.

How Stolons Work in Plants

Stolons are not limited to grasses and can also occur in woody plants and herbaceous perennials. Each stolon contains nodes and buds that act as growing points. When these nodes come into contact with the soil, they can produce roots and new shoots.

This process creates a new plant while still being connected to the parent plant. Over time, this leads to a network of connected growth that helps the lawn become thicker and more uniform.

Key Characteristics of Stolons

Grow above the soil surface
Extend outward from the main plant
Have nodes that form roots
Produce new shoots and leaves
Allow plants to spread without seeds

How Grass Spreads Using Stolons

In many grasses, stolons play a key role in how the lawn spreads and fills in over time. These grasses, often called stoloniferous grasses, grow outward using horizontal stems that move along the ground. As stolons extend from the parent plant, they create new growth points that develop into additional shoots, helping the lawn thicken and repair areas affected by foot traffic, mowing, or environmental stress. For example, bermudagrass spreads quickly through stolons, making it an excellent option for lawn repair and coverage.

As each stolon grows, it forms nodes along its length. When these nodes come into contact with the soil surface, they can produce adventitious roots and new shoots. Each node has the potential to become a new plant, which is what allows grass to gradually fill in bare spots and create a denser, more uniform lawn over time.

How They Spread

The stolon grows horizontally across the ground
Nodes make contact with the soil surface
Roots begin to develop at the node
New shoots grow upward from the node
The lawn spreads and becomes thicker over time:

SodPods grass plugs work with this natural process by acting as starting points for stolon growth. Each plug can spread outward, helping fill in bare areas more efficiently.

Stolons vs Rhizomes: What’s the Difference?

Stolons are often compared to rhizomes because both are horizontal stems that help plants spread. However, the main difference lies in where they grow and how they contribute to lawn coverage. Some grasses rely on stolons, others on rhizomes, and a few use both.

Stolons (Above Ground)

Stolons grow along the surface of the ground and are usually visible. They spread outward and form new plants at nodes above the soil. Grasses that primarily spread through stolons include bermudagrass, St. Augustine, and zoysiagrass.

Rhizomes (Below Ground)

Rhizomes grow underground and spread beneath the soil surface. They produce new shoots and roots below ground, which helps create a dense and durable lawn. Grasses like kentucky bluegrass rely heavily on rhizomes for spreading.

Some grass species use both stolons and rhizomes, such as bermudagrass and certain zoysiagrass varieties. These grasses tend to spread more aggressively and recover faster because they can grow both above and below the soil surface.

Stolons and Rhizomes in Warm-Season Grasses

	Stolons	Rhizomes
Bermudagrass	✔	✔
Zoysiagrass	✔	✔
St. Augustine Grass	✔
Centipede Grass	✔

Why Stolons Matter for Your Lawn

Understanding stolons can help you better manage your lawn and take advantage of how grass naturally spreads. Stoloniferous grasses are especially effective at recovering from damage because they can form adventitious roots (roots at nodes) and regrow from multiple points.

Natural Lawn Repair: Stolons help fill in bare spots by producing new shoots in damaged areas. This makes them valuable for repair and overall lawn maintenance.

Faster Lawn Coverage: Instead of relying only on seed, stolons allow grass to spread outward and cover more ground over time. This leads to a thicker, more uniform lawn.

Resilience During Stress: Stolons help grass recover from mowing, foot traffic, and dry periods by maintaining multiple growing points across the lawn.

How to Encourage Stolon Growth in Your Lawn

If you want your lawn to spread and thicken more effectively, a few simple practices can help support stolon growth and improve overall coverage.

Proper Mowing

Avoid cutting the grass too short, as this can damage the growing points where new shoots form. For most warm-season grasses, keeping the recommended mowing height, typically between 1 to 2 inches for bermudagrass and 2 to 4 inches for St. Augustine and zoysiagrass, allows stolons to stay healthy and continue spreading along the surface. Regular mowing also encourages lateral growth, which helps the lawn fill in more evenly over time.

Watering Consistently

Stolons need good contact with the soil surface to root successfully. Watering consistently helps keep the soil slightly moist, making it easier for nodes to develop roots. Instead of frequent shallow watering, aim for deeper watering a few times per week to encourage stronger root development. During dry periods, maintaining moisture is especially important to support continued spread.

Fertilization

Healthy growth depends on proper nutrition. Applying a balanced fertilizer during the active growing season helps the grass produce more shoots and stronger stolons. This leads to faster spread and better coverage. Avoid over-fertilizing, as excessive growth can lead to thatch buildup and other issues. Following a seasonal fertilization schedule can help maintain steady, controlled growth.

When Stolons Spread Too Much: How to Control Them

While stolons are essential for lawn growth and repair, they can sometimes spread beyond where you want them. It’s common to see grass creeping into garden beds, walkways, or neighboring areas. This happens because stolons naturally grow outward along the surface, forming new plants wherever conditions allow.

Managing this spread is important to maintain clean lawn edges and prevent unwanted growth in landscaped areas. Without control, stoloniferous grasses like bermudagrass can become aggressive and harder to manage over time.

Simple Ways to Control Stolon Spread

Edge your lawn regularly: Use a lawn edger or spade to create clear boundaries between your lawn and garden beds. This helps stop stolons from crossing into unwanted areas.

Maintain defined borders: Installing physical barriers like edging materials can limit how far stolons can spread along the ground.

Adjust mowing practices: Regular mowing helps keep stolon growth in check and prevents excessive lateral spread. Avoid letting the grass grow too long, which can encourage overextension.

Remove unwanted runners early: If you notice stolons creeping into unwanted spaces, remove them early before they take root and establish new plants.

When Stolons Are Not Enough, Use Grass Plugs

While stolons are effective, they do not always spread quickly enough on their own. In areas with heavy shade, poor soil conditions, or severe lawn damage, natural growth can slow down significantly. When this happens, relying on stolons alone may leave your lawn thin or patchy for longer than expected.

How to Speed Up Lawn Repair

Instead of waiting for stolons to gradually fill in large areas, planting grass plugs can help accelerate coverage. By spacing plugs across the lawn, you create multiple starting points for growth, allowing stolons to spread outward and connect more quickly.

SodPods grass repair pods are designed to support this process by giving your lawn a strong head start. Available in popular varieties like bermudagrass, St. Augustine, and zoysiagrass, these plugs make it easier for you to repair bare spots and establish a fuller lawn while working with their natural growth habit.

In particular, Bermuda plugs are a great option for faster lawn repair, as bermudagrass spreads aggressively through stolons and can fill in damaged areas more quickly under the right conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stolons are horizontal stems that grow along the ground surface and help grass spread naturally. These stems produce nodes, which develop roots and new shoots when they touch the soil. This allows the grass to form new plants and gradually fill in bare or thin areas of the lawn.
Stolons help grass spread by growing outward from the main plant and forming new growth at each node. When these nodes come into contact with the soil, they develop roots and shoots. This process allows grass to expand across the lawn and create a thicker, more uniform turf over time.
Stolons and rhizomes are both horizontal stems, but they grow in different locations. Stolons grow above ground and are visible as runners, while rhizomes grow below the soil surface. Both help grass spread, but rhizomes contribute to underground growth and often improve durability and density.
Many warm-season grasses use stolons to spread, including bermudagrass, St. Augustine, and zoysiagrass. These grasses rely on aboveground runners to expand and fill in bare spots. Some varieties, like Bermuda and certain Zoysia types, also spread through rhizomes for faster and more aggressive growth.
To help grass spread faster, maintain proper mowing height, water consistently, and provide the right nutrients during the growing season. Reducing soil compaction also helps. For quicker results, planting grass plugs creates multiple growth points, allowing stolons to spread outward and fill in bare areas more efficiently.

Speed Up Lawn Growth with SodPods Grass Plugs

Stolons play a key role in how many grasses grow, spread, and recover over time. These horizontal stems allow grass to form new plants, fill in bare spots, and create a thicker, more resilient lawn. By understanding how stolons work, you can take simple steps to support your lawn’s natural growth and improve its overall appearance.

For faster results, combining good lawn care practices with grass plugs can help you establish a fuller lawn more efficiently while working with the way grass naturally spreads. Explore SodPods solutions today!

What Are Stolons? How Grass Spreads Across Your Lawn