Well hate to tell you, but you need a warm season grass, and those are planted in late spring, not fall. Cool season grasses like Fescue, KBG, and Rye are planted in fall.

There is only one grass availible in seed form that will do what you ask: Bermuda.

Hybrid are the best of the Bemuda grasses but they are only available in sod, sprigs, and plugs. So if you insist on seeds you will have to stick with the common varieties. Two of the better common Bermuda grass types for your area is Riviera and Yukon.

You only other option is Zoysia which is expensive sod only. There are s feww seeded varieties of Zoysia, but they are not worth it.

Thank you Texas-Weed. I don't insist on seed if it won't get the job done, and it sounds like it might not. I have a love-hate relationship with Bermuda, since it constantly tries to destroy my flower beds. If I open up the options to seed, sprigs, plugs or sod, do you still suggest Bermuda or does that change things?

Thanks again for your thoughts.

Bermuda and Centipede are incompatible with each other because they have huge differences in fertilizer soil, and water requirements.

Centipede needs terrible acidic soil where nothing else will grow, only needs an empty bag of fertilizer dragged around the yard once every spring, and watered every other day.

Bermuda on the other hand is a fertilizer hog needing 1-pound of nitrogen applied every month, will grow in just about every soil type except highly acidic, and only needs minimum water.

So if you do have a mix of both Bermuda and Centipede tells me you have way very nutrient depleted soil. Because if you had good nutrients the Centipede would be dead and taken over by the Bermuda

Here is my thought. If you want Bermuda, all you have to do is make the conditions favorable for the Bermuda you already have. You can certainly start right now by adding organic materials right now. But since you have Centipede the first thing I would want to know is the soil PH. If it is 6.0 or less you need to address that problem right away with lime to get it above 6.0 toward 7.0

So here are the steps:

 Soli test, check PH immediately, and add lime if necessary, also note phosphorous and potassium requirements.
 Add a layer of compost as this will aid organic material content. The soil test will tell what the organic content is now. Anything above 3% is good as Bermuda is not real picky.
 I donÂt suggest using organic fertilizers in the form of the grains trying to revitalize a lawn in nutrient depleted soil. They take too long to get cooking and could take a year or two to get results. Instead bridge the gap with an synthetic organic fertilizer using a slow release urea fertilizer. Right now you want to put down a 20-5-10 slow release urea fertilizer at a rate of 5 pounds of product per 1000/ft2. Then after 30 days apply straight slow release urea nitrogen of 39-0-0 at a rate of 3-pounds of product per 1000/ft2. Then keep applying 39-0-0 every 30 days till mid October then stop until next spring when you start the process all over again with 20-5-10.

If you want to go the organic route with fertilizer, I do suggest using Soybean meal as it contains the highest protein content and is the most economic. What you can do is wait until about July after the Bermuda has reestablished itself and transition to organic slowly the way to do this go ahead and apply the 39-0-0 at a reduced rate that goes something like this:

 For the July application apply 39-0-0 at a rate of 2 pounds per 1000/ft2, and also apply 10 pounds of SBM per 1000/ft2
 August, repeat
 September apply 39-0-0 at a rate of 1 pound per 1000/ft2, and 15 pounds of SBM
 October is the total transition of 15 pounds of SBM per 1000/ft2
 Following spring just use 15 pounds of SBM every month up to October.

I have a love-hate relationship with Bermuda, since it constantly tries to destroy my flower beds. If I open up the options to seed, sprigs, plugs or sod, do you still suggest Bermuda or does that change things?

Doesn't change a thing. Bermuda whether it is common or hybrid is aggressive by nature. You can see that as a pro or con. Con is getting into flower beds, you just have to use barriers and elbow grease. What I do is use a lasagna method in my flower beds. Cover the area with cardboard, then cover the cardboard up with compost and mulch. Then each spring add more compost and mulch. In the mean time pull up what ever Bermuda shows up.

On the pro side of thing use the aggressiveness to your advantage, it will regenerate and repair itself very quickly if the conditions are right. Mow it very short and often, water it properly, and feed it lots of nitrogen. If by the first of June you still have large bare spots, by all means over seed with a quality variety suited for your area, or sod, sprig, or plug.

However if you do have Bermuda now, I think you can just renovate what you already have in place with proper care.

Good luck and if you have any question please ask away. I am sure someone will have answers and options for you.

I have gone to look at grass pictures and I think I was wrong about the centipede. I was right, however, about the Bermuda. So, taking all of your excellent advice to heart, it sounds like the simplest option is to work on getting the existing Bermuda to come back through your fertilizer program. Are the slow release urea fertilizers available at your average box store or will I need to seek out garden shops or feed stores?

Will overseeding with a hybrid Bermuda seed help at all? Say, Princess or Riviera? Also, if I am abandoning seed, is Bermuda definitely better than Zoysia?

Thanks so much for taking the time to give me so much detail.

Erika

Erika where are you at in AR? If you live in LR or Ft. Smith there should be a LESCO dealer. If not some of the box stores carry slow release urea formulas.

FWIW there are no hybrid Bermuda seeds available, there are however inproved common strains like Riviera. I would rule out Princess unless you live along the LA state line.

To the question of Bermuda or Zoysia is tough to say as it is a preference. However there is no good Zoysia seed, it is sod, plugs or sprigs only. There is some Zoysia seed on the market, but it is very expensive, and very slow/hard to germinate. If you have some partial shade, Zoysia is a better choice as it will tolerate lite shade better than Bermuda.

If you can afford Zousia sod by all means look into it.

I do live in LR and I will investigate the LESCO dealer. You are of course right about the Bermuda seed--I meant improved common.

Thanks again! I will report back on progress. I should take a "before" picture of my beautiful clover/chickweed field for comparison!

Erika