I know this is a topic that gets discussed from time to time on here. Figured I'd bring it back up for some help on my specific application.

Background:

Have 1.5 acres of fresh dirt that I'm looking to plant Bermuda seed on. Sodding seems out of the question due to price for the needed area.

Mostly looking at Bermuda for drought and full sun tolerance.

This is for lawn purposes and no grazing. Will be maintained with a regular mower.

Property is in south College Station and mostly clay. I'll be able to irrigate however needed for germination but won't have a regularly scheduled irrigation system once established.

Hoping Mother Nature can do her best most years.

Options:

Regular seed - have looked at Blackjack Bermuda for the most part. Open to others but regular Bermuda seed is the most economical. Also seems like the most dicey to grow.

Seems soil temps, water, and birds are the biggest issues when it comes to straight seed.

Hydro Seed - Have talked to a couple people and they can hydro seed Blackjack for a reasonable price. It's about 2-3x straight seed but also seems like a much higher success rate for germination and growth.

Monaco Bermuda - Read a past thread where someone recommended this but it's pretty pricey. About the same price as hydro seed. Looks like a nice Bermuda if it gets established.

Open to any and all suggestions for economically and successfully establishing a pretty hearty lawn for an area that size.

Went through this several years ago in the same area with lots of clay. The builder sodded a lot but still had roughly half acre that needed grass. I forgot which seed I used though. Took several years of the sod extending and continuing to put out seed for it to all fill it. It was nice but never as good as the sod.

But my neighbor across the street hydro mulched his whole yard. It turned out very nice. It was never as solid as the sod but was faster/easier and more efficient than just seeding plus cheaper.

I used this a couple of years ago and it worked great. Best I've ever had when it comes to seeding.

https://www.amazon.com/Scotts-18012A-Turf-Builder-Grass/dp/B01NALORRH/ref=asc_df_B01NALORRH?mcid=9c002002e4bf35f0bee079c8262204b0&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693713553091&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7073835799931059599&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027901&hvtargid=pla-311792309031&psc=1

the county did a construction job on a utility ROW of ours and did the hydroseed when they were done. one light rain later and that stuff came up thick as oatmeal. looks better than it did before. thats all i got.

Howtowithdoc . Expert on Bermuda. For seeds look at The Anderson lawn and garden.

Also outsidepride seed. This is where I got my seeds.

I have 7acres black clay soil. He have horses. 2 bigs and a mini.

In April and October I use a plug aerator and overseed with bermuda ... and fertilize.

The plug aerator helps with compaction but double duty allows the seed to get in the ground. And has as much if not more effect as fertilizing. Double up is a win win.

(As a side note I do run my plug aerator as a service for folks. It's an expensive piece of equipment to own for once or twice a year use. So I try to offset some cost. Depending on the soil type most will really respond well. It is 6ft wide and about 700 pounds....will pull out thumb size plugs.)

I had a lot of success with a hybrid.

Bluegrass
Kentucky Bluegrass
Featherbed Bent
Northern California Sensemilia

I got Blackjack Bermuda seed from a place here in DFW. Wasn't impressed with it. Ordered some more from Hancock Seed in Florida. I think it went much better. Also ordered Ryegrass seed I planned to drop last fall, but didn't. I'll save it for this fall.

You will need a weed control plan.

I used Maya bermuda grass seed last year. Its doing well in my yard. I also have a heavy clay soil. For bare soil I recommend 2lbs/1,000 sq ft.

Sprigging is the way to go. That way you can just go get only a few pallets of whatever hybrid Bermuda you want (I'd go celebration or Tahoma 31).

I seeded blackjack a few years ago and have been unimpressed. It does well if it gets a lot of water and fertilizer. 2/3 didn't survive the drought 2 years ago and the remaining did not even try to fill the dead areas last summer. It is also very susceptible to bermuda grass mites. In the front yard it has been overtaken by regular common bermudagrass which seems more resistant to mites.

I've had good luck in the same area with common bermuda. Hulled and coated. Hand spread. I try to put it down while its raining, with another good rain in the forecast.

The amazing stuff about this is, that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on this stuff.

El_duderino said:

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Sprigging is the way to go. That way you can just go get only a few pallets of whatever hybrid Bermuda you want (I'd go celebration or Tahoma 31).

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100% this. I made sprigs from 2 pallets and did 9000 sqft. Have to keep them wet constantly until they form roots. Celsius and sertay after 6 weeks take care of the weeds and sedge. You can spray right on the grass without any issues.

I had good luck with Pennington Texas Bermuda Seed.

We had some dirt work done to help with drainage and they brought in a lot of fill dirt. I took a rake and disturbed the area, spread the seed with a speeder and then flipped the rake over and went back over the seeds. I didn't try to bury them, just made sure they weren't all sitting on the top.

I put sprinklers on it and watered it in the afternoon when I got home and tried to turn it on in the morning and had my wife turn it off when she got the kids to school.

That stuff grew great and it looks good now.

I've got some better hybrid Bermuda that I had pulled strands of and stuck in the ground. It grew as well so I've got a big patch of hybrid in the middle of the Pennington grass.

Watering is the key from what I can tell. Everytime I water, grass grows. When I get lazy then it doesn't.

1.5 acres is great to sprig, but sprigs have to be kept wet and I'm guessing you won't have a way to water it.

I would look at hydro mulch. Bermuda seed won't reliably germinate until night time temps are consistently in the 60s. Hydro mulch in BCS around the first of May and hope it rains. If this isn't your main lawn I wouldn't really worry about what variety - they'll all be pretty similar.

Cinderella story......... Cannonball coming !

I would just have it hydromulched using common bermudagrass seed when warm temps are here to stay.

Thanks for all of the info everyone.

Sounds like hydro seeding common Bermuda is the best bet.

I think sprigging would take too long to fill in or be too expensive to get enough coverage.

I did find a new Bermuda seed called Sun Queen I'm going to do a little more research on.