PLANTING BAHIAGRASS ALONG SHORE: We are planting 'Argentine' bahiagrass along a shoreline to repair winter storm damage. Will the seedlings survive the cold weather if planted in March? Can the bahiagrass be planted over perennial ryegrass? Appalachicola

ANSWER: A big problem is that bahiagrass is very sensitive to salt, which will be deposited by the wind. In contrast, St. Augustinegrass, which does well in your area, is tolerant of moderate salinity. While bahiagrass should not winterkill at your location, it will have a longer winter dormancy than St. Augustinegrass. The bahiagrass will establish slowly, during which time you may suffer additional storm damage. Furthermore, the seed cannot be incorporated into the soil without somewhat disturbing the ryegrass. Sod, preferably St. Augustinegrass, gives you a more immediate chance to reclaim the shoreline. In short, don't seed bahiagrass on this site.