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Yes, Bahia grass spreads on its own thanks to its short stolon system. However, it might not seem like your Bahia grass spreads well due to its slow growth. Bahia grass takes around 3 to 4 weeks to germinate and an additional two weeks to grow thicker. 

During this time, fast-growing, competitive weeds may pop up, so weed your lawn to give your Bahia grass a chance to grow. This grass can take up to two years to become established. Once established, Bahia grass typically does well in suitable climates.

Planting grass from seed requires time to grow before it can handle even light foot traffic. Most varieties require a minimum of three months before you can walk on them regularly. You can expect to wait at least one year before your lawn can hold up to heavy use. Because sod is already established, it can be walked on more quickly than grass planted from seed.

You can mow the grass when it’s dry to the touch, usually between 2 and 5 hours if it was a light rainfall or morning dew. If the rainfall was significant, you may need to wait up to 2 days until the grass is dry. Touch the grass and soil to determine if it’s dry. Be sure to check in shady areas too, as those can take longer to dry out.

Sometimes, pulling nutgrass can cause it to spread. If you do not discard the plant and rhizomes, the nutlets attached to the roots may each sprout. However, if you pull nutgrass repeatedly over the course of several weeks and discard the plant each time, it will weaken the plant significantly, eventually leading to its disappearance.