These are some basic Saint Augustine lawn care tips to follow to keep our lawns in the best and healthiest condition possible. Should the lawn encounter any other turf problems, then further research and remedies will need to be undertaken to correct any other issues.
Saint Augustine Lawn Fertilization
Saint Augustine lawns will require a good quality, year round fertilization program in order to keep looking its best. Without this lawn care, a Saint Augustine lawn can lose its color, health and vitality.
Fertilize every two to three months with a good quality lawn fertilizer at manufacturers recommended application rates. Do not apply more fertilizer than recommended as this can damage the lawn. Begin the fertilization regimen from the month prior to the onset of Winter.
Choose a high quality lawn fertilizer, and ensure the fertilizer includes Trace Elements, and switch to a Winter fertilizer for applications in Winter..
Alternatively, a choice of a quality slow release lawn fertilizer will require less applications of nutrients throughout the year. Follow manufacturers recommendations for application rates and frequencies.
Iron Supplements
Saint Augustine lawns do enjoy a little extra Iron in their diet. Applying an inexpensive Iron supplement once a year in Spring or Fall will do wonders for the health of our Saint Augustine lawns.
If our St Augustine lawn is looking a little pale, and it's receiving adequate water and is being mowed at correct heights, and is receiving adequate daily sunlight, then it may well be needing an Iron Supplement.
Saint Augustine Lawn Mowing
Regular lawn mowing is vital to the health of St Augustine grass. This will keep the lawn from developing too much lawn thatch, will reduce any risk of scalping and damaging the lawn, will slow the Saint Augustine runners from creeping into surrounding gardens, and promote more green leaf growth, resulting in a more lush Saint Augustine lawn.
For some of the faster growing Saint Augustine lawn types, lawn mowing may need to be done weekly during the active growing season of the year.
The very best lawn mowing results and nicest Saint Augustine lawns will always be achieved when Saint Augustine lawns are cut at recommended heights of between 1 to 3 inches. These heights are best suited to the new soft varieties of Saint Augustine lawns, but may not be achievable in older strands of this grass type.
Saint Augustine Lawn Disease
Saint Augustine grass can be prone to disease infections such as Brown Patch lawn disease. Most of these disease infections will result in circular brown patches on the grass. The very best way to control these lawn diseases is to aerate the lawn, cut the grass higher, stop fertilization during the outbreak, ensure to water only in the morning and apply wetting agents if necessary.
Garden and lawn fungicides can also be used, but their effectiveness can be hit and miss, and the lawn conditions which caused the disease outbreak will need to be permanently addressed so as not to have another lawn disease outbreak.
Saint Augustine Lawn Watering
Watering our Saint Augustine lawn should preferably be done in the mornings, and this is for three reasons. First, it provides the lawn with water in the soil throughout the day when the weather is warmest and when the grass is most actively growing. Second is when lawns are watered at night, more of the water drains away through the soil before the lawn can use it, this wastes water. But most importantly is that when water is left sitting on the lawn surface overnight, this can promote fungal diseases.
Saint Augustine Thatch Control
Saint Augustine thatch build up can be one of the biggest long term concerns for many St Augustine lawn owners. One of the reasons for the concern is that de-thatching lawns by means of vertimowing can be extremely difficult with St Augustine lawns. This is because St Augustine has no underground runners to repair from, unlike other grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia.
Control thatch by mowing lower than normal at least once or twice a year in early Spring or early Fall. Be very careful not to remove too much material with any single mowing as this could damage or the lawn in areas. Take the lawn thatch down gently, and even gradually reduce the mowing height with 2-3 mowings 1 week apart. After enough thatch has been removed, bring the lawn mowing back up to preferred mowing heights.
Wetting Agents
Applying wetting agents are another one of those essential lawn care practices which all lawn owners can do at least once or twice per year. The wetting agents will act on the soil and allow more water to flow freely, disperse the water in the soil more evenly and hold onto water for longer in the soil in the case of hydrophobic soils.
Wetting Agents are best applied once before Summer begins, and once after Summer ends. Though in reality, wetting agents are harmless to lawns and can be applied at any time of the year.
