St. Augustine grass is tough, green grass with a distinct, grassy smell. That’s because it’s genetically changed to withstand heavy fertilizers and heat, making it dangerous to many pests and disease agents.
The grass is the top choice for landscaping because it proliferates, forming large, long blades that block views of neighboring properties.
How to Thicken St. Augustine Grass
St. Augustine grass is an excellent choice for any lawn, mainly if controlled or cleared by a professional service. The grass will help keep moisture, regulate your area’s temperature, and help keep stray sounds down.
However, if you’re concerned about the appearance of your lawn, it is worth considering whether certain activities could pose issues of their own.
Here are detailed steps you can follow to make your St. Augustine grass thicker.
1. Preparation for Implant
Prepping your grass for proliferation ensures that the soil is well-draining, with the pH range between 5.0 and 8.5 being ideal.
This allows the grassroots to form in the ground, where they can be easily discovered and worked by top-dimming water regularly during dry periods.
The other key factor is creating a well-draining area where the sod can be placed without creating larger patio thicket areas that could obstruct light and airflow through your lawn.
Avoid using acidic or alkaline soil materials that could cause sinking.
2. Irrigation
St. Augustine grass and standard lawn watering rules are more manageable when the water used is clear and consistent before putting leaves on the lawn.
It’s also easier to do this if you’ve provided weekly or bi-weekly watering schedules to your property before beginning any work on it.
After a while, you’ll notice changes in soil moisture content throughout your lawn and may see green areas that used to be dry become moist.
Try not to water for too long between scheduled intervals or risk applying too much water at one time.
The frequency and intensity of watering also depend on how closely the grass is embedded within the soil. For example, if the grasses are growing into the ground vertically, watering may be necessary more often as the grass grows.
3. Mowing
It is usually recommended that grass be mowed once every six to eight weeks to keep the height under control.
But it is also possible to cut it using a lawnmower for St. Augustine grass or an electric lawn duster. It would help if you also watched it closely to not let any water runoff into a nearby stream or partially dry pile of leaves.
This is important; otherwise, your grass will not get as much sunlight as it would if it watered adequately every day.
In addition, mowing more frequently allows the grass to breathe, which helps keep it healthy. The healthier your grass is, the faster the rate of its growth.
4. Incorporate Phosphorus Fertilizers
Fertilizing your lawn does not have to be scary or labor-intensive. Having a professional do it for you can simplify the process by adding a drop or two of fertilizer to your yard every week when it comes time to fertilize your lawn.
Look through several products designed for the task. You’ll want something with the right mix of nutrients that will remain active for several weeks and a high-quality lightweight fertilizer that won’t damage your plants.
For instance, after the first growing season, apply a phosphorus fertilizer to get more phosphorus into the soil to provide more root vitalization and support healthier overall growth.
This helps keep your grasses healthy and prevents them from being broken by grazing animals.
Getting started early also allows for more excellent weed resistance, so there will be no instances when your grass consumes valuable resources from the surrounding land without being used or restored.
5. Eradicate Weeds
Weeding is an essential part of maintaining St. Augustine grass. However, more frequent pulling of unwanted weeds ensures healthy growth. In addition, St. Augustine’s grass is very susceptible to diseases and pests.
These pests can destroy the leaves and prevent the roots from getting embedded within the soil if unchecked. To effectively weed St. Augustine’s grass, you can use a variety of methods.
Chemical Weeders are the most effective method of prevention when dealing with foliage pests.
6. Reviving St. Augustine Grass
There are many reasons to revive St. Augustine grass, but the most critical factor is to prevent it from becoming another unattractive lawn disease.
If you live in scorching places, you may have seen the grass slowly dying off from lack of water and the effects of warm weather.
If you haven’t noticed and loved your lawn, it is time to do something about it. You should first make sure you have a reasonable estimate for how much water your yard should receive each week.
Next, determine which type of grass outbreak you have.
Finally, if the grass is dying back and no longer looks green or if there are apparent discoloration spots, then it’s time to call a professional to look at it.
FAQs
1. Can I Bring Dead St. Augustine Grass Back?
Not likely. There is no nutrient cycling in the soil, but dead grassroots have gone dormant for most of the year.
The best you can do is encourage top growth by using biodegradable mulch and plenty of water on the lawn and watering regularly.
In areas where the turf has been removed, racking up the remaining debris can help extend the growing season.
2. What Killed my St. Augustine Grass?
There are three leading causes of lawn death. Pests like grubs and clinch bugs are behind most of the damage.
A healthy lawn stimulates wildlife living in and around your area. There’s also a chance your property could suffer from a turf disease called Brown patch or gray leaf spot.
If left unattended, these diseases can cause white patches and small brown dots on the lawn that are difficult to see unless you’ve got very close on your camera.
3. What is the Best Fertilizer for St. Augustine?
Fertilizer is one of those tools that can make a tremendous difference in the quality of your lawn. Not only do fertilizers improve the appearance of green grass, but they also improve plant health and help keep weeds at bay.
You want nitrogen in your lawn to help protect it from dying in the summer sun, but not too much.
Too much will make your grass look green instead of blue — possibly even less attractive than when watered by streams or soft watering from a spray bottle.
So, use the best fertilizer that will support your lawn’s health and growth. Scotts Southern Turf Builder Lawn Food does excellent in this.
Conclusion
The St. Augustine grass on your property dictates how well the rest of your yard performs.
Therefore, it’s essential to keep the grass healthy for added aesthetic appeal and health benefits. St. Augustine grass (Or much of any grass) needs to be cared for properly.
To last as long as possible the grass wants to grow, but it needs some TLC to do so.
You do this by mowing very little, allowing the St. Augustine grass to remain undisturbed for several weeks after your last mowing, and watering when it needs water.
