Everything You Need to Know About St. Augustine Grass

Whether you’re an expert at lawn care or are just starting, cultivating a healthy, lush lawn begins with knowing the basics. That means knowing as much as you can about the grass species you have, what lawn care necessities you might need, how and when to fertilize, and everything else in between!

No matter if you’re trying to keep up with the Joneses and have the best lawn on the block or are just looking to revive your sad yard after a particularly long, harsh winter, we've got the information you need to make an impact on your lawn. After all, here at Simple Lawn Solutions, we try to make lawn care simple, easy, and maybe even a little fun! 

Today, we’ll be looking into St. Augustine grass and telling you everything you need to know about this warm-season grass species. By the end of this article, you should be well-versed in what sets St. Augustine grass apart from other grasses and why it’s such a great option whether you’re thinking about what kind of sod to put down or if you’ve bought a house that has St. Augustine grass in the yard!

 

What is St. Augustine Grass?

St. Augustine grass originated on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and got its name from the oldest continuously occupied city in the U.S., St. Augustine, Florida. Sometimes referred to as buffalo turf (in Australia) and Buffalo grass (in South Africa), St. Augustine grass is a popular grass option for those in tropical or subtropical regions around the world.

St. Augustine grass is a warm-season grass, the others being Bahia, Bermuda, Centipede, and Zoysia grasses. As a warm-season grass, St. Augustine grass grows best in warmer temperatures during the summer months, anywhere from 80-95 degrees Fahrenheit. St. Augustine grass is most common in the southeastern United States, from Texas to California. It's also common in places like the Caribbean and Mediterranean because it’s such a hardy grass that thrives in coastal areas with sandy soil.

 

Five Reasons to Love St. Augustine Grass

There are many reasons why St. Augustine grass is a preferred warm-season grass around the southern United States and the world, so let's explore a few now!

1. St. Augustine grass forms a thick, dark green carpet-like surface, which crowds out weeds and competing grasses
2. St. Augustine grass holds its color during a drought in its active growing season (spring and summer)
3. St. Augustine grass can grow in a wide variety of pH environments from 5.0-8.5
4. St. Augustine grass loves water and is tolerant of salt, making it a superior grass choice in coastal locations
5. There are some areas in the South where St. Augustine grass can and will stay green all year long

 

Five Lawn Care Tips for St. Augustine Grass

Like any other grass, there are a few ways that you can ensure your St. Augustine grass stays healthy and lush. From the proper mowing schedule to watering and fertilizing, lawn care can feel a little stressful or daunting, but it doesn't have to be! Let's check out a few of our lawn care tips below, specifically for St. Augustine grass.

1. Set up a mowing routine as soon as the grass begins to green up—mow at about 2.5-3” each time
2. Fertilize once about three weeks after your St. Augustine grass begins to green up, in the heat of summer and in the fall before the threat of frost comes around again
3. To keep your yard healthy, don’t overwater—only water when it needs it and shows outward signs of thirst: a dull, bluish color, rolled or folded leaves and persistent footprints
4. Do not bag your grass clippings. Those clippings provide a lot of great nutrients to grass that is growing, and they decompose quickly
5. Chinch bugs and white grubs are the two biggest enemies of St. Augustine grass, so make sure to keep an eye out for signs of either and treat your lawn accordingly

 

Now that you know more about what makes St. Augustine grass such an excellent turfgrass for homes, golf courses and other areas where you might need grass, let’s take a look at another way you can keep your St. Augustine grass healthy all year long.

 

How Lawn Aeration Can Make Your Lawn Healthier

Since yards are often a high-traffic area, soil compaction is not unheard of; in fact, it's a pretty common occurrence. How do you remedy that? Lawn aeration.

Lawn aeration is just another thing that you, as a homeowner, must do once in a while to keep your lush, healthy yard in tip-top shape. But, just because it’s a necessity, doesn’t mean it has to be hard, or too time-consuming. Let’s take a look at what lawn aeration is and why it's so crucial to the health of your St. Augustine grass.

 

What is Lawn Aeration?

Aerating your lawn is a simple process and usually involves poking small holes in the soil to give it room to breathe and move nutrients around. The reason you need to aerate your lawn is because of compacted soil. Compacted soil is your lawn’s worst enemy because it has no room to maintain new growth—meaning your yard will not thrive.

 

How Do I Aerate My Lawn?

You can aerate your lawn in a few ways. First, you can do it by hand over and over again with a hand-held spike aerator, or you can get a pair of aerator shoes to get the job done in half the time! However, when it comes to lawn aeration, be careful of damaging irrigation systems by punching holes in the lines.

 

Making Lawn Care Simple

Here at Simple Lawn Solutions, we take pride in helping you care for your lawn, and whether you're treating specific lawn care issues or need advice for general upkeep like lawn aeration, we hope to make it a more straightforward process for you. Whether you're a homeowner looking for the right lawn care treatments for your yard or if you're in charge of taking care of a commercial property, we have the solutions for you to keep your lawn healthy, lush, and green.

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