GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ST AUGUSTINE GRASSES
(Suggested but not limited too)
Additional care and maintenance guidelines can be found on YouTube and Google search.
For St Augustine, warm temperatures, regular watering, and consistent mowing will be all it needs. It is a turfgrass that spreads laterally by stolons and is one of the most widely planted turfgrass species in Texas, particularly in urban environments. This is due to its superior shade tolerance relative to other warm-season grasses as well as its deep rooting potential and drought tolerance.
TRANSPLANT SHOCK & HEAT STRESS
Any brownish/yellow spots on your new lawn are completely normal the first few months after installation.
Hand watering these areas with a hose in addition to running your sprinklers will help to alleviate this.
Any areas near stone/bricks, driveways, sidewalks, patios, stone mailboxes etc. will hold heat longer meaning these areas will need to be hand watered to prevent heat stress.
MAINTENANCE
Regular, consistent mowing with a sharp blade at a proper mowing height, consistent watering, fertilizing on schedule and watching for disease will help your yard thrive. One of the great virtues of St. Augustine grass is that you don't have to mow it much, a fact that you will especially appreciate if you crave low maintenance. However, to achieve a lush lawn of St. Augustine grass, there is some work involved. You will have to keep up with the required irrigation and fertilization.
WEAK OR THINNING AREAS IN THE LAWN
St. Augustine & Zoysia are both shade tolerant grasses but if there is too much dense shade the grass will begin to weaken/thin in some areas.
Evaluate if you have a large tree canopy causing deep shade in this area and consider trimming the tree to let in more sunlight.
Additionally, you can get an over the counter soil drench called “Garrett Juice Plus” by Medina on Amazon and will help the lawn fill in these areas. (please be sure to apply the recommended amounts)
WATERING AND WEED CONTROL
(Adjust as needed based on your lawn and weather conditions)
Day 1: Right after installation you will do a one-time 30-40 minute (or longer depending on size the size of your lawn) deep soak of the complete installation area or full yard. For the next 2 weeks water twice per day AM (4am-5am) and in the evening 7pm-8pm) for 10 minutes-adjust as needed. Second 2 weeks water once per day morning or evening which ever you prefer for 10 minutes-adjust as needed..
Note: During the first 30-days walk and inspect your yard to see if it is getting enough water. You can increase the watering time if needed or you can hand water any dry spots or around the edge of the yard.
Regular watering: In general, St. Augustine grass needs about one inch of water per week (either via irrigation or rainfall). You may also need to take site conditions into account. High wind areas, for instance, may require more water due to faster evaporation
The absolute best time to water your lawn is the early morning, before 10 a.m., Watering in the morning keeps the turf cooler during the hottest parts of the day, which means less stress on the grass.
On average, it will take 30 minutes to get a half inch of water. So, 10-12 minutes (adjust accordingly) , three times per week will give a lawn about an inch of water.
Note: It's okay to water your lawn after you mow (but you probably shouldn't water before you mow). Realistically, as long as you're watering and mowing at all, you're doing better than most
WEED CONTROL: The best form of weed control is a healthy, dense, actively growing lawn. To control crabgrass and other grassy weeds, apply preemergent herbicides (which control weeds before they sprout from the ground) in the spring when the soil temperature reaches 65 ºF. Apply post emergent herbicides (which control weeds that have already sprouted) when weeds are present in established yards where the grass is healthy and actively
Special Note: For newly installed sod turf allow 60-days before applying a pre/or post emergent if we weeds are beginning to bloom. New sod grass has been fertilized and treated at the sod farm as part of the growing process. Check with your local nursey or lawn and garden department at Home Depot or Lowes for recommendations.
You can also find useful information about yard care and techniques on YouTube
MOWING HEIGHT
For St. Augustine grass, the recommended cut height is 2 ½ to 4 inches-adjust to your preference (Suggested-grass can be grown to 3 1/2 - 4 inch during peak summer months July-mid September. Then adjust back to your preference). Lawns in shady areas perform better when mowed at 3 to 4 inches high. If you mow shorter than that, your St. Augustine grass will begin to thin out and cause problems, including weed invasion. No matter what grass type you have in your North Texas lawn, be advised that you should ideally be cutting no more than one-third of the grass blade at a time. Anything more than that is putting too much stress on the plant. This means mowing weekly.
FERTILIZER OPTIONS
Best Times for Fertilizing: Early Spring, Perhaps Again Late Spring, and Fall (No fertilizer December-February) Begin fertilizing 3 weeks after the grass turns green and when there is little chance of a late frost. The first time you fertilize your new lawn use a starter fertilizer to begin the process of feeding your lawn then move to regular fertilizer
Top 5 Fertilizers for St. Augustine grass