Your 7 Step Spring Guide to a St. Augustine Lawn

St. Augustine is a warm season lawn grass that is grown in areas with higher temperatures, like here in South Florida. It’s widely used along the gulf coast in the US, and is native to the Gulf of Mexico region, the West Indies and Western Africa.

This grass grows easily in coastal areas where the temperatures and moisture levels are consistently much higher.

St. Augustine can be planted mostly any time in warmer regions where the winter is not too cold. However, the climate is not the same everywhere, so you need to consider your temperature and rainfall conditions. It grows satisfactorily at a pH range from 5.0 to 8.5, which means it can grow well in a wide range of soils.

Spring is a great time to plant Saint Augustine grass! In order to plant the grass yourself, you can follow the following steps:

Step 1: Measurement

Measure the area you need to plant your St. Augustine grass in. You need to keep in mind that a single tray of 18 plugs will cover approximately 32 square feet. After measuring the ground, calculate the number of trays you need before going out to buy them.

We also sell sod by the piece (2.33 sq ft per piece) or pallet (400 sq ft per pallet). The benefit of pieces or pallets is instant gratification, whereas plugs grow in and together over time.

Step 2: Cleansing

Before planting anything new in your yard, you first need to make sure that the area is not inhibited by anything else. Here you need to look out for any weeds or old mulch.

You can use a suitable herbicide, like Ranger Pro and Roundup Quik, for getting rid of the weeds.

Then, rake your area clean of weeds and debris to prepare for your new sod.

Step 3: Watering

Thoroughly water the area where you need to plant the grass. Make the ground inhabitable for it but don’t go overboard and make the soil too wet to plant anything.

Step 4: Digging

Start digging holes in the ground in checkerboard pattern. Carefully space them about 12-inches apart from each other. These holes should be slightly larger than the plugs. Next, press the plugs into the holes and level them to the ground.

Pro Tip: Post diggers make planting plugs a lot easier. If installing pieces, it is important that the soil is graded and the pieces are placed up against each other.

 

Step 5: Sustenance

Your sod need nutrients, and you can give it to them in the form of Products like Harmony True Roots, Lawnifi Nutritional Sprays, or NitroOrganic. These products are designed for sodding, sprigging and seeding where soils lack the nutrients required for fast establishment.

Step 6: Water Again

Keep watering the plugs daily, until they are firmly rooted and start to spread around the area where they were plugged.

Step 7: Maintenance

As the grass starts to grow, be sure to mow it in a timely fashion, with the blade set to a three to four-inch cut.

Water the grass when the leaf lades begin to fold, and don’t forget to add more nutrition every 6-8 weeks. Proper maintenance and cultural practices will lead to a dense lush carpet of dark green color.

A healthy turf of St. Augustine can help to choke out and prevent weeds, but if not properly maintained it can be weakened by weeds, disease or insects.

St. Augustine grass is most popular in warm areas like Florida, because it’s adapted well to coastal and southern regions. So, if you want a beautiful, lush and green lawn, it’s about time just about to get started planting your St. Augustine for the spring!