St. Augustinegrass Lawns Attractive but Challenging

St. Augustinegrass thrives in filtered shade but not deep shade

     St. Augustinegrass is an attractive turfgrass that has large flat stems and broad, coarse blue-green leaves. It forms a dense, thick turf that spreads by long, thick above-ground runners. St. Augustinegrass is similar in appearance to centipedegrass, but its leaf blades are wider, and the tip of it does not have as sharp a point. It is the most shade-tolerant warm-season grass thriving in filtered shade but not deep shade. St. Augustinegrass lawns are established by sod or sprigs, not by seed. When properly installed and maintained, a St. Augustinegrass can be a beautiful lawn for homeowners.

    St. Augustinegrass is the lawn of choice in South Georgia and Florida. In North Georgia, winter temperatures can drop to levels that can potentially harm the lawn.  However, many St. Augustinegrass lawns in our area have survived the past couple of cold winters without suffering from any significant damage. Newer varieties have been developed in recent years that can tolerate colder temperatures.

          St. Augustinegrass have wide leaf blades giving it a coarse texture.
Foliage is blue-green

   It requires low to medium maintenance. It does best on well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Proper and timely applications are essential to maintain a healthy lawn. Have the soil tested through the Gwinnett County Extension office to determine the fertility needs and the rates of fertilizer that need to be applied.  Applying all-purpose turf fertilizer after the lawn has come out of winter dormancy and greened in the spring and again in early summer. Do not use any fertilizer after the end of August as doing so will delay it from going into winter dormancy, thus increasing the chances of cold damage.  St. Augustinegrass should be mowed at the height of two to three inches. Mowing it too low can increase its susceptibility to drought stress, insect, and disease problems. Never remove more than one-third of the leaf blade at one time.  St. Augustinegrass is tolerant of dry conditions, but it will need supplemental water applications during prolonged dry spells for the lawn to maintain an optimal appearance.

      Thatch can sometimes be a problem, mainly if the lawn receives excessive amounts of water, high nitrogen fertilizer, and is mowed too high. Thatch is a layer of roots, stems, and shoots between the soil surface and the leaf blades that have not completely decomposed. If it gets over one-half of an inch thick, it can harbor insects, diseases and disrupt the penetration of air and water. Avoid applications of excessive amounts of water and fertilizer. If thatch is a problem, use a hollow tine core aerator during the growing season to break up the layer. This machine has tines that pull out one inch long cores in a pattern across the soil, thus allowing for improved air and water infiltration and better root growth.

       St. Augustinegrass is highly susceptible to chinch bugs, which are small silver to black insects one-eighth of an inch long. The main symptom of chinch bug activity is patches of yellow to brown areas of dead grass that begins to spread. The insects are most problematic during periods of hot, dry weather and are most active in the lawn areas in full sun.  If you suspect chinch bugs are infesting the lawn, get a tin can and cut off both ends. Push the can into the soil where the green, healthy grass transitions into the affected grass and fill it with water. The chinch bugs will float to the surface. Chinch bugs can be controlled by insecticides labeled for treating insects in St. Augustinegrass lawns. Keeping the grass healthy through proper cultural management methods will improve the lawn’s resistance to chinch bug infestations.

Chinch bugs can be troublesome on St. Augistinegaras lawns.