St. Augustine Grass for Hot, Humid Areas

St. Augustine Grass for Hot, Humid Areas

St. Augustine grass is a wonderful choice for lawns, but only in a very limited area.  It does best in hot, humid climates, such as the gulf states.  It does not tolerate cold or drought very well, but where these are not a problem, it can develop into a really beautiful lawn.  It has a deep blue-green color, with wide, course blades.  It generally must be started from sod or plugs, but there is a seed on the market for starting a St. Augustine lawn.

One problem St. Augustine grass tends to have is insect trouble, particularly with chinch bugs.  These small black and white insects will usually attack the grass in the hottest part of the yard.  You can tell they’ve been there because the grass will be yellow in patches.  An insecticide designed for turf should take care of them, or you can call in a professional.  It also has more problems with thatch than other grass varieties and should be dethatched when you notice the thatch is one-half inch thick.

St. Augustine grass is generally used alone and not in mixes of grass seed.  It is best to keep it mowed to a height of two to four inches.  If you use a weed and feed type of preparation for killing weeds, be very careful to check the label and see if it is designed for use on St. Augustine grass.  Some weedkillers will kill St. Augustine. 

This grass needs more water and fertilizer than some other grasses to stay green and growing.  Use four to six pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet of lawn. An important thing to look for in fertilizer is that it contains iron, which will help the grass have a better color throughout the summer season. It also needs one to two inches of water per week.  You may choose to water a half inch every other day or so.

Like other hardy grasses, St. Augustine can be invasive around flower beds.  One way to keep it under control is to use a band of mulch around the perimeter of the garden.  Lawn edging can help, too.

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