\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Mowing St. Augustine sod or plugs . Known for its exceptional heat tolerance, St. Augustine grass is a favorite in warm-weather areas. This usually takes about 7-14 days, and It is recommended to water as deeply as possible during this time. As your new grass grows and flourishes, water deeper and less frequently this will encourage the roots to extend deeply into the soil. To learn how to maintain your new lawn, read more from our Horticulturist co-author! Fertilizing St Augustine Grass. A pound covers about 330 square feet. Youll notice them carpeting your lawn, but mowing before it looks untidy is better. The grass grows fast enough to bridge the gaps during the first year. If the holes are too deep, add a small amount of soil to level the plug. Use a high-phosphorus fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks during a growing season for a hardy and disease-resistant St. Augustine lawn. 1. This product is sold in four 8-count packs. Remember that using plugs as a method to grow st. Augustine grass is only a viable option when sod isnt a practical choice or when small areas need to be covered. It killed the sod; now I have dead brown grass. It is somewhat less drought-tolerant. You can remove weeds and existing grass using all-vegetation herbicide and then wait two weeks. After two weeks, the weeds should be dead. This makes plugs a great choice for thin or bare spots in your lawn. Please call us at 281-431-7441 or use our contact form for more information or a quote for your project. So, the only option left in hand is grass plugs. This will ensure that the st. Augustines growth isnt interrupted mid-way. If it is dead, this might be due to bugs. You can buy 1 pound of buffalo grass seed for about $50. St. Augustine grass plugs are 2-3 clumps of grass and roots. If you want to plant St. Augustine grass using plugs, the best time to do so is in the late spring or summer. Keep your lawnmower high approximately 3-3.5 inches tall for St. Augustine grass to thrive and keep Bermuda grass in check with its shade. Plugs quickly establish and start spreading, which is why they are used to repair damaged areas or fill in the bare spots on your lawn. St. Augustine plugs can be planted year-round in tropical and sub-tropical climates where the grass does not go dormant. Planting the plugs isnt the end of the process. Next Read: Pick the Ideal Fertilizers for St. Augustine Grass. Plugs should be placed 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm.) Fill in any space around the plugs with soil to secure. When should I plant St Augustine grass? Will St. Augustine grass take over weeds? The plug method is a compromise in each respect. You need to plant St. Augustine grass sod or plugs when there is full sun. The southern law chinch bug has probably been feeding on the stems, this causes the straw colour and some patches to appear. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. When the soil and growing conditions are ideal, St. Augustine sod will develop firm roots and start to spread quickly within 14 days post-installation. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. St. Augustinegrass is the most widely planted type of lawn grass in Florida, with green to blue-green color. Space the pieces of sod 1 to 2 feet apart and water faithfully. You can do this by using a sod cutter or rototiller. After about a month I fertilized with a pink fertilizer. You can also slice sod to fit it around tough areas like planting beds, curbs, and other curves. Or if you are looking to start a whole new lawn in a small area, plugs are a great alternative to sod. Exercise caution the first time you mow to avoid pulling up the sod. St. Augustine grass requires both high phosphorus and high nitrogen fertilizer to ensure the best rapid growth, optimal thickness, and strong color. Our grass comes from our family farm near Bay City, and we've been in the grass business there since 1981. Plan the pattern and start digging 4. I grew up on a farm in North Carolina and have grown fruits, vegetables, and trees since childhood. This toxin renders your grass unable to take up water properly, and the grass dies. St. Augustine grass is common from tropical areas up to the southern coastline of the U.S.A. 3 steps to success: Prep, Apply, Water. For digging holes, a garden trowel is enough. YARD PLUGGER cuts a 3" X 3" square plug of sod or soil - the size of most commercially available grass plugs. St. Augustine grass performs best if fertilized regularly, on a schedule. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. 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