How to make your St Augustine grass thicker? Follow these steps: This entails mowing your lawn at the right height, fertilizing with slow-release nitrogen or a complete fertilizer, watering infrequently but deeply, managing weeds, insects, and thatch, and removing compacted soil.
St Augustine Grass
St. Augustine grass is a popular warm-season turfgrass for home lawns and can be found in the United States, the South Pacific, and many other countries. it is medium to dark green and coarse-textured, and it has a low, and dense growth habit. And thrives in almost all types of soil and can withstand drought to some extent, as well as heat, salt, and shade. It cannot stand prolonged cold weather or soils that are saturated with water.
Follow these steps to keep your St. Augustine Grass in good condition; they are mowing, watering, and fertilizing, as well as controlling weeds, insects, thatch, and eliminating compacted soil.
Mowing
As soon as the grass in the spring starts to turn green, start a regular mowing schedule. With each mowing, no more than one-third of the leaf area should be removed. Set the mowing height at 2.5 to 3 inches (3 to 3.5 inches in shady lawns).
You will need to mow more frequently the lower the mowing height. Turfgrass of a higher caliber is produced by frequent mowing at a lower height. This optimal height promotes healthy thicker St Augustine grass growth and prevents disease and pests.
If the grass is mowed too short, one risks weakening it and making it susceptible to problems. And if mowed too high, it can lead to excess thatch which blocks sunlight and nutrient from touching the grassroots.
Ensure to use a sharp mower blade and adjust the cutting height according to the recommended range of 2.5 – 3.5 for your grass type.
Fertilizer Application
Fertilizing your lawn is an important role in maintaining its health and vitality of the lawn. When there is little possibility of a late frost and three weeks after the grass turns green, start fertilizing.
Apply 1 pound of soluble nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn every 8 weeks, or 1.5 pounds of slow-release nitrogen every 10 weeks. It’s important to have your soil tested to know the missing nutrient and the pH level to properly address your lawn’s needs. And if the soil is not tested, use a complete fertilizer with a 3-1-2 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Follow the instruction on the bag for the correct amount to apply.
It’s generally best to fertilize every 6-8 weeks during the growing season, but you may need to adjust this schedule based on your grass’s needs and the weather condition.
You may also want to consider using a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. it helps to promote steady, long-term growth without causing rapid, growth that can lead to problems.
Watering
St.Augustine grass is adapted to hot, dry climates and has deep roots that are capable of reaching down to soil to find moisture. To promote the growth of deep roots, it’s important to water your lawn deeply and infrequently.
Water your lawn just when the grass actually needs it to maintain its health. When you water, make sure to immerse the soil six inches deep. Then don’t water again until the grass shows symptoms of drought stress which is usually a dull, bluish color, rolled or folded leaves, and persistent footprints. This helps to prevent shallow roots and encourages the grass to search for moisture deeper in the soil.
This usually happens in 5 to 10 days, depending on the weather. When you frequently water St. Augustine it will lead to shallow roots and a weaker lawn that is more prone to disease and pests.
How to determine how much water should be applied, follow these instructions.
1. Prepare five or six open-top cans randomly around the lawn.
2. Turn on the sprinklers or irrigation system for 30 minutes and then switch it off immediately after use to prevent waterlogging.
3. Measure the depth of water that has been absorbed in each individual can using a ruler, then note the measurements.
4. You need to measure the average water depth of all the cans, then note the values.
4. Determine the average water depth of all the cans.
5. To determine how wet the soil was during the 30-minute interval, use a garden spade or a soil probe. The probe can easily push through moist soil, but it is more challenging to do so in dry soil.
Aerating the Soil
When your soil can becomes compacted, it can cause poor drainage, reduced air circulation, and reduced growth of your St Augustine grass. Aeration can assist in removing compacted soils in locations with high traffic. To improve soil health and new growth it is important to aerate your lawn periodically.
When the grass is actively growing, use a core aerator or a garden fork can be used to aerate your lawn as well. Simply by poking small holes into the soil, about every 6 inches, and then filling the holes with a mix of compost and soil. This helps to improve drainage, reduce compaction, and provide nutrients and other essential substances to the grassroots.
If your lawn is big, you should consider hiring a professional to do the aeration for you to save stress and time. This ensures that the job is properly done.
Thatch Control
Thatch is a layer of undecomposed plant matter. It usually contains dead grass, roots, and debris, which build up on the surface of the soil. If the thatch on your St Augustine lawn is not properly managed it can affect the health of the lawn by blocking sunlight and nutrient from reaching the grassroots.
If the thatch layer is more than 3/4 inch thick, mow the lawn with a vertical mower or scalp the lawn in April or May when the grass is healthy and actively growing to remove excess thatch. In addition, you can use dethatching machine or power rake to remove the thatch.
Weed Control
Weed can be a major problem if not handled early as it also competes with the available water and nutrients available to the lawn in the soil. A healthy, dense, and actively developing lawn is the best weed prevention method. Apply herbicides to curb crabgrass and other grassy weeds
When the soil temperature exceeds 65 ºF or when the redbud and dogwood trees start to bloom in the spring, preemergent herbicides (which suppress weeds before they sprout from the ground) should be applied. As required, use postemergence herbicides to control weeds that have already sprouted. When weeds are present and the grass is healthy and actively growing, herbicides should only be used.
The herbicide should be applied while the weeds are still very little for the best weed control results. Some herbicides, such as 2,4-D, are particularly toxic to St. Augustine grass. Before using any herbicide, carefully read the label to be sure it is the appropriate product for the situation.
Insect Control
Insects can be a problem if left uncontrolled. To control insects, you can use insecticides or use the biological method by introducing natural predators. The two most dangerous insect pests in St. Augustine’s grass lawns are chinch and white grubs. Check frequently for these pests and deal with them as necessary.
Conclusion
It’s important to maintain a regular mowing schedule, apply lawn fertilizer correctly, water your lawn infrequently but deeply, manage weeds, insects, and thatch, and remove compacted soil to encourage proper growth.
To promote healthy growth, you can mow your grass at the right height using a sharp blade, and fertilize it with slow-release nitrogen. Deep, infrequent watering helps with the development of deep roots, which makes your grass more resilient to pests and drought.
Maintaining the health and vigor of your lawn can also help control weeds, insects, and thatch. Removing compacted dirt can help to improve the soil’s structure and enable your grass to grow thick and healthy.