Austin, Texas St. Augustine Issues

hayking – posted 06 July 2005 12:36

I realize there are a lot of similar posts about problems with St. Augustine, but I’ve read every single one in the forum, and nothing quite describes my situation.

I live in Austin. Sodded with Raleigh St. Augustine in April. I did all the work myself, prep and sodding. We laid down a layer of turkey manure compost before laying down the sod. We did a reasonably good job of leveling etc. Even had a guy who does lawns professionally stop by and compliment us. We have mottled sun throughout our yard with a few areas of decent shade and a few areas of nearly full sun. I fertilized once in mid-June with a proprietary non organic fertilizer from the place where I bought my sod. I read quite a bit about prep and maintenance and followed the “usual” instructions about watering during the first few weeks, etc. We’re having a very hot and dry summer, no rain for over six weeks and temperatures in the upper 90s to 100s. Until recently I was watering once every 7 days or so. Now I’m watering twice a week for about an hour or a bit more at a time.

The yard just hasn’t thickened as much as I expected. There are some random low spots – perhaps due to unlevel prep. It’s fairly green but has significant brown spots and a layer of deadish looking blades underneath most of the lawn. I visited a friend’s house last week who had sodded a few weeks after me with professional installation and her lawn is simply amazing. It is absolutely green and amazingly thick. Looks like it’s been there for years and is completely established and healthy. She does get full sun and apparently has watered every 2 to 3 days since installation, but she has yet to fertilize and didn’t have compost put under the sod.

Like I said, I’ve read every single post about St. Augustine in the forum. Seems like the advice is all over the map. I have not tested my soil, but since I’ve read in several places that hot summers in central Texas require fertilizing on all the major holidays (eg. Easter, Memorial Day, the 4th, and Labor Day) I was preparing to fertilize again and have gotten nervous that I may do more harm than good. Am I just being impatient? Is the shade hampering its establishment and by nect year I’ll be fine? Am I overwatering? And what about fertilizing? Should I try organic this next go round, go with a commercial “summerguard” formula, or should I wait and not fertilize at all until later in the year?

Any advice is appreciated.

hayking – posted 06 July 2005 12:41

By the way, I forgot to mention that I’ve been mowing with a mulching mower at about 2 1/2 inches. I was curious if some of the browning/dying off of the grass is due to the mulched blades not decomposing rapidly enough and suffocating the healthy grass. I’ve read that St. Augustine prefers mulching mowers, however.

Thanks again.

Friend – posted 06 July 2005 14:30

I will through this out here, I have used Liquid molasses on my St.Augstine just as a test , I have area’s that are really dark green and are growing faster than the area without molasses. it looks like I have crop circle’s but they are all green. and even the bermuda that is mixed in my yard is dark green better than I have ever had it. it is hot here in ft.worth and dry, so watering twice a week is what I do. if you do fertilize your yard us half as much.

StevieD – posted 07 July 2005 07:19

My guess is that you haven’t given the lawn enough water. At least, that is why I think you have brown spots. Are the blades curled along their vertical axis? This is a sure sign of lack of water. Try watering 3 times a week.

StevieD – posted 07 July 2005 07:21

Also, try cutting the grass a little higher, say 3.5 inches. St. Auggie likes to stand tall.