Reviving dead St Augistine Grass
TampaFL – posted 24 June 2014 14:33
So I moved into a home with St Augustine Grass with no knowledge on how to take care of it. It was lush and green when we moved in and 3-4 weeks later it’s going completely dead in large spots all over the lawn, total disaster, and with some lush spots still remaining. Our sprinklers were running twice a week and I’d water it once a week. I put some Scotts Southern feed on it. And I cut it a few times with an edger until I got a mower. I may have cut it too short in spots. The back yard we expected to die because we run the dog out there. But the front lawn which we never walk on is dying too. So anyway, the game plan is I’m going to try and start watering it every night to see if it helps, I’ve started using a mower which gives an even cut, and based on what I read I was going to go to Lowes to pick up some fertilizer to try tonight. Any ideas?
We had St Augustine Seville put into our back yard 9 pallets and it was wavy and bumpy with some no sod filler that was supposed to look like sod, we watered 1″ per day with a water bill of over 500 dollars and then every other day 1″ of water for two more weeks then twice a week. It started looking dried out so watered those areas by hand and put milorganite on it and some of it came back. This was done in April. now ending July, almost all brown, straw like dead areas. We were told Seville grows straight up, however, all we seed are like climbing roots that mostly look dead, can see the sand beneath it. Guy who put it in said “I told you to watch for fungus because of so much rain”. We have not had that much rain in Deltona, FL area. Spaces that they used for filler are nothing but holes, he denies any wrong doing and we are doing our best to help it survive. I do not think we are going to make it. Treated for fungus from professional dealer, told us by pictures we brought what to do, Did not work! Still dying so 2500.00 is a lot to lose. Anyone have any helpful ideas or is this a total loss. We do NOT have chinch bugs, we do have mushrooms now and then since fungus control put on. We are desperate to save it. Possible?
I am from the north and it has taken me five yrs to learn and undertand seville lawns.
No 1 Do Not cut Short!! leave at 3.5 to 4 ” highj. Most lawn mowers will not raise up that high and riging tractotors sink into the lawn. I invested in a zero turn that has a height adjustment up to 4″.
2 Only cut every 7 days
3 water every 3 days only for 24 minutes on a timer if you have one. Except in drought or heatwave every 2 days for 12 minute. Only water in the AM.
4 In Fl we have a rainy season so watch when to ship watering.
5 it likes the soil sweet so lime it in the spring.
6 Realize it is grown in muck- you will get mushrooms and sedge weed.
7 Don’t use weed and feeds-Only fertilizer for southern lawns.
8 Weeds like nut sedge have to be spot sprayed when really bad.
9 crabgrass is a pain -use baking soda on spots. dampen grass first-the crabgrass will turn black but seville should fill it back in.
THIS Sod takes a lot of work- sometimes you have to cut out bad areas and re-sod it- only talking 1 or 2 pieces. Find a nearby nursery for help with it.
Good luck I only have a 50′ x 50 ‘ front lawn in central Fl. and it drives me nuts!
I almost forgot Do Not over water. Floratan /Seville all strains of St. Augustine are suseptible to fungus from over watering, that is why you have to watch when watering during rainy season.