How to Make St. Augustine Grass Thicker

July 16, 2024

Are you tired of seeing thin, patchy areas in your lawn? If you're wondering how to make St. Augustine grass thicker, you've come to the right place.

In this article, we'll dive deeper into tips and tricks to thicken your St. Augustine grass. We'll cover everything from soil testing and proper planting techniques to choosing the right fertilizer and effective watering practices.

You'll also learn about weed control and the best mowing practices to ensure your lawn is lush and green. So, if you're ready to transform your lawn into a dense, verdant carpet, continue reading.

What this article covers:

What You Need to Know About St. Augustine Grass
How to Make the Grass Thicker

What You Need to Know About St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustine grass is a popular choice for homeowners due to its lush, green appearance and its ability to thrive in warm climates.

Maintaining a thick, healthy lawn requires some specific care techniques. This grass type is known for its dense, carpet-like growth, which makes it excellent for both aesthetic and practical purposes, such as erosion control.

When it comes to selecting the right lawn fertilizer, our premium collection has an array of varieties to choose from.

One of our favorite lawn fertilizers has to be our Emerald 10-0-20 Fertilizer, which is the perfect choice for St Augustine Lawns.

From our experience, regular fertilization, proper watering, and correct mowing heights are crucial for maintaining the health of St. Augustine grass. Every six weeks is best practice to keep the lawn well fed.

St. Augustine also benefits from iron for darker green color. Also maintaining other nutrients such as potassium for stronger and more disease resistant grass.

Carbon Pro G is a fantastic product for St. Augustine because it enhances nutrient availability within the soil, ensuring your St. Augustine lawn is looking its best.

This grass type also benefits from deep watering and a mowing height of about 3 to 4 inches to promote root growth and reduce weed invasion.

With the right approach, you can transform your lawn into a vibrant, green carpet.

How to Make the Grass Thicker

Let's look at a step-by-step guide on how to make st. Augustine grass thicker:

Test Your Soil

Testing your soil is the first step to achieving a thicker lawn. Soil health plays a crucial role in grass growth. Based on our observations, soil that is well-balanced in pH and nutrient content will support robust growth.

A soil test provides detailed information about your soil's composition, revealing essential data about nutrient levels and pH balance. We recommend using our soil test.

Regular soil testing helps identify any deficiencies or imbalances that need correction, ensuring your lawn receives the nutrients it needs to thrive. Without a soil test, it is almost impossible to know what your lawn needs.

Whether you're using a DIY kit or professional service, understanding your soil's health is critical to maintaining a lush, green lawn.

It is important to understand the levels of pH, CEC, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, organic content, and micro nutrients within the soil.

Planting

When planting St. Augustine grass, it's essential to use high-quality sod. Fresh sod will be free from stress as it can go bad very quickly.

Planting during the growing season, ideally in the spring or early summer, provides the best results because the warmer temperatures and longer days encourage rapid growth. If St. Augustine grows year round in your climate, it is ok to install sod at any time of the year.

Ensure the soil is well-prepared by removing any debris and weeds and lightly tilling the top layer to create a good base for the roots.

Place thesod pieces snugly against each other to minimize gaps, which helps prevent weed growth and encourages the grass to knit together into a dense carpet.

Regular watering is crucial during the initial establishment period to help the grass take root and start spreading. By following these steps, you can achieve a lush, green lawn with thriving St. Augustine grass.

Use The Right Fertilizer

How to know what fertilizer to use on lawn? Choosing the right fertilizer is crucial for the health and vitality of your St. Augustine grass.

St. Augustine grass benefits significantly from a balanced fertilizer, which ensures the grass develops strong roots and vibrant blades.

Don't forget about organics. By applying organics to the soil, it increases the biology within the soil creating a thriving environment for your lawn. Our Organic Lawn Fertilizer 5-3-0 is an excellent choice to alternate between Emerald 10-0-20 and Bioboost.

A balanced fertilizer typically contains equal or proportionate amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). These nutrients are essential for promoting robust growth and a healthy green color.

It is recommended to fertilize St. Augustine grass in the growing season, particularly in late spring and early summer, when the grass is actively growing. Usually every six weeks.

Regular application according to the product instructions will provide the nutrients your lawn needs, leading to a lush, green carpet of grass.

If your soil test results show a phosphorous deficiency, now would be the time to apply a phosphorus correction. Do not over apply phosphorus as it is bad for our environment.

Properly Water Your Grass

Watering is key to making your St. Augustine grass thicker. Our findings indicate that deep, infrequent watering encourages deeper root growth, which in turn supports a healthier and more resilient lawn.

Water your lawn early in the morning to reduce evaporation and fungal growth, ensuring that the moisture reaches the roots effectively.

Aim for about an inch of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. This practice not only helps maintain the lawn's moisture balance but also supports the grass in developing a robust root system.

Consistent watering is essential for St. Augustine grass, particularly during dry periods, to keep it lush and green.

Tackle Weeds

Weeds can compete with your St. Augustine grass for nutrients and water, making it crucial to manage them effectively. As per our expertise, using a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring and fall can help prevent weed seeds from germinating.

This proactive approach stops weeds before they start, ensuring your lawn remains weed-free. Additionally, regular mowing at the proper height can prevent weeds from taking root and spreading.

Proper fertilization is equally important, as a well-fed lawn is more robust and better able to resist weed invasions.

Maintaining a healthy lawn through these practices will keep your St. Augustine grass thick and lush, reducing the chances of weeds competing for resources.

Mowing

Proper mowing is essential for maintaining a healthy St. Augustine lawn. Mow your St. Augustine grass to a height of about 3-4 inches. This height helps the grass develop a deeper root system and shade out weeds.

Based on our experience, keeping the grass at this height ensures it remains robust and less susceptible to drought and pests.

Avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass blade length at a time to prevent stress on the plants, which can weaken them and make them more vulnerable to disease.

Regular mowing at the correct height will promote a thicker, healthier lawn that is better equipped to resist weeds and other lawn issues.

Conclusion

Achieving a thick, lush St. Augustine lawn is entirely possible with the right care and attention.

By following these steps—testing your soil, planting properly, using the right fertilizer, watering correctly, tackling weeds, and mowing appropriately—you can enjoy a beautiful lawn.

At Lawn Synergy, we are dedicated to helping you achieve the perfect lawn. Happy gardening!

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