Southern turf grasses include St. Augustine, Centipede, Zoysia, and Bermuda. Southern turf grasses have a wide range of leaf textures and various features and benefits. Of all the Southern turf grasses, St. Augustine grass is the most shade tolerant. If St. Augustine grass is suitable for your outdoor space, then there are a few considerations to mention regarding its maintenance and care.
St. Augustine grass is a grass that can be found in many countries including southern portions of the United States from Florida to Central Texas. It tends to grow in warmer and more humid climates and does not tolerate cold temperatures well.
Advantages of this Southern Turf Grass
- Augustine grass is extremely shade tolerant and even thrives under big shaded trees
- It provides a pleasant light green to dark green turf for the yard and grows well in most soil
- Sod is used to install and will provide you with an immediate lawn
- Augustine grass will remain green through most of the year here in the Lowcountry.
Disadvantages of this Southern Turf Grass
- Augustine grass has poor wear quality and does not hold up well with heavy traffic. It is best suitable for less trafficked areas
- Augustine grass has a poor drought tolerance. It will not keep its beautiful color if it is not properly irrigated.
- Several bugs such as the chinch bugs can become a pest for your grass. A suitable lawn pest control spray is required periodically to keep St. Augustine looking great.
Maintenance Tips
The most influential factor when it comes to the maintenance of St. Augustine grass is that the grass remains well irrigated. The water should be able to wet the soil to a depth of three to four inches so that it can reach proper root growth and have an increased survival rate.
If you notice that the grass begins to turn to an unusual color other than the lush light green or dark green, then it may be a sign that it needs to be watered a little more deeply. It is best to water the grass in the morning rather than at night so that the grass and soil surface can have time to dry throughout the day. If it remains wet for long periods of time, it can breed certain disease, and you risk the health of your St. Augustine grass.
St. Augustine grass does best when it is cut down to three to four inches. If you prefer to cut your lawn shorter, then it is advised that you consider dwarf species of grass and then you can cut it as low as one to two inches. Always be sure that the blades of the mower are sharp rather than dull so that you can maintain a level cutting surface and you can provide a clean cut.
For the sodding process, many companies are able to do the work for you. They will be sure there is proper soil and grading preparation done before the sod is placed so that they can ensure a proper surface that allows for a clean cut and better growth.
If you are looking for any assistance concerning your landscaping needs then at Terra Bella Garden Center, we are here to help and be sure that your yard has everything you are looking for. We offer full-service design and installation, and we provide you with everything that is needed to make the yard look brand new, clean, and healthy. We use only the best materials and only use plant varieties that will survive in our climate.
When we help plan your landscaping design and needs, we keep in mind space flow, height space, light requirements, and soil conditions and we do all the lifting and planting for you.
