Augustinegrass will grow best at a pH of 6 to 6. If a soil test indicates a higher soil pH, sulfur can be applied to lower it. Apply 5 lbs of pelletized sulfur per square feet of turf. In 3 months, recheck the soil pH and see what change was made. It may take several years to make a large pH change. Soils in the upstate are typically acidic and rarely need sulfur applications but usually do need lime.
Augustinegrass lawns should receive 2 to 4 pounds of actual nitrogen per growing season, per square feet of turf. The higher rate may be chosen for those growing St. Augustinegrass on sandy soils with the lower rate for those lawns growing on clay soils. An application of a soluble iron product, such as iron sulfate or a commercial chelated iron, in between fertilizer applications, will enhance the green color without encouraging growth.
Augustinegrass should be fertilized three times during the summer, as recommended below. However, in the piedmont and midlands of SC where the turf is growing on clay soils, St. Augustinegrass is typically fertilized only twice during the growing season early May and early July. The rate will depend on soil type. A soil test will help determine if a fertilizer containing phosphorous is required. See the section on fertilizer calculations below to determine how much granular fertilizer should be applied.
This fertilizer may be especially important if the soils are sandy. The addition of phosphorous, the middle number in the fertilizer analysis, should only be applied if recommended by a soil test. The addition of phosphorous, the middle number in the fertilizer analysis, will need to be determined by a soil test. Potassium is needed late in the growing season as the grass goes into dormancy for added disease protection and winter hardiness.
A long-term approach is needed to correct either cause, but an iron product can be added to quickly enhance turf color between the spring and summer fertilizer applications. NOTE: A yellow appearance may also develop during early spring. This could indicate an iron or manganese deficiency due to soil temperatures lagging behind air temperatures, high pH soils, or high phosphorous levels.
Spraying with liquid iron ferrous sulfate at 2 ounces in 3 to 5 gallons of water per 1, square feet or applying a chelated iron product will help to enhance turf color. Fertilizing with a micronutrient fertilizer, such as manganese sulfate, can alleviate manganese deficiencies. However, as the soil temperatures start to climb, the yellowing should slowly go away. Lime or sulfur may also be added if a soil test indicates a need. Be aware, it could take several months for lime and sulfur applications to affect the soil pH.
To determine the amount of product required to apply 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1, square feet, divide by the first number on the fertilizer bag. This will give the number of pounds of product to apply to square feet of turf. Irrigation: Water the lawn to prevent drought stress. Monitor the lawn on a regular basis to assess the need for irrigation.
Wait to irrigate again until the lawn shows moisture stress. There are several ways to determine when the lawn needs watering. One way is to observe the lawn daily. When the turf begins to dry, it will appear to have a bluish hue.
Another method is to walk across the lawn late in the evening. If the grass blades in the footprints bounce back up, then there is plenty of moisture in the turf. If the grass in the footprints does not bounce back, then irrigate the lawn the next morning. The irrigation interval will vary from site to site depending on the environmental conditions at that site and soil type. Localized dry spots or hot spots can be watered as needed by hand. The irrigation system should only be run when the entire lawn is dry.
Insect Control: There are various insects and related pests that may infest St. Augustinegrass during the summer months. Mole crickets, chinch bugs, spittlebugs, grubs, ground pearls, and nematodes can cause considerable damage. Each pest problem has its own management strategy and is usually handled with cultural and chemical controls.
However, there can be exceptions. Mole crickets and grub eggs will usually hatch mid-summer. Insecticide applications targeted at the mole crickets in their smaller nymph stage are the most effective controls, even if damage has not yet occurred.
If either of these insects was a problem early in the season, apply an insecticide during mid-July to control the younger immature insects. Chinch bugs can be very destructive to St. Monitor the turf on a regular basis during the growing season, especially during hot, dry periods. Damage is often more severe in sunny areas near driveways, sidewalks, or roadways, where the turfgrass is under more heat stress.
A chinch bug is a small black insect with silver wings that sucks plant juices from the stem. An infestation may cause the turf to die, which will need to be replaced or allowed to grow back in.
Chinch bugs are fairly easy to control using general insecticides, but applications need to be made before the population has risen to a level where damage is occurring. Research has shown that an early season insecticide application after the turfgrass has greened-up will reduce the late season activity.
When applying insecticides for chinch bug control during the summer, rotate chemical families or mode of actions to reduce the chance of pesticide resistance. If an insect problem occurs, it is important to positively identify the problem and select the appropriate insecticide to apply. Disease Control: The most common diseases that affect St.
Augustinegrass during the growing season are large patch formerly known as brown patch and gray leaf spot. Large patch is a fungal disease that is active during warm, humid spring and fall weather. Since it is fueled by moisture, it is important to maintain a rather dry condition in the lawn by employing proper watering practices, as well as providing adequate soil drainage. If the turf stays wet, circular yellow to brown areas may begin to develop and slowly grow in size.
Later, the center of the circle may start to re-green. In heavily infested turf, the rounded areas may grow together and no longer appear circular. If the turf at the edge of the dying area shows a smoky brown, rotted appearance, it will be necessary to apply a fungicide treatment.
Augustine lawn discoloration, avoiding the loss of a colorful St. Augustine lawn during the winter months, the importance of fertilizing before winter and grass growth rates of St. Augustine during the winter in South Carolina. Not all lawns will go brown in winter, and there can be many factors which can attribute to a lawn either going brown or staying green over the winter time. Lawns naturally become dormant or semi-dormant over winter.
Dormancy causes St. Augustine grass to naturally lose their green color and brown off. Lawn discoloration can happen to any property and there are a few additional reason why.
The type of St. Augustine grass. Browning can occur due to the type of St. Augustine grass that you have grown. Some grass types in the St.
Augustine family are prone to turning brown in winter, more so than others. It is important to choose a good quality turf when installing this grass on your property. Browning in winter involves the climate. As the climate in South Carolina becomes cooler, the grass type is more likely to turn brown. It is important to learn proper care measures for your grass to keep it looking green instead of experiencing the brown discoloration.
Lawn fertilizer. Fertilizing correctly can help you can avoid the brown off during the winter season. While we cannot do much about the climate or weather, we can do something about fertilization.
Paying careful attention to how you fertilize your lawn will help keep the grass green in the winter for as long as possible. The health of the lawn will determine if your grass will turn brown once winter arrives. To be able to hold onto the green color, you will need to take the proper steps to have a healthy lawn.
With preparation, your lawn can be successfully defended against the cold weather and avoid browning as soon as the weather turns colder. Homeowners with a St. Augustine lawn will need to focus on grass health before winter arrives.
Not much can be done during the fall season to bring about good health for grasses, but a quality fertilizer program during this time of year is essential. The brown patches of dead grass start to appear in late spring through summer to early fall when Japanese beetles are in their larva stage.
To prevent dead St. Augustine grass during this time, apply grub control early in spring to kill the larvae before they become active and start to damage your lawn.
Augustine grass can spread and grow green and then turn brown and appear burned during late winter and early spring due to frost damage. While the signs of frost damage vary between grass species, St. Augustine grass turns brown quickly and can become patchy. Augustine grass, but if the damage is too extensive and the grass is dead, you may need to plant a new sod to restore it.
For other turfgrasses such as bermudagrass, overseeding in the fall usually helps fill in and green up the lawn. Frost damage can be worse if you mow your lawn too low in the fall. The lawn will end up with a lot of dead, matted down areas that you can even rake off to remove the dead grass.
Inadequate soil moisture in your St. Augustine lawn can lead to signs of drought stress, which include brown dead grass, slow growth, and wilting. If your St. Augustine goes for more than 6 weeks without water, it will start to turn brown and show signs of death. Augustine grass to grow back and revive with a good watering schedule — usually times a week. During winter, your lawn goes into dormancy and may appear to turns brown or tan in color until springtime.
Typically, St. Augustine grass will go dormant when the soil temperatures start to fall below 55 degrees. Too much desiccation during dry winters is a common problem especially in water-sensitive varieties of turfgrass such as St. Augustine grass. Fertilizer burn means that you applied excess fertilizer to your lawn. Putting down more than 1 lb of nitrogen per square feet can cause signs such as withering, browning, and yellowing St.
If the fertilizer burn is too much, your grass will start to die. Many lawn fertilizers contain soluble salts. These salts can burn root tissues and cause your lawn to turn brown or discolor if fertilizer is applied in excess. Here are the signs of fertilizer burn on your lawn:. The good news is that with early intervention, you can revive dead St.
Augustine grass and bring it back to life after applying excessive fertilizer. However, poor soil quality can cause the grass to die and turn brown. For example, a lawn with a thin layer of topsoil and concrete, gravel, or rocks underneath could be the reason why St.
Augustine grass is dying. Also, heavily compacted clay soil prevents roots from growing deep for proper nutrient and water absorption, causing the grass to die slowly. Poor soil quality can be fixed with soil amendment methods to get St. Augustine grass to grow back. Augustine grass to life. Augustine lawn diseases such as fungus or brown patch disease can cause your lawn to appear dead with areas of brown patches.
If you see regular rings of dead grass and rusty-looking growths in a St. Lawn diseases are prevalent during fall and spring because the weather is warm and humid, creating a good environment for fungi to grow and spread in lawns. Take-all root rot and gray leaf spot can attack a St.
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