how to plant st augustine grass plugs

\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. It also has a high tolerance for salt water, which makes it perfect for coastal areas. St. Augustine grass is used primarily for lawns as it does not tolerant traffic as well as some other warm season species. Aside from that, fertilizing the st. Augustine grass, every once in a while, will also encourage vigorous growth and a healthy lawn. They are mostly used in gulf states and Florida lawns, st. Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a grass species famous for its tolerance to heat and humidity. Next, apply a non-selective herbicide 2 weeks before planting to kill weeds; make sure you use a product that doesnt leave a residual that would harm the newly planted St. Augustine grass. We hope that this step-by-step guide helped you understand how to plant st. augustine grass plugs. Lawn Tips, Staff's Picks. St. Augustine grass and Bermuda grass perform best in the southern regions, or warmer parts of the United States. Most St. Augustine seed is naturally sterile. Does the time of the year even matter? Learn how to work with nature, the climate and your watering system to water your lawn efficiently. If you see any brown spots or mildew beginning to form, contact your local extension agency for treatment options. Even though st Augustine plugs can be planted in the mid-summer, it is certainly not advisable. When mowing St. Augustine for dethatching, cut the grass at a low blade height of 2-inches. She has 30 years of experience propagating and growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals. Propagation: Bermuda grass can be grown by seed, while St. Augustine grass only grows from transplanted sod or plugs. Water them deeply 6. The grass grows fast enough to bridge the gaps during the first year. You can use a tape measure but take driveways, sidewalks, shrubs, trees, and other landscaping elements of your entire lawn into consideration. How to Grow St. Augustine Grass From Seed. Its like laying bricks. The grass needs soil to establish its roots. Cut the end off a can, place it on top of the grass, then fill it with water. If the soil is hard, break it down using a tiller. Otherwise, they will pop back up while your plugs are establishing themselves. In the fifth week onward, your lawn should go 2 to 3 days between watering unless there is extreme drought. Let it root in for at least 3 weeks. St. Augustinegrass is the most widely planted type of lawn grass in Florida, with green to blue-green color. As long as you are in at least zone 7, don't worry: It's not dead, just dormant. If you spread them apart, weeds will grow between sods. 2. Did you find this article helpful? Before any mowing, make sure that the St Augustine grass plugs or sod are properly rooted and are growing robustly. St. Augustinegrass does require water to stay green during periods of drought, however it doesn't need more water than other grass species to remain green. Afterward, water freely every day until the roots have firmly established and started spreading. What makes these pests so deadly is that they do not merelyeatyour grass: They also inject a toxin into it. A St. Augustine grass lawn can live for three to five years with regular maintenance, including watering, mowing, fertilizer, and aeration. Design Spacing multiple feet between holes and in a checkerboard pattern will help your yard heal quicker. With a little care and patience, plugs will easily renovate your yard. St. Augustine grass identification is based on its bluish-green leaf color with wide, flat blades and low, creeping habit that allows it to form dense mats. A goodgarden loamworks well. How to Plant St. Augustine Grass Plugs Tips for Success, 1) Decide How Far Apart to Plant St. Augustine Grass Plugs, 3) Prep the Soil for Planting the St. Augustine Plugs, 4) Drill or Dig the Holes for Your St. Augustine Grass Plugs. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Heat promotes the growth of St. Augustine grass. It will also make the plugs grow together faster. If you're planning on establishing a St. Augustine lawn, but have had issues with Bermuda . As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. St. Augustine grass is a low maintenance sod that can perform well with little extra care . It will become green again when warm weather returns. Be sure your area is appropriate for sod as well. If you use smaller squares of sod, stagger the rows. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It has a thick, deep root system and can grow fairly feet tall. MANUAL SOD CUTTER is great for transplanting grass plugs of all types of turf grasses including zoysia, Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and many others so you can choose the best sod to repair your lawn. It's not hard to plant a beautiful St. Augustine lawn on your own when you follow these tips from Scotts. If you want to form this pattern, you must flag the spots diagonally so that each group of 4 plugs will make a diamond. Finish by watering the grass plugs again. St. Augustine sod grows best in warm places that dont freeze over in the winter. If you follow it step-by-step, youre unlikely to make a mistake. One tray of 18 planted 12" to 16 apart will cover 50 square feet. Remove any weeds from the soil. Grass plugs come in trays. St. Augustine grass is common from tropical areas up to the southern coastline of the U.S.A. The next step would be to water the plugs and ensure the field is well-irrigated properly. St. Augustine plugs needs at least 90 days before the first frost. Weeds will compete with your grass for nutrients. It is a true grass as a member of the Poaceae family. You can also use a hoe or shovel by inserting the blade vertically to cut out the desired piece. The best time to grow St Augustine grass is in May through July when the average daytime temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime soil temperature is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Join our mailing list to keep tabs on how to care for your lawn! Before discussing how you can grow St. Augustine grass, lets talk a little bit more about the grass itself. The amount of space covered by a tray of St. Augustine plugs can vary by plant spacing. Planting the plugs incorrectly can lead to a loss of resources. For the best results, apply 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet (this should be spread over several applications). Take a shovel or a plugger tool and make holes the right size to accommodate your St. Augustine grass plugs. Mow at or above two inches for the first few times. Repair Bare Spots or Start a New Lawn. Grid patterns may range from diamond to checkerboard patterns, but the plugs should be placed equidistantly in all cases. It can be pretty pricey. Existing vegetation must be dead. It's best if you put St. Augustine grass directly on the soil. This grass can tolerate humidity, heat, and even salt, which makes it not only suitable for warm states but subtropical and coastal areas. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Make sure to plant your St. Augustine lawn when the weather is warm but before the dry season sets in and at least 3 months before the year's first frost. Do I have to butt the sods together, or can I spread them apart for results? Pull out the entire root system; otherwise, theyll pop right back. This tool makes perfectly-plug-sized holes with a lot less work on your part. Directions. When you get a clean bill of health, rake the soil smoothly to remove large soil clods, chunks, and other debris.