How to Install St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustine grass grows best in coastal regions and can be found in the Gulf of Mexico coastal areas of the Americas. It does well with moderate shading and needs plenty of water. Installing St. Augustine grass should be done well before temperatures get cold so that it has time to grow. Seeding St. Augustine grass is not favorable; rather, sprigging a lawn is the most successful technique.

Soil test
Shovel or tiller
Rake
Soil supplements (optional)
Enough St, Augustine grass sod plugs to plant 2-inch-by-4-inch sod plugs per 1 to 2 feet of yard
Lawn roller
Starter fertilizer high in phosphorous
Potassium for lawn care

Instructions

Sodding Your Yard
- 1
  Test your soil. The results reveal which minerals are in your soil and which are lacking. Knowing this makes growth and care of St. Augustine grass much easier. For best results, your soil should have a pH between 5 and 7.5. Salt levels can be as high as 16 millimoes. Buy a soil-testing kit at a garden outlet store or hire a professional for the test.
- 2
  Cultivate your soil 6 to 12 inches deep.
- 3
  Make your lawn drain easily by having the soil closest to the edge of your house higher than the edge of your lawn. A rake is helpful for this.
- 4
  Add supplements to your yard based on the soil test results.
- 5
  Rake the soil to remove debris such as rocks, twigs and leaves.
- 6
  Place St. Augustine grass sod plugs 1 to 2 feet apart.
- 7
  Roll over the sod plugs with a lawn roller to connect the St. Augustine grass' roots with the soil.
- 8
  Apply fertilizer and potassium to your yard. Use fertilizer high in phosphorous. The fertilizer and potassium help St. Augustine grass grow faster, resist cold and resist drought.
- 9
  Water your new lawn lightly for 10 minutes two to three times every day for four weeks.

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Lawn Planting

How to Install St. Augustine Grass

Instructions

Sodding Your Yard