ESTABLISHING YOUR ST. AUGUSTINE LAWN
WATERING:
For the first week to 10 days your lawn should be watered a minimum of one
time per day preferably between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. This
watering should be a deep watering delivering between 3/4 - 1" of water
uniformly across the lawn. Approximate run times to deliver this amount of
water for spray heads would be 30 minutes and for rotary heads (heads that
move) would be 1 hour. During extremely hot/dry conditions, a light watering
of 10 minutes for spray zones and 20 minutes for rotary zones may be needed
during the afternoons. In areas that are poorly drained, shady or during
periods of cool weather or rainfall, common sense dictates a reduction in
this schedule as waterlogged soils or standing water could lead to turf rot.
After this initial period, the watering frequency (not the amounts) should
be slowly reduced until the lawn performs well under every 2nd or 3rd day
watering schedules or better yet, as needed.
MOWING / EDGING:
As soon as the turf has begun to peg down (this means that the pieces cannot
be pulled up when using reasonable force) regular mowing should be initiated.
This will help the lawn to level out and will stimulate horizontal growth
encouraging the lawn to knit together. The turf should be mowed as high
as possible (3" minimum) with a regularly sharpened blade. The frequency
of mowing depends on the rate of growth but should be done often enough
so that the mower does not strain when cutting the grass.
FERTILIZING:
Proper fertilization can be initiated in as little as 10 days after installation
and should be started within the 1st month. Regular and proper fertilizations
should be applied approximately every 2 months thereafter throughout the
life span of the lawn.
INSECT AND DISEASE CONTROL:
Control for insects and diseases should be applied only as needed using proper
rates and the right products for the intended problem pest. During times
of the year when encounters with certain pests frequently occur, preventative
treatments should be considered.
-
PESTS:
Pests can cause damage on St. Augustine grass including web worms,
army worms, and mole crickets. High levels of nitrogen fertilizer encourage
pest problems. Be very careful for mole crickets during the months of
March and September. Leave outside lights off during these months because
the light
attracts mole crickets. They meet, mate and lay eggs in the immediate
vicinity. The months of August and September see a heavy infestation
of soil web worms
and army worms. If there is a lot of rain, the insect rate will increase.
-
DISEASES:
Brown patch and gray leaf spots are the two major
disease problems of St. Augustine grass. Brown patch occurs in warm,
humid weather
and
is encouraged by excessive nitrogen. Gray leaf spot occurs during the rainy
season and is primarily a problem on new growth. Both diseases can
be controlled
with fungicides.
-
WEEDS:
A weed problem in a lawn indicates that improper
management practices or damage from pests has weakened the turf. Proper
management practices can
eliminate most weed problems. If weeds are a persistent problem, herbicides
labeled specifically for St. Augustine grass can be used for weed control.
Normally,
when a homeowner notices a problem with the lawn, a lot of damage has
already occurred. That is why we strongly recommend a professional
spray
company to begin a preventative maintenance program.
***Because the EPA has taken most chemicals off the market to control
the above conditions, Sod Fields do not warranty sod, therefore we
cannot warranty the sod.
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