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Maintenance Guides by Brand
Fall Maintenance Video Playlist
Seasonal Guides for Your St. Augustine Maintenance
FALL
Mowing
During the fall, mowing will occur less often—keeping your St. Augustine slightly higher than the regular 2–4 inch height will encourage deeper root growth which helps it survive in colder temperatures and during winter dormancy.
Watering
Water less as temperatures drop—too much water will lead to disease. Water to prevent drought stress while grass is actively growing and after the beginning stages of dormancy to prevent dehydration.
Fertilization
For optimal results, feed your lawn monthly during the fall season by applying the Lawnifi’s Fall Fertilizer Box or apply Lawnifi Foundation once every three months.
Weed Control
Apply pre-emergent herbicides to fall and winter weeds like chickweed, henbit, Poa annua or purple deadnettle. Apply post-emergent herbicides only when weeds are present. Since St. Augustine is sensitive to certain herbicides (2,4-D and MSMA), use an Atrazine-based post-emergent herbicide. Follow label directions.
Insect Control
Fungus Control
It’s recommended you apply a fungicide at preventative rates as this will help the grass enter colder months in a healthier condition. If you have had disease issues around this time before, you may need multiple applications in affected areas. Consider mapping those areas because fungicide treatment can be expensive. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. A few common diseases that may be found include large patch, Cercospora leaf spot, leaf rust and Bipolaris leaf spots. If you live in South Florida, SCMV infected Floratam St. Augustine tends to develop lethal viral necrosis fall through spring.
Fall Products
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SPRING
Mowing
Don’t make the mistake of mowing your St. Augustine lawn too short. Keep your lawn between 2–4 inches in height with a rotary mower that has a sharpened blade. Never remove more than ⅓ of the leaf blade.
Watering
Don’t overwater. In the active growing season, St. Augustine needs about 1 inch of water a week from natural rainfall or irrigation. If you apply any granular fertilizer or control product, you will need to water it in. This is a sufficient amount of water for the week. Overwatering may promote disease outbreak. Conduct an irrigation audit to evaluate how much water is being delivered to different areas of your lawn.
Fertilization
For optimal results, feed your lawn during the spring season by applying Lawnifi Foundation, a granular fertilizer, or the Lawnifi Spring Fertilizer Box.
Weed Control
Apply a pre-emergent herbicide when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prevent summer annual weeds like crabgrass and goosegrass from plaguing your lawn and garden. If you notice any current weeds, control them with a post-emergent herbicide. St. Augustine is sensitive to herbicides with 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP and MSMA. Use a post-emergent herbicide with Atrazine as its active ingredient.
Insect Control
Apply a broad-spectrum insecticide to prevent spring insects from appearing or to control any current spring insects like chinch bugs or white grubs. If you see any white grubs, apply a systemic insecticide like Scotts GrubEx or Dylox 6.2 Granular Insecticide.
Fungus Control
Apply a systemic fungicide at a preventive rate to keep disease from taking hold of your lawn. You may begin to see disease outbreaks as your St. Augustine begins to green up. St. Augustine may be prone to gray leaf spot at this time. Do not apply fertilizer until you’ve applied a systemic fungicide at a curative rate and your grass has recovered.
Spring Products
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SUMMER
Mowing
St. Augustine mowing heights during the summer generally range from about 2–4 inches. When mowing during the summer, never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at a time. If you remove more than that, you will stress the grass and it may go brown for a short time. Taller blades provide more shade for your root system to stay cool and retain moisture during the hot summer days. If you are returning from vacation, you may have to mow multiple times to get the grass back to the desired height. Wait about 3–5 days between each mowing.
Watering
Do not overwater the grass. St. Augustine only needs about one inch of water weekly. Water for longer periods of time, less frequently and in the early morning hours. Take rainfall into consideration.
Fertilization
For optimal results, feed your lawn monthly during the summer season by applying the Lawnifi’s Summer Fertilizer Box or apply Lawnifi Foundation once every three months.
Insect Control
If drought symptoms or yellow spots occur in a sunny location, check for chinch bug activity. Push a coffee can (with both top and bottom removed) into the ground and fill it with water. Any chinch bugs present will float. Treat for chinch bugs with Bifen L/P, or Bifen XTS if you have 20 or more chinch bugs per 1,000 sq. ft. Other insects to look out for are grub worms, mole crickets, sod webworms, and fall armyworms. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. Calculate that watering into your weekly watering amount.
Fungus Control
Check for gray leaf spot. Treat with a broad-spectrum fungicide like Heritage if needed. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. Calculate that watering into your weekly watering amount.
