\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Plugs are the more common method of planting St Augustine grass. Measure the lawn or the area you want to plant the grass plugs in before purchasing them. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Typically, holes will be between 2-4 deep. Planting St. Augustine plugs is a great alternative to seeds or sod and will give you a usable lawn in a few months' time. Add a 1/2-inch-thick layer of compost and lightly work into the top inch of soil. This helps the grass settle into the ground, but avoid using too much water. Okay, weve discussed when to grow St. Augustine grass. Grass/sod can appear dead but come back. If it is dead, this might be due to bugs. We also discussed some of the main queries that come with plug plantation. One tray of 18 planted 12" to 16 apart will cover 50 square feet. . 2. However, the hole should be slightly larger. Take the details to your supplier for advice or use it to calculate your sod spacing intervals. If you use smaller squares of sod, stagger the rows. This will give your newly planted lawn enough time to establish before the harsh weather sets in. Mowing Weed resistance: Sodded St. Augustine instantly chokes out any weeds. 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. St. Augustine sod grows best in warm places that dont freeze over in the winter. If you allow your lawn to grow past 3 inches you risk the possibility of mowing down into the stems. Within a short time, you will notice the St. Augustine grass thriving on your lawn. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Plugs can also be made from existing grass in your yard. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Just follow these steps: The best time to plant St. Augustine plugs is in the late spring or early summer. Simply water the plugs sufficiently but not so much that it pools on the surface. 5. This may vary from place to place. It's not hard to plant a beautiful St. Augustine lawn on your own when you follow these tips from Scotts. Plugs should be placed 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm.) To reduce noticeable lawn damage, increase the space between harvested plugs. How you feed, mow and water your lawn can help it resist fungal diseases like dollar spot and brown spot. Planting St. Augustine Grass Through Plugs. If the soil is too acidic, lime can be added to raise the pH level. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. It is just the beginning, so be prepared for the long road ahead. This grass can tolerate humidity, heat, and even salt, which makes it not only suitable for warm states but subtropical and coastal areas. ft. each individual plug measures 3in by 3in YARD PLUGGER cuts a 3" X 3" square plug of sod or soil - the size of most commercially available grass plugs. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Do this by laying the squares so the ends dont line up with one another. David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. Afterward, water freely every day until the roots have firmly established and started spreading. Ensure that you cover the roots, but not the crown of the plug. This toxin renders your grass unable to take up water properly, and the grass dies. The first step is to examine and calculate the area of the space needing plugs. However, to achieve a lush lawn of St. Augustine grass, there is some work involved. Take a shovel or a plugger tool and make holes the right size to accommodate your St. Augustine grass plugs. Prepare the planting area 3. The water should never linger on the soil or run off the grass. Natural and shipped fresh from the farm, each pod has been carefully nurtured to have a fully developed root system, just like your lawn. By doing so, your st. Augustine will have immediate moisture and establish deep roots more quickly. But the size may vary. Fertilize it initially in spring after it has finished greening up. It killed the sod; now I have dead brown grass. How long does a St. Augustine grass lawn last? However, you can plant . There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Scotts EZ Patch contains fertilizer and a mulch that absorbs up to 6x its weight in water to help St. Augustine grass plugs fill in faster. It can be pretty pricey. 4 Ways to Bring it Back ,Planting Bermuda Grass Plugs ,How to Fix a Patchy Lawn - Floralawn,Bethel Farms Natural St. Augustine Sod Plug,St. St. Augustine is a broad bladed, medium green colored grass; St. Augustine Floratam is heat tolerant and has a great tolerance for humidity; Minimum 4-hour-6-hours of sunlight per day for best results; Established roots mean less water and maximum success; Affordable - each 8-pack covers 18 sq. Dig out and dispose of any diseased patches of sod as soon as you find them. Use a high-phosphorus fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks during a growing season for a hardy and disease-resistant St. Augustine lawn. As a warm-season turfgrass, plant St. Augustine grass in spring and summer in full sun with at least 90 days to establish before first frost. Transplant these self-created plugs into other areas of your yard. The grass grows fast enough to bridge the gaps during the first year. Fertilizing St Augustine Grass. Bermudagrass will tolerate only slightly higher salt levels. St. Augustine is a warm-season grass that thrives in high temperatures and peaks in hotter months. St. Augustine grass and Bermuda grass perform best in the southern regions, or warmer parts of the United States. 2002-2023 The Scotts Company LLC. Local shops usually have much better experts on hand to answer any questions you may have. How To Plant St. Augustine Grass Plugs 1. Mow at or above two inches for the first few times. However, late spring has moderately warm weather between 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then you can water it 2-3 times a week. Now that you know how to plant st. Augustine grass plugs, lets discuss some other important things. It is important to continue to water the newly planted St. Augustine plugs for the next two weeks. Hi, I'm Sean, the senior editor here at Fertilizer Pick. Meet Mattias Jonsson, the head of content at RainSaucers. Just follow these steps: Choose the best time to plant Calculate square footage and spacing Prep the site Plant the grass plugs 1. What now? Want to collaborate with us? Your ideal month for planting will depend on other factors as well. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. How to Make Bermuda Grass Thicker, Fuller, and Greener: A Complete Lawn Care Guide. Before going ahead with this important task, it is recommended to water the dug-in holes deeply and saturate the field. Make. Give it enough water to dampen the first 1 in (2.5 cm) of soil. Afterward, water weekly unless your lawn is receiving generous rainfall. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Another crucial step is to remove weeds from the soil surface. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Next, dig the holes for the plugs. Helps repair St. Augustinegrass 60% faster* *Results 15 days after application vs. untreated control. You surely cant just leave your grass to fend for itself. Finish by watering the grass plugs again. One of the great virtues of St. Augustine grass is that you don't have to mow it much, a fact that you will especially appreciate if you crave low maintenance. 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. Directions. Safely place the plugs in the holes one after the other as you securely tap the soil around them to ensure proper soil-plug contact. It will also make the plugs grow together faster. Proper soil pH and nutrients will not only give your new sod the best change to grow. Consult your local laws for water usage regulations. Prevention is the best way to control chinch bugs. Fertilizer Pick All Rights Reserved 2023 | Owned and operated by Scalebloom, Pick the Ideal Fertilizers for St. Augustine Grass, The Best Lawn Fertilizer for Summer (Reviews for 2023), 6 Best Fertilizers for Bermuda Grass in 2023 for Thick Grass, 8 Best Fungicide for St Augustine Grass Reviews in 2023. She has 30 years of experience propagating and growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals. Be sure not to cut the newly plugged area shorter than 2. While I no longer live on a farm today, I still enjoy spending time on my garden and sharing my knowledge with friends and fellow garden enthusiasts. Next Read: Pick the Ideal Fertilizers for St. Augustine Grass. For best results, keep its soil evenly moist. Because in these seasons, the average temperature remains 80 to 100 Fahrenheit which is ideal for growing St. Augustine grass. Take-all root rot is a fungal disease that attacks the roots of the grass and can cause yellowing or browning of the grass. This warm-season plant can grow and thrive in a wide range of soil types with a pH between 5.0 to 8.0. When to Plant St. Augustine GrassSt. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Once they start spreading, you will notice your lawn is getting greener day by day. To get St. Augustine grass to spread faster, plant St. Augustine during summer and make sure you lay it down the right type of soil - preferably a well-aerated soil type. St. Augustine grass is used primarily for lawns as it does not tolerant traffic as well as some other warm season species. (You can also purchase St. Augustine sod, but it can be expensive.) This will ensure that the st. Augustines growth isnt interrupted mid-way. In the fourth week, water 1-2 times every other day. Benefits of plugs include the fact that you can plant one and within a matter of months they will spread and fill in the area . You can remove weeds and existing grass using all-vegetation herbicide and then wait two weeks. Written by southernmedia February 5, 2021 This period will last for well around 2 weeks, and once they start spreading, you can give them an inch of water per week. Choose the best time to plant The best time to plant St. Augustine plugs is in the late spring or early summer. 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. Space the pieces of sod 1 to 2 feet apart and water faithfully. You can use a mower at its highest setting (3-4) inches to cut this grass. Another important thing you must remember while digging holes is that it should have the same depth as your st. Augustine grasss root ball. Additional Care Keep watering your newly planted grass plugs for 2 weeks. When you till the soil later, it serves as a natural fertilizer. St. Augustine grass is tolerant of a wide variety of soils and is moderately drought-tolerant once established, but it will perform best when you avoid either moisture extreme: too little or too much. An easy way to start a St. Augustine lawn is to plant plugs of established grass. 1. The first step to making St. Augustine grass grow thicker and fuller is installing the plugs/sod on well-draining soil with a pH range between 5.0 and 8.5. (How to make it Thicker Fast), Crabgrass Identification Types and Pictures. Of the warm-season grasses, St. Augustine grass is the most shade-tolerant. Stores like Lowes and The Home Depot sell 18 grass plugs to a tray. ,How Do You Revive St. Augustine Grass? We deliver the best quality grass in Houston, and we do it at a competitive price too. Did you find this article helpful? This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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