St. Augustine grass, also known as Carpetgrass, is one of the most popular lawn grasses for tropical and subtropical regions, like Austin, TX. St. Augustine grass is a medium to high maintenance grass that forms a thick, carpet like sod. With St. Augustine being so thick it is known for crowding out more weeds and other grasses that try to take over. St Augustine grass creates a smooth turf that is tolerant to very high temperatures and low moisture. 

St Augustine grass will go dormant when the soil temperatures fall below 55 degrees. If the soil remains warmer than 60 degrees all year, the grass will stay green. It will, however, slow in growth as the soil drops in temperature. 

St Augustine grass is a dark, green grass with broad, flat blades. St Augustine spreads by what is called above ground Stolons, or runners.These runners are stems that grow horizontally creating a dense layer. The stolons can grow to be several feet long and root at the nodes. The stolons will sprout, and root at the nodes that form every few inches, along its length. The new growth will be the same as the established grass. 

St Augustine can only be started by sod being placed to develop a root structure. Although St Augustine can be planted by seeds, this method does not have a great success rate, because germination of St Augustine seeds is almost 0. The roots won’t take hold in the soil for a month, so it will need to be watered carefully to keep from drying out. 

St Augustine is a low maintenance grass but there are some threats that can cause problems. Grubs can cause problems by living in the soil and eating the roots of the grass. Fungal turf diseases can also threaten St Augustine grass. As long as these threats are treated early, St Augustine will thrive all season long.

Call the experts at Magic Pest and Lawn to maintain your St. Augustine grass today!