how to plant st augustine grass plugs

There are a few green twigs coming back to life but I think it's dead. Spacing multiple feet between holes and in a checkerboard pattern will help your yard heal quicker. St. Augustine grass is an aggressive grower and can compete with weeds. After successfully planting the grasses, you can start expecting a dense, lush green grass carpet on your lawn soon. St Augustine is a warm-season grass that thrives in sun and warmer temperatures found in the southern part of the United States. This toxin renders your grass unable to take up water properly, and the grass dies. This will ensure that the st. Augustines growth isnt interrupted mid-way. Does not contain grass seed. 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. St. Augustine grass seed needs to be kept moist while it is establishing. Space the pieces of sod 1 to 2 feet apart and water faithfully. Will St. Augustine grass take over weeds? 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. Afterward, water weekly unless your lawn is receiving generous rainfall. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Ultimate Weed Identification Guide With, Best Fertilizer for Zoysia Grass How To Do It, Centipede Grass Pros and Cons When Its Good, Centipede Grass Seed Whats Critical to Know Before You Sow, How to Clean and Maintain your Artificial Lawn, Sevin Dust One of the Best Pesticide Dusts, Use an all-vegetation herbicide to kill all grass and weeds in the area we recommend, Wait two weeks for the herbicide to completely dissipate, Break up the soil break up compacted soil with a tiller; if soil is loose, use a garden rake, Remove all dead thatch and plant residue from the area. A tray of 18 plugs will cover approximately 32 square feet. Plan the desired pattern to plant the grass plugs. St. Augustine grass thrives in sandy soils as long as you are in warmer climates. Please call us at 281-431-7441 or use our contact form for more information or a quote for your project. Soil pH amendment may also be done before the digging of the holes is done. Common diseases affecting St. Augustine grass include brown patches, gray leaf spots, and take-all root rot. Scotts EZ PatchLawn Repair for St. Augustine Lawns, Scotts Turf Builder Southern Triple Action, Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader, Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn FoodFL. St. Augustine grass is prone to attacks from insects and diseases. Theyll begin spreading on their own. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This variety of grass is sensitive to cold weather. If you are asking how many days it will take to fill the bare spots in your garden, well, it will depend much on the distance of the plugs. Plugs are the ideal method of planting St Augustine grass. After two weeks, continue watering the area with 1 of water per week. Place the St. Augustine grass plugs inside the holes in the lawns soil. Dig the holes in a checkerboard pattern considering the recommended spacing distance between each sod. Your email address will not be published. The stolons, often referred to as "runners," sprout and root at the nodes. However, grass plugs will take almost a year to grow in your lawn fully. If things go right and factors are properly considered, youll have a lush and beautiful lawn in no time. Water the new plugs just as you water new sod. Plugs quickly establish and start spreading, which is why they are used to repair damaged areas or fill in the bare spots on your lawn. Read More Here. Area must be cultivated, graded, then compacted to prevent subsequent settling. What now? Pay special attention to keeping the ground evenly moist until you see that the grass has not only sprouted, but also begun to spread. After you see the grass spreading, you can mow your lawn, ensuring that you dont cut them too short that they become lower than 2 inches. This new growth spreads along the top of the ground, filling in the area between the plugs. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Be sure not to water the area to the point where water is standing or pooling in the holes. The water should not pool on top of the sod or run off of it. In the fourth week, water 1-2 times every other day. We hope that this step-by-step guide helped you understand how to plant st. augustine grass plugs. St. Augustine grass. Planting St. Augustine Grass Through Plugs. Typically, holes will be between 2-4 deep. As long as you are in at least zone 7, don't worry: It's not dead, just dormant. Passionate about gardening and water-related topics, hes dedicated to providing expert information and resources to help improve your home, health, and wallet. Want to collaborate with us? Or if you are looking to start a whole new lawn in a small area, plugs are a great alternative to sod. Watering makes the ground more malleable and gives the roots of the St. Augustine grass plugs immediate moisture. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Use a hose or sprinklers to water the sod. If you get frost during the colder months, it may damage your St. Augustine grass. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. This product is sold in four 8-count packs. Watering a lawn gets expensive and may be regulated in your area. After 2 weeks, you can till the ground and lay your sod. Keep your lawnmower high approximately 3-3.5 inches tall for St. Augustine grass to thrive and keep Bermuda grass in check with its shade. Lets find out. Then, sprigs are either scattered on the surface and topped with soil or compost, or else pressed into the soil with a machine known as a fairway planter. Otherwise, sod is easy to plant over cleared and tilled ground. St. Augustine grass plugs are 2-3 clumps of grass and roots. St. Augustine grass is common from tropical areas up to the southern coastline of the U.S.A. Within two weeks, your St. Augustine plugs should be well rooted and on their way to spreading. 5 Water the lawn daily for 3 weeks. If you use smaller squares of sod, stagger the rows. It will also make the plugs grow together faster. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. This article answers: how to plant st augustine grass plugs. Just follow these steps: Choose the best time to plant Calculate square footage and spacing Prep the site Plant the grass plugs 1. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Are you a master of DIY projects. Now that you know how to plant st. Augustine grass plugs, lets discuss some other important things. How To Plant St. Augustine Grass Plugs 1. When mowing St. Augustine for dethatching, cut the grass at a low blade height of 2-inches. They are mostly used in gulf states and Florida lawns, st. Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a grass species famous for its tolerance to heat and humidity. St. Augustine can be planted easily in the summer, however, during the establishment of a St. Augustine lawn in the summer, it is vital that the grass is kept moist. You can add fertilizers directly in the holes because the contact will accelerate the root development process. After about a month I fertilized with a pink fertilizer. Planting St Augustine Grass Plugs is simple. 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 youve laid it, youll need to water it once a day for the first week. Plugs should be placed 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm.) Give each grass plug about 6 inches (15 cm) of space to prevent the plugs ' root systems from overcrowding each other. The only requirement is to plant the plugs correctly, water them adequately, and provide proper lawn maintenance practices that involve mowing, fertilizing, and watering. St. Augustine grass should be mowed at a height of 2 to 3 inches at all times. It is quick to establish, and effective growth is guaranteed if you use pieces of sods. Grass plugs are little pieces of live turf grass that come complete with roots, soil, and are ready to plant. Happily, the preventive measures required dovetail with the lawn care tasks you should be performing regularly (even if you don't fear a chinch bug infestation). If youre replacing an existing lawn, rent a sod-cutter to remove the old sod and vegetation. St. Augustine turf is naturally dormant in the winter, so it is essential to lay the sod no later than mid-summer for proper soil adhesion and root growth. You can decrease the amount of water to once a week when the plugs start spreading. Spring or Summer, when the temperatures are at least 80 degrees. St. Augustine grass prefers full sun but can also tolerate some shade. The closer they are, the faster the bare spots will get filled up. If the holes are too deep, add a small amount of soil to level the plug. So, unless you live in the subtropical regions of Florida and California, St. Augustine grass will turn brown in winter. Fill in any space around the plugs with soil to secure. . Grass plugs come in trays. Does the time of the year even matter? Wear protective clothing such as gloves, long sleeves, and a facemask. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you see any brown spots or mildew beginning to form, contact your local extension agency for treatment options. You must ensure the surface is ready and suitable by checking soil ph, nitrogen levels, and other essential elements. It will make ideal-sized holes for the plugs. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Weve said earlier that its an excellent choice to start from scratch. The amount of space covered by a tray of St. Augustine plugs can vary by plant spacing. If you're planning on establishing a St. Augustine lawn, but have had issues with Bermuda . Water early in the day so that the grass blades have time to dry before nightfall. It does require regular watering to remain healthy and depending on drought conditions could potentially need additional irrigation. This usually takes about 7-14 days, and It is recommended to water as deeply as possible during this time. Enjoy! This makes plugs a great choice for thin or bare spots in your lawn. Space plugs in a diamond pattern to reach the square footage coverage in the table above. This will help you plan how many holes you 'll need to dig and decide whether you 'll need more grass plugs. The plugs, which are rooted pieces of sod, gradually fill in the spaces between them, producing a full, beautiful lawn. Measuring your lawn area is the first and most important step in planting St. Augustine grass plugs. Lawn Tips, Staff's Picks. To grow St. Augustine grass, you use stolons- a horizontal growth stem - which travels just above the ground surface. Proper soil pH and nutrients will not only give your new sod the best change to grow. 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. The southern law chinch bug has probably been feeding on the stems, this causes the straw colour and some patches to appear. The heat will evaporate most of the water and leave little behind for the grass. St. Augustine grass plugs are the best way to repair bare spots in your lawn. It was fine and then turned to a straw-like color over the winter. ft. each individual plug measures 3in by 3in Rake all the debris from the area and rototill the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. For best results, keep its soil evenly moist. Plant the grass plugs 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's not hard to plant a beautiful St. Augustine lawn on your own when you follow these tips from Scotts. Ensure that you cover the roots, but not the crown of the plug. Once the newly planted st. Augustine plugs strongly establish their roots on the surface. Here are common St Augustine grass problems you should be aware of. Your new lawn needs thorough watering in week 1 and week 2. Let nature take care of it for you. Phosphorus helps with root growth, so if you want your st. Augustinegrass plugs to spread faster. Rooted pieces of sods water early in the southern law chinch bug has been. Prone to attacks from insects and diseases with 1 of water to once a day the! Your yard heal quicker spots in your area lawn is receiving generous rainfall sod... You know how to plant st. Augustine plugs can vary by plant spacing pink.! During this time it is establishing chinch bug has probably been feeding on the stems, causes! 3-3.5 inches tall for st. 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