How To Scarify St. Augustine Grass [7 Easy Steps] | pepper house and garden (2023)

FAQs

How do I get rid of thatch in my St. Augustine grass? ›

Thatch can be removed by a vertical mower or by other means of dethatching such as a power rake. Vertical mowing helps keep turf healthy by removing the vegetation from the thatch layer. This dead vegetation is lifted to the surface by the blades of the vertical mower.

Ideally, core aerating the lawn with cool season grass in the early spring or fall, and those with warm season grass in the late spring. You should do core aeration in St Augustine, FL at least one time per year, and for the best results twice.

You need to wait until the grass is in active growth before dethatching or adding fill, so those procedures are done during the summer growing season. You could fill anytime between May and August, but I recommend doing it in early summer rather than later.

Augustinegrass is typically fertilized only twice during the growing season (early May and early July).

It is recommended to never overseed St. Augustine lawns due to the fact it can be hard to get good seed contact without having to scalp and damage the existing yard. The main choice for which cool-season turf to overseed with is generally between annual ryegrass and perennial ryegrass.

Dethatch when soil is moist, not dry. If soil is too wet, a dethatch may yank turf out by the roots, creating large bare spots. It's best to dethatch during cooler weather. Mow the lawn to half its normal height right before dethatching.

Set the mowing height at 21/2 to 3 inches (3 to 31/2 inches in shady lawns). The lower the mowing height, the more frequently you will need to mow. Frequent mowing at a lower height produces higher quality turfgrass. It is best not to bag grass clippings.

New sod does need to be watered more often than established grass to ensure that it will take root, but it is possible to put too much water on the sod. Too much water on your sod could make it soggy, which prevents it from establishing a strong root system.

It grows quickly in summer and slows down during winter, needing less water. Too little water can damage your lawn, but too much can also lead to lawn health problems because St. Augustine has shallow roots and is vulnerable to fungal attacks.

In fact, you need to water St. Augustine grass in sandy soils approximately 1/2 inch of water twice a week to keep the ground moist enough for healthy grass growth. On the other hand, clay soils require observation; water the grass until you see some water runoff and then immediately stop.

How long does it take for grass to grow after dethatching? ›

After dethatching your lawn it is a great time to aerate your lawn. After aerating, overseed and fertilize with Milorganite®. It should take about 3-4 weeks for the lawn to recover and show signs of new growth.

You want to remove thatch that is right above the soil without tearing it up. A height of about a quarter-inch (6.35 millimeters) above the soil may work -- adjust the blades while they are on a smooth surface. They may need to be slightly higher for delicate grasses. First, mow the grass about half as high as usual.

Mow your lawnto half its normal height before you begin dethatching. (FYI: Don't fertilize before dethatching.) Use a dethatching rake like you would a regular rake. Dig the tines into the thatch and pull it upward, helping to loosen and remove the buildup.

Augustine does best in sandy, acidic, well-draining soil. Keep the pH level between 5.0 and 8.5 for a thicker and fuller lawn. Add topsoil to bare spots and grade the yard to keep water from pooling. If you have clay soil or if it's just poor draining, you can aerate or mix and till it with compost or pine bark.

The best fertilizer for St Augustine grass is any fertilizer that has one pound of nitrogen for every 1,000 square feet of sod. Fertilizing every two months is ideal unless you apply slow release fertilizer that can be spread every 10 weeks.

In fall, when growth is much slower and the grass is preparing to enter winter dormancy, St. Augustine should get no more than ½ pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in one feeding. In total, your lawn should never get more than 5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year.

The short answer – is yes. Grass seed can grow if you just throw it on the ground, but the success of the germination will be much different compared to when you do the right preparation and sowing technique.

If you simply toss the grass seed onto the soil, you will end up with poor germination. Thoroughly rake the area to remove any loose debris and to create grooves in the soil. These grooves will help increase the seed-to-soil contact that is imperative for germination.

Can you just sprinkle grass seed on top of your existing lawn? While it's possible to simply sow the new grass seed over your existing lawn, taking the time to prepare your lawn beforehand will increase the likelihood of seed germination and improve your end result.

To determine if the brown spots in your lawn are related to a thick thatch problem, remove a two inch deep wedge from your lawn. Measure the thatch or brown spongy layer between the soil surface and the green grass plants. If the layer is greater than 3/4 inch, you have too much thatch.

What does Overwatered St. Augustine sod look like? ›

Brown, Wilting Grass Blades. Yellow or brown and wilting grass can be a sign of overwatered new sod. This is a tricky one. Some Florida homeowners notice brown spots in new sod and panic, dumping even more water on their lawn, assuming it's too dry.

Take a garden trowel or spade and dig up a small wedge of your lawn grass and soil. You'll be able to see and measure its thatch layer. If your thatch is 1–2 inches or more, you've probably already seen signs of poor grass color and weak, thin growth.

After dethatching, rake up the newly exposed thatch. Mowing your lawn will also help to clean things up. Fertilizing at this time is also important. This will help your lawn recover and get much needed nutrients.

Step 4: Mow your lawn again

Once you've finished detaching, mow your lawn again. This will help to remove any loose thatch from the surface of your lawn. By following these simple steps, you can easily dethatch your lawn and improve the health of your grass.

St. Augustine grass can take the Florida sun but a lawn cut too short will fry, leaving room for both weeds and diseases to join in the lawn party. The height of grass blades creates shade not only for the parts of grass itself but helps shade weeds and their seeds keeping them from germinating.

St. Augustine grass should be mowed at a height of 2 to 3 inches at all times. If you allow your lawn to grow past 3 inches you risk the possibility of mowing down into the stems. If you mow it too short you cut off the nutrient supply and reduce some of the shade to the turf.

Make Sure You're Watering Enough

Your new lawn needs to be watered twice a day, for about 20 minutes per session every day for at least two months. This should be enough so that your lawn gets a solid six inches of watering per cycle.

A: The best time is in the early morning hours (1:00am to 3:00am), prior to the dew. Watering in the late morning may be detrimental if it extends the time the lawn is naturally wet from dew, which may accelerate disease issues. Watering during the day wastes water due to excessive evaporation from the sun.

The best way to revive St. Augustine grass is to give your lawn 1–1.5 inches of water every week, provide your soil with the correct nutrients, and eliminate any pests or other animals that may be killing the St. Augustine grass.

A: The best time is in the early morning hours (1:00am to 3:00am), prior to the dew. Watering in the late morning may be detrimental if it extends the time the lawn is naturally wet from dew, which may accelerate disease issues. Watering during the day wastes water due to excessive evaporation from the sun.

How many times a week should I water St. Augustine? ›

Watering twice per week (following Water Management District guidelines) is sufficient. The correct approach is to water less frequently but more thoroughly. On average, St. Augustine grass requires about ¾ inch of water twice per week (for a total of about 1 ½ inches of water per week).

We're here to tell you that it's definitely okay to water your lawn after you mow (but you probably shouldn't water before you mow). Realistically, as long as you're watering and mowing at all, you're doing better than most.

St. Augustine grass requires mowing less often than other grass types. Use your lawn mower about once every one to two weeks to keep your lawn about 3 to 4 inches tall. Keeping the mowing height high like this helps the shade-tolerant turf more easily encourage root growth.

St. Augustine grass should be mowed once a week during the growing season, which is typically from April through October in Florida. In general, St. Augustine mowing heights during the summer are about 2–4 inches.

St. Augustine grass performs best if fertilized regularly, on a schedule. Fertilize it initially in spring after it has finished greening up. During the summer, maintain a fertilizing schedule such that you feed it every 6 to 8 weeks.

A dethatcher will effectively rake up the dead plant thatch, while a scarifier will do that and also roll into your soil and more aggressively rip up the top layer of thatch and soil.

To prevent thatch buildup, use a high quality, slow release nitrogen fertilizer, such as a GreenView Fairway Formula Fertilizer, and mow to keep the grass about 3 inches tall.

The best time to dethatch is late summer or early fall. That's when your grass is growing most vigorously. Before dethatching, mow a little shorter than normal. Also, you'll achieve better results if you do it after a light rain or watering.

For the best results, mow the lawn before scarifying. You should also feed your lawn before scarifying.

You're looking for a time when the night time air temperatures are averaging 60 degrees or more, and your grass has started to produce new growth. Cool Season Grass. Cool season grasses (bluegrass, fescue, and rygrass) tend to be lower maintenance and often require less thatching.

Should I seed right after dethatching? ›

After dethatching, thatch should be removed and put in the compost pile. If you do not already have a compost pile, then you should seriously consider adding one. After this has been done, high-quality grass seed.

Dethatchers come with rotating tines or blades which remove the dead grass and soil allowing it to be collected into piles of debris for removal by shoveling or bagging. Once dethatched, some say you should wait two weeks before fertilizing; however spreader settings will need to be adjusted before fertilizing.

A power rake is a machine that uses blades similar to a roto-tiller to remove thatch and debris that can build up on a lawn. Power raking is gentler than dethatching since it only removes debris at the soil level (whereas dethatching also pulls and removes healthy root systems).

Turf grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia and St. Augustine are best aerated mid spring through summer. This allows the turf to grow a dense root system that helps nourish the grass through Florida's long, hot summers.

If your grass is a St. Augustine grass lawn, you'll want to sod or plug your bare spots. Purchase a few pieces of sod or enough plugs to cover your bare spots from your local garden center. Then prepare the area by applying a generous layer of Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Soil.

Aerate, Overseed, Fertilize

After dethatching your lawn it is a great time to aerate your lawn. After aerating, overseed and fertilize with Milorganite®. It should take about 3-4 weeks for the lawn to recover and show signs of new growth.