This helps the grass settle into the ground, but avoid using too much water. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Does the time of the year even matter? The plugs, which are rooted pieces of sod, gradually fill in the spaces between them, producing a full, beautiful lawn. St. Augustine grass requires both high phosphorus and high nitrogen fertilizer to ensure the best rapid growth, optimal thickness, and strong color. Local shops usually have much better experts on hand to answer any questions you may have. After digging the holes, saturate the area by watering thoroughly but dont completely fill the holes with water. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. 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. Make sure that the crown of the plug isnt covered in soil. St. Augustine sod or plugs . Plugs should be placed 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm.) Written by southernmedia February 5, 2021 Get a soil test and adjust the pH if necessary. 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. The larger the spacing, the longer it will take for the plugs to grow together. Lawn and Petal is your source for regularly updated, easy-to-understand information on how to obtain a weed-free lawn. Maintaining these plugs is extremely significant if you want a well-established lawn. By doing so, you are giving your grasses sufficient time to get prepared for the upcoming extreme weather. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Monitor them How Fast Do St. Augustine Plugs Grow? Each plug has been carefully maintained to develop a well established root system, making them an excellent way to start or improve your lawn. You may even find them at some big stores like Home Depot or Lowes. Fill the holes created with soil or sand. Creating plugs from pieces of sod will help stretch the coverage area. If you want to plant St. Augustine grass using plugs, the best time to do so is in the late spring or summer. We recommend saving time and your back, by using the Corona LG3720 SodPLUGGER. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Afterward, water as needed depending on your climate. If you reside in a region that experiences frosty weather, this variety of grass isn't right for you. Most St. Augustine seed is naturally sterile. (You can also purchase St. Augustine sod, but it can be expensive.). Passionate about gardening and water-related topics, hes dedicated to providing expert information and resources to help improve your home, health, and wallet. These sod plugs are packaged in trays for convenient shipping and easy installation. Water them deeply 6. Plugs are suitable for tiny areas or when the homeowner isn't in a hurry to create a lawn. You might be in too dry a climate for grass and/or sod. 5 Types of Grass for Sandy Soil, How to Keep Birds from Eating Grass Seed 10 Safe Ways, How to Tell if Grass Seed is Germinating (Ideal Requirements), Does Ryegrass Spread? The water you apply should soak in, not remain on the soil surface. Dethatch your lawn whenever you detect substantial thatch build-up. Additional Care Keep watering your newly planted grass plugs for 2 weeks. Contact us and share your ideas to see if we can work together. If youre replacing an existing lawn, rent a sod-cutter to remove the old sod and vegetation. This period will last for well around 2 weeks, and once they start spreading, you can give them an inch of water per week. We're on FM 521 (McKeever Road), just off Highway 6. Aerate and dethatch your lawn as needed to foster better air circulation. Preparing the area also includes spreading the fertilizer and watering it properly. Here's how to bring back dead St. Augustine grass and make it grow green again: 1. Take a sample of the soil, to a nearby extension agent to advise whether the soil needs fertilizer or pH amendments. It does require regular watering to remain healthy and depending on drought conditions could potentially need additional irrigation. 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. Looking for some answers when it comes to feeding your lawn? Houston Grass South is located just a few miles east of Sienna Plantation in Arcola, TX. I grew up on a farm in North Carolina and have grown fruits, vegetables, and trees since childhood. This warm-season grass goes dormant in winter. In the fourth week, water 1-2 times every other day. Planting the plugs incorrectly can lead to a loss of resources. Use a garden trowell to dig holes. Now is also a great time to do a soil test. 2. Phosphorus helps with root growth, so if you want your st. Augustinegrass plugs to spread faster. Known for its exceptional heat tolerance, St. Augustine grass is a favorite in warm-weather areas. An alternative to purchasing prepared St. Augustine plugs are to make your own. However, to achieve a lush lawn of St. Augustine grass, there is some work involved. After the holes have been dug, thoroughly water the area. St. Augustine grass blades are coarser and broader, about 1/3 of an inch in width. Transplant these self-created plugs into other areas of your yard. Press one plug firmly into each hole, making sure each is level with surrounding ground. With proper soil preparation, adequate timing, and care, the rooted pieces of sod will gradually spread and fill every space within them, offering a dense beautiful carpet. Planting St Augustine Grass Plugs is simple. Are you a master of DIY projects. Apply the fertilizer to the soil when you are ready to plant your St. Augustine grass plugs and then again after planting. St. Augustine grass is an aggressive grower and can compete with weeds. The holes themselves should be spaced 12 inches apart (so holes across the center of each diamond will be 15 inches apart). The landscaping supplier should look at the sketch map and measurements to advise you on the number of plugs you need for that specific area. Step 1: Preparing the Soil for St Augustine Grass. Augustine grass is highly tolerant of soil salinity, producing satisfactory growth at salt levels as high as 16 mmhos. Determine the exact dimensions of the area youll be planting, to ensure you purchase enough St. Augustine grass plugs. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. How To Care For St. Augustine Grass. Considering that youve already flagged the spots in diamond patterns, you need to dig holes properly. St. Augustine grass performs best if fertilized regularly, on a schedule. The bugs will float to the surface. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. This new growth spreads along the top of the ground, filling in the area between the plugs. Plugs can be spaced 12 or more inches apart but the closer together they are spaced, the faster the grass fills in for complete coverage. Monitor the grass for signs of disease and take action promptly if a problem is detected. 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. The optimum height for mowing St Augustine grass is 3.5 to 4 inches. Newly planted St. Augustine grass lawns need protection while they are becoming established. The grass grows fast enough to bridge the gaps during the first year. Otherwise, sod is easy to plant over cleared and tilled ground. Space the pieces of sod 1 to 2 feet apart and water faithfully. After that, you need to maintain one inch of water every week. Make your own plugs by cutting pieces of sod into desired size with a shovel or garden shears. Heat promotes the growth of St. Augustine grass. Flagging the spots beforehand will make the digging process a lot easier. If things go right and factors are properly considered, youll have a lush and beautiful lawn in no time. Spring or Summer, when the temperatures are at least 80 degrees. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cb\/Plant-a-St-Augustine-Sod-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Plant-a-St-Augustine-Sod-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cb\/Plant-a-St-Augustine-Sod-Step-1.jpg\/aid9724649-v4-728px-Plant-a-St-Augustine-Sod-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":" \u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Suppose you have followed the above-listed method for how to plant st. augustine grass plugs. Additionally, St. Augustine grass should be planted at least 90 days before your region's first estimated fall frost. Continue to feed every 6-8 weeks until the lawn has completely filled in. After that, cover the roots only and leave the crowns above ground. Brown patch is a fungal disease that can form circular patches of brown grass. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. If you put flags in the desired places, it will be easier to identify the spots and dig holes. Now that you know how to plant st. Augustine grass plugs, lets discuss some other important things. There are a few green twigs coming back to life but I think it's dead. Even if you get a late start into the summer, it is likely still safe to plant plugs. The roots and turf are both susceptible to pests and diseases. When mowing St. Augustine for dethatching, cut the grass at a low blade height of 2-inches. Kill all the weeds or pre-existing lawn grass by spraying a non-selective herbicide. This is a warm season turfgrass and loves heat, so it grows best when high temperatures are between 80- and 100-degrees F. However, it's not quite that easy. Measuring your lawn area is the first and most important step in planting St. Augustine grass plugs. You can rent or buy plugging tools. 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. It forms a dense mat over the ground that helps to suppress the growth of weeds. How to Get Rid of Them in Your Yard, Can Grass Grow in Sand? ft. once established. Water early in the day so that the grass blades have time to dry before nightfall. This variety of grass is sensitive to cold weather. It will become green again when warm weather returns. Grid patterns may range from diamond to checkerboard patterns, but the plugs should be placed equidistantly in all cases. The stolons, often referred to as "runners," sprout and root at the nodes. But, for best results, grow St. Augustine grass in full sun. It is a true grass as a member of the Poaceae family. Before any mowing, make sure that the St Augustine grass plugs or sod are properly rooted and are growing robustly. Lets find out. Theyll begin spreading on their own. Be sure not to cut the newly plugged area shorter than 2. (You can also purchase St. Augustine sod, but it can be expensive.) St. Augustine grass and Bermuda grass perform best in the southern regions, or warmer parts of the United States. Established roots mean less water and maximum success. St. Augustine Grass VS Zoysia: Who Will Win The Battle For Your Lawn. If you allow your lawn to grow past 3 inches you risk the possibility of mowing down into the stems. Thoroughly water the area before planting. This article answers: how to plant st augustine grass plugs. Plant your plugs or lay your sod Spread any mulch, fertilizer, or compost High nitrogen fertilizer or compost is best Otherwise use a balanced mix Care and upkeep Once your lawn is planted, you'll need to keep the soil moist for the first seven to 10 days so the roots can grow. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. How to Plant Grass Plugs Materials: Soil Analysis Kit Measuring Tape Sod Cutter, Rototiller or Glyphosate Auger Bit and Drill New Lawn Starter Box Step 1: Test Your Soil If you're planning to plant grass plugs throughout your entire lawn, the first step we recommend is testing the soil. However, grass plugs will take almost a year to grow in your lawn fully. Water your lawn when the leaf blades begin to fold and turn bluish-green in color. In zones 7 to 12, you can start a lawn of St. Augustine grass any time during the growing season. It thrives in temperatures between 80 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Let nature take care of it for you. You can use a mower at its highest setting (3-4) inches to cut this grass. Absorbs 6X its weight in water. It also has a high tolerance for salt water, which makes it perfect for coastal areas. Once planted, St. Augustine grass plugs will spread. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Additionally, you can put starter fertilizer on the holes so that the St. Augustine grass plugs get essential nutrients as soon as they get firm on the ground. To ensure strong growth and deep roots, apply one-half pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet annually during the growing season (spring through fall). Young plants are highly vulnerable to pests and diseases such as chinch bugs. St. Augustine grass plugs are a great way to fill in bare and dead spots. 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 grass plugs are the best way to repair bare spots in your lawn. Do you live in a warm state with extreme heat no grass will tolerate? Choose the best time to plant The best time to plant St. Augustine plugs is in the late spring or early summer. But, if you are lucky enough to find the seed and want to try your hand at it, sow it in late spring to early summer. You can use a tape measure but take driveways, sidewalks, shrubs, trees, and other landscaping elements of your entire lawn into consideration. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. If you use smaller squares of sod, stagger the rows. Here are common St Augustine grass problems you should be aware of. 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 image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. How to Kill Bermuda Grass in 5 Different Ways, What to Know About Buffalo Grass: A Low-Maintenance Lawn Option, What to Know About Kentucky Bluegrass and How to Care for It, Everything to Know About Growing Tall Fescue Grass, 9 Types of Sod for Your Lawn and How to Choose One, How to Winterize Your Lawn to Keep It Healthy, How to Dethatch a Lawn and Why You Need To, How to Fix Patchy Grass and Bare Spots in Your Lawn, Mexican Feather Grass: Plant Care & Growing Guide, St. Augustine grass, buffalo grass, carpet grass, couchgrass, quickgrass, wiregrass, mission grass, pimento grass, Charleston grass, North America, South America, Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Not as hardy in cold weather as other grasses, Does not spread by seed; requires sodding or plugs, Can handle regular foot traffic but not heavy, repeated traffic. Kneel or walk on plywood instead. You can make your St Augustine grass spread faster, and grow thick and dense through the following ways: St Augustine grass is an easy-to-maintain grass that establishes quickly. Do this by laying the squares so the ends dont line up with one another. Consult your local laws for water usage regulations. When you till the soil later, it serves as a natural fertilizer. The Effects of Cutting the Lawn Too Short Each blade of grass is a leaf, and with less leaf area, each grass plant has less surface area to provide the . St. Augustine grass seed needs to be kept moist while it is establishing. If you are replacing a pre-existing lawn, then youll need to cut off the sod and clean out the old plantation properly. Augustine ,How to Make St. Augustine Grass Spread Quickly and Grow Thicker ,St. Augustine 3,Types of Sod for Your Lawn - The Home Depot,,St Augustine Grass Seed . Plant Your Grass Plugs Place the plugs into the holes and ensure they're leveled with the ground. Continue watering until the EZ Patch is completely saturated and no more water is being absorbed which may take several minutes. If the soil is too alkaline, sulfur can be added to lower the pH level. LawnMowerGuru.com, All Rights Reserved. Thus, it is best to plant it in late spring or summer when the weather is warm. Extended periods of hot and dry weather, St. Augustine grass might start to die. You have to put them together. This will help the roots to be firm and stable in the soil. Depending on the spacing, 18 plugs covers around 32 square feet. YARD PLUGGER cuts a 3" X 3" square plug of sod or soil - the size of most commercially available grass plugs. The time taken ensures your grass plugs will not die off. St. Augustine grass thrives in sandy soils as long as you are in warmer climates. St. Augustine will take root and spread faster in the right soil conditions. Our specialists recommend adding a small amount starter fertilizer to the holes. ,How Do You Revive St. Augustine Grass? wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Add a 1/2-inch-thick layer of compost and lightly work into the top inch of soil. Nitrogen aids deep root development, which is why its recommended to use nitrogen fertilizers once every 6-8 weeks. When it comes to st. Augustine grass, the most effective grid pattern for these plugs is a diamond one. Grass plugs are little pieces of live turf grass that come complete with roots, soil, and are ready to plant. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. \u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Always take time to properly prepare the soil prior to installing your grass plugs. St. Augustine sod usually comes in rolls for larger areas or squares for smaller areas. Check and fix any drainage problems and slope your lawn away from the house or garage and fill low areas to avoid cases of standing water in your yard. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Helps St. Augustine grass repair 60% faster. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. We offer plugs in Zoysia and St. Augustine grass. In the fifth week onward, your lawn should go 2 to 3 days between watering unless there is extreme drought. Then you can water it 2-3 times a week. Plug hole depth will vary based on the amount of root system on the St. Augustine plugs. Planting too deep also encourages diseases or insects. Gray leaf spot is another fungal disease causing gray lesions on the grass blades. St. Augustinegrass does require water to stay green during periods of drought, however it doesn't need more water than other grass species to remain green. Ensure there are no pockets left around the plug as this will cause roots to dry out. Even though st Augustine plugs can be planted in the mid-summer, it is certainly not advisable. 3 steps to success: Prep, Apply, Water. It is just the beginning, so be prepared for the long road ahead. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Make sure to take extra care once the plugs have been planted to establish a dense turf. How long does a St. Augustine grass lawn last? Just follow these steps: The best time to plant St. Augustine plugs is in the late spring or early summer. St. Augustine grass plugs grow quite fast. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. \u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Water new sod to help roots take hold in the lawn. 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. How you feed, mow and water your lawn can help it resist fungal diseases like dollar spot and brown spot. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Bermudagrass will tolerate only slightly higher salt levels. Plan the desired pattern to plant the grass plugs. If you want to plant some, wait until the spring or early summer, then spray a glyphosate weedkiller over the planting area to protect the plants from competing grasses. Watering the dead sod more could help. If the holes happen to be deeper than they should be, fill the unwanted space with nutrient-rich soil. You can decrease the amount of water to once a week when the plugs start spreading. Let it stay there. The Questions People Ask Most About Lawn Fertilizing. Deciding a grid pattern for your st. Augustine grass lawn is also a vital part. I had a contractor lay down the sod. Local gardening shops may also have St Augustine Grass plugs. Dig the holes in a checkerboard pattern considering the recommended spacing distance between each sod.
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