# St Augustine - what does it need?



## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Like a genius, I didn't take any pictures. But let's just imagine for now 

So I have an STA Lawn I take care of. The prior people probably cut it regularly at 2", which I know is too low, and plan on increasing height.

It has lots of visible thatch. It also has some dicey patches even though it full sun and irrigated, so I'm thinking it needs fertilizer, but I plan on doing some soil sampling.

What is this going to need to get nice, should I plan on having to rent a dethatcher and or aerator, and top dress with sand?

Is it too late in the season for dethatching and or aerating?

Thanks in advance!


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

It's a good time for dethatching. I would aerate in the fall.

In the thin patches, fertilizer may not get you there. You may have to lay a few plugs to help it thicken up.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Ecks from Tex said:


> It's a good time for dethatching. I would aerate in the fall.
> 
> In the thin patches, fertilizer may not get you there. You may have to lay a few plugs to help it thicken up.


Just one more excuse to buy a proplugger


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## erad213 (May 11, 2018)

I thought I saw the pro plugger wasn't recommended for STA. I have a similar situation where I mowed too low over mole tunnels and I completed destroyed a section of my yard last fall :shock: . I'm doing sod plugs this weekend. Getting sod pieces from All Seasons on Johns Island and going to cut into plug sizes with a knife. I'm mowing at 3in and used Milo for the first time this year and it has helped a lot. I raked out a lot of my thatch spots after killing off some weeds with image earlier this year. The runners have taken off this month!


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

erad213 said:


> I thought I saw the pro plugger wasn't recommended for STA. I have a similar situation where I mowed too low over mole tunnels and I completed destroyed a section of my yard last fall :shock: . I'm doing sod plugs this weekend. Getting sod pieces from All Seasons on Johns Island and going to cut into plug sizes with a knife. I'm mowing at 3in and used Milo for the first time this year and it has helped a lot. I raked out a lot of my thatch spots after killing off some weeds with image earlier this year. The runners have taken off this month!


Well, it's kind of a "big" grass, so 2-1/8" plug might be a little tough. What I really need is the thing that they use to cut golf cups with, that would be like the perfect size for me to also fix dog pee spots on my home lawn from thoughtless neighbors.


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

I've done plugs for St. A. It works OK. Some plugs don't make it. The plugs take a long time to establish and begin spreading compared to bermuda. You might save the money and just use a shovel and dig out some larger and deeper pieces of grass to transplant. I've done that with better success as far as establishment time and spreading than plugs on St. A. You just have to dig the same sized hole, but because it's cut so tall it doesn't have to be perfect.

Of course, first try and figure out why the grass that's there isn't doing well before transplanting.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Bunnysarefat said:


> I've done plugs for St. A. It works OK. Some plugs don't make it. The plugs take a long time to establish and begin spreading compared to bermuda. You might save the money and just use a shovel and dig out some larger and deeper pieces of grass to transplant. I've done that with better success as far as establishment time and spreading than plugs on St. A. You just have to dig the same sized hole, but because it's cut so tall it doesn't have to be perfect.
> 
> Of course, first try and figure out why the grass that's there isn't doing well before transplanting.


All good suggestions. And since I can probably get individual sod pieces I can probably just get a few pieces and cut to fit.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

SCGrassMan said:


> Bunnysarefat said:
> 
> 
> > I've done plugs for St. A. It works OK. Some plugs don't make it. The plugs take a long time to establish and begin spreading compared to bermuda. You might save the money and just use a shovel and dig out some larger and deeper pieces of grass to transplant. I've done that with better success as far as establishment time and spreading than plugs on St. A. You just have to dig the same sized hole, but because it's cut so tall it doesn't have to be perfect.
> ...


This is the best advice. I'm doing this now working out pretty well. Remember to cut it high I cut at 4 inches, Fertilized regularly, and water 1 inch a week it will come in. For some reason this year St Augustine lawns are having trouble growing out this year.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

CenlaLowell said:


> SCGrassMan said:
> 
> 
> > Bunnysarefat said:
> ...


This one might be getting TOO much water. And they've been cutting it at 2"


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