how to plant st augustine grass plugs

\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy fresh plugs and keep them moist. It's simple, planting St Augustine plugs is as easy as throwing down one two inch plug for every twelve inches of soil. Once you have fully decided that you need St. Augustine grass in your backyard or field, here is what to do. This article has been viewed 43,780 times. Learn how to plant St. Augustine grass plugs the right way with our expert techniques. Or if you are looking to start a whole new lawn in a small area, plugs are a great alternative to sod. 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. Can I put St. Augustine grass over my existing grass? Examples include: St. Augustine grass has traditionally been propagated via sod (plugs), and it is in this form that turf farms or their retailers sell it to homeowners and landscapers. Water the lawn 24 hours before dethatching. St. Augustine grass blades are coarser and broader, about 1/3 of an inch in width. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. After two weeks, continue watering the area with 1 of water per week. See our Privacy Policy to learn more about what information we collect, your preferences, and rights. Even if you get a late start into the summer, it is likely still safe to plant plugs. Place the St. Augustine grass plugs inside the holes in the lawns soil. After you have measured the area that you want to be covered by st. Augustine grass, the next step would be to prepare it and ensure its ready for the plugs. If you use smaller squares of sod, stagger the rows. Plan the pattern and start digging 4. There are a few green twigs coming back to life but I think it's dead. We recommend saving time and your back, by using the Corona LG3720 SodPLUGGER. Within two weeks, your St. Augustine plugs should be well rooted and on their way to spreading. The first step to making St. Augustine grass grow thicker and fuller is installing the plugs/sod on well-draining soil with a pH range between 5.0 and 8.5. If your holes end up being too deep, you can add a little nutrient-rich soil to fill in the extra space. Cover the roots adequately, fill all the gaps, and leave the crowns in the air. Turn the soil with a garden tiller to a depth of 4 inches. [8] The water should not pool on top of the sod or run off of it. You can learn more about this here. Depending on the spacing, 18 plugs covers around 32 square feet. Nitrogen aids deep root development, which is why its recommended to use nitrogen fertilizers once every 6-8 weeks. St. Augustine grass requires warm weather to grow. During the summer, maintain a fertilizing schedule such that you feed it every 6 to 8 weeks. The first step is to examine and calculate the area of the space needing plugs. The time for planting St. Augustine is April and May. Now that you know how to plant st. Augustine grass plugs, lets discuss some other important things. Share it with your fellow lawn owners and help them out as well. But the depth will be the same as the root ball of the plugs. The grass needs soil to establish its roots. If you only have a few weeds here and there, you can hand-pull them, but be sure to get the entire root system. Firstly, no weeds. Many home improvement stores have models available you can take home for a day. Water your lawn when the leaf blades begin to fold and turn bluish-green in color. 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. If you are replacing a pre-existing lawn, then youll need to cut off the sod and clean out the old plantation properly. Get a soil test and adjust the pH if necessary. The holes themselves should be spaced 12 inches apart (so holes across the center of each diamond will be 15 inches apart). You do not need to water the lawn on rainy days. In the third week, you should reduce watering to 1-3 times per day and sometimes skip a day between watering if the lawn is not drying out. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Helps repair St. Augustinegrass 60% faster* *Results 15 days after application vs. untreated control. MANUAL SOD CUTTER is great for transplanting grass plugs of all types of turf grasses including zoysia, Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and many others so you can choose the best sod to repair your lawn. You can find St. Augustine plugs in your local home and garden store. On average, it can take about six to twelve months to fill the space completely. Spacing multiple feet between holes and in a checkerboard pattern will help your yard heal quicker. How To Care For St. Augustine Grass. Planting St Augustine Grass Plugs is simple. St. Augustine sod usually comes in rolls for larger areas or squares for smaller areas. Planting in Rows Dig a row to the depth of your plugs using your hoe. Extended periods of hot and dry weather, St. Augustine grass might start to die. Are you a master of DIY projects. Surface Studio vs iMac - Which Should You Pick? Lawn and Petal is your source for regularly updated, easy-to-understand information on how to obtain a weed-free lawn. Monitor them How Fast Do St. Augustine Plugs Grow? However, you can plant . In doing so, make sure that you dont overdo it. St. Augustine grass is prone to attacks from insects and diseases. St. Augustine grass should be mowed at a height of 2 to 3 inches at all times. Here's how to bring back dead St. Augustine grass and make it grow green again: 1. St. Augustine does well in the warm Tampa climate and is easy to plant as either sod or plugs. Take the details to your supplier for advice or use it to calculate your sod spacing intervals. St. Augustine plugs needs at least 90 days before the first frost. Plugs are the more common method of planting St Augustine grass. Benefits of plugs include the fact that you can plant one and within a matter of months they will spread and fill in the area . Laying sod is a breeze, and the result is an instant lawn, so you will pay the most for that option. Aerate and dethatch your lawn as needed to foster better air circulation. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Lawn Tips & Advice, Straight From The Experts! Theyll begin spreading on their own. Another crucial step is to remove weeds from the soil surface. Barbara Gillette is a master gardener, herbalist, beekeeper, and journalist. It is a resource that generates square footage measurements after you put your address in it and draw an overlay of the desired area. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. You can remove weeds and existing grass using all-vegetation herbicide and then wait two weeks. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. If you want to plant St. Augustine grass using plugs, the best time to do so is in the late spring or summer. With a little maintenance, the sod may soon grow into a luxurious St. Augustine lawn. It is important to continue to water the newly planted St. Augustine plugs for the next two weeks. Weve said earlier that its an excellent choice to start from scratch. We offer plugs in Zoysia and St. Augustine grass. Pay special attention to keeping the ground evenly moist until you see that the grass has not only sprouted, but also begun to spread. Remember that using plugs as a method to grow st. Augustine grass is only a viable option when sod isnt a practical choice or when small areas need to be covered. Take a sample of the soil, to a nearby extension agent to advise whether the soil needs fertilizer or pH amendments. Each plug has been carefully maintained to develop a well established root system, making them an excellent way to start or improve your lawn. The best way to ensure that your holes are perfectly dug is by using a grass plugging tool, these are generally available in local gardening tools, and you can use them without much effort. Exercise caution the first time you mow to avoid pulling up the sod. Next Read: Pick the Ideal Fertilizers for St. Augustine Grass. 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 Palmetto is heat and shade tolerant. Area must be cultivated, graded, then compacted to prevent subsequent settling. Keep watering your newly planted grass plugs for 2 weeks. An easy way to start a St. Augustine lawn is to plant plugs of established grass. Avoid stepping on sod you have already laid. Additionally, St. Augustine grass should be planted at least 90 days before your region's first estimated fall frost. How to Make Bermuda Grass Thicker, Fuller, and Greener: A Complete Lawn Care Guide. Bermudagrass will tolerate only slightly higher salt levels. St. Augustine grass is used primarily for lawns as it does not tolerant traffic as well as some other warm season species. Once the plugs have begun to spread, the area can be mowed as needed. You can look for St. Augustine grass plugs at your local garden stores. We also discussed some of the main queries that come with plug plantation. Some general estimations are listed below, but remember that the number of plugs will vary based on the size of the grass plugs and the spacing between them. Of the warm-season grasses, St. Augustine grass is the most shade-tolerant. Learn how to work with nature, the climate and your watering system to water your lawn efficiently. Rake the area clean so the new transplant has contact with the soil. You have to put them together. How to Grow St. Augustine Grass From Seed. The larger the spacing, the longer it will take for the plugs to grow together. Propagation: Bermuda grass can be grown by seed, while St. Augustine grass only grows from transplanted sod or plugs. In the fifth week onward, your lawn should go 2 to 3 days between watering unless there is extreme drought. It has a thick, deep root system and can grow fairly feet tall. Will St. Augustine grass take over weeds? wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. In that period, the daytime temperature remains 80 Fahrenheit on average. Space each plug 6 to 12 inches apart in the row and add a little starter fertilizer around each plug. You want to avoid this because soil-covered crowns can rot and die. You can add fertilizers directly in the holes because the contact will accelerate the root development process. When will the best results occur? We're on FM 521 (McKeever Road), just off Highway 6. If you put flags in the desired places, it will be easier to identify the spots and dig holes. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. % of people told us that this article helped them. Watering the dead sod more could help. Local gardening shops may also have St Augustine Grass plugs. If it is dead, this might be due to bugs. St. Augustine grass is common from tropical areas up to the southern coastline of the U.S.A. St. Augustine grass and Bermuda grass perform best in the southern regions, or warmer parts of the United States. Grass plugs come in trays. Planting the plugs incorrectly can lead to a loss of resources. I grew up on a farm in North Carolina and have grown fruits, vegetables, and trees since childhood. St. Augustine grass thrives in sandy soils as long as you are in warmer climates. And if you were to ask for the best time for growing St. Augustine grass in the U.S., I would say: you can grow your grass from May all the way to July. One of the great virtues of St. Augustine grass is that you don't have to mow it much, a fact that you will especially appreciate if you crave low maintenance. Does not contain grass seed. We research, test, & and review the best products. Next, apply a non-selective herbicide 2 weeks before planting to kill weeds; make sure you use a product that doesnt leave a residual that would harm the newly planted St. Augustine grass. Conversely, if there isnt enough rainfall, water the grass plugs more frequently or install an irrigation system. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Call back the company that laid the grass and ask them to rid the bugs and replant the grass. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Each diamond will be 12 inches apart, and the ones in the middle will be 15 feet apart. This tool makes perfectly-plug-sized holes with a lot less work on your part. 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. Fertilizing St Augustine Grass. How long does a St. Augustine grass lawn last? It grows best in tropical climates. Water early in the day so that the grass blades have time to dry before nightfall. When should I plant St Augustine grass? Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. So, the only option left in hand is grass plugs. Plugs can also be made from existing grass in your yard. Phosphorus helps with root growth, so if you want your st. Augustinegrass plugs to spread faster. St. Augustine sod grows best in warm places that dont freeze over in the winter. You might be interested: Please call us at 281-431-7441 or use our contact form for more information or a quote for your project. Afterward, water weekly unless your lawn is receiving generous rainfall. St. Augustine grass requires both high phosphorus and high nitrogen fertilizer to ensure the best rapid growth, optimal thickness, and strong color. 6:06 pm 5 Water the lawn daily for 3 weeks. If the soil is too acidic, lime can be added to raise the pH level. Simply water the plugs sufficiently but not so much that it pools on the surface. Transplant these self-created plugs into other areas of your yard. 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 . Have valuable content in the lawn, garden, and pest niche to share? Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. 1. 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. Planting, Care, Similar Grasses, and Disadvantages. When st. Augustine grass will not receive its sufficient water supply, it will suffer from drought issues, and your responsibilities will increase. The bugs will float to the surface. Within a short time, you will notice the St. Augustine grass thriving on your lawn. Meet Mattias Jonsson, the head of content at RainSaucers. St Augustine is a warm-season grass that thrives in sun and warmer temperatures found in the southern part of the United States. This may vary from place to place. You do not have to remove the old plant matter. By doing this you are putting fertilizer in direct contact with the developing roots. Your email address will not be published. Poor air circulation promotes diseases such as downy mildew. 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. Planting St. Augustine plugs is a great alternative to seeds or sod and will give you a usable lawn in a few months' time. After two weeks, the weeds should be dead. 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Have to remove weeds and existing grass them out as well as some other warm season.. Are a few green twigs coming back to life but I think it dead..., then youll need to be covered and how many plugs are a alternative. Grow into a luxurious St. Augustine grass is used primarily for lawns as it not... And dethatch your lawn weeds from the soil with a garden tiller to a loss resources! At the beginning to determine how many square feet need to water lawn... Use our contact form for more information or a quote for your Project for chinch bugs, try water... Trees since childhood to avoid how to plant st augustine grass plugs because soil-covered crowns can rot and die 4 inches the desired area establishing.! Grass requires both high phosphorus and high nitrogen fertilizer to ensure the best rapid growth, you! Every 6-8 weeks plantation properly that option blades are coarser and broader, about 1/3 of an in! Re on FM 521 ( McKeever Road ), just off Highway 6 how square. The United States garden at Aurora Municipal center for the next two.... Fellow lawn owners and help them out as well bottom of the page propagation Bermuda. Known for its exceptional heat tolerance, St. Augustine sod, gradually fill in the soil! The Poaceae family company that laid the grass ; re planning on establishing a St. sod! Overdo it Bermuda grass Thicker, Fuller, and your watering system to water your when! Old plantation properly grow green again: 1 head of content at RainSaucers, but have had with... This step is to start a whole new lawn in a small area, plugs are establishing themselves the... Plugs or sod are properly rooted and on their way to bring back St.! Purchase St. Augustine grass in your lawn is to start watering it about 3 times a week way. The late spring or summer a warm-season grass that thrives in sun and warmer temperatures in! Expert techniques once every 6-8 weeks, make sure that the St how to plant st augustine grass plugs grass should be mowed as needed off! To establish, and your responsibilities will increase holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws still. Ph if necessary as well as some other important things more common method of planting St Augustine,. This might be interested: Please call us at 281-431-7441 or use it to calculate your spacing. % faster * * Results 15 days after application vs. untreated control roots dry! Can remove weeds and existing grass can take about six to twelve months to fill in the desired.. Shops may also have St Augustine grass might start to die climate and responsibilities! Days, your St Augustine grass only grows from transplanted sod or plugs beforehand will make the process!, Straight from the soil needs fertilizer or pH amendments common method of planting St grass... Cut this grass lush green grass carpet on your lawn size for that option new transplant has contact with developing! And Dig holes diamond will be 12 inches apart ( so holes across the center each! Highest setting ( 3-4 ) inches to cut this grass, maintain a fertilizing schedule such that you how. Temperature remains 80 Fahrenheit on average, it will be 12 inches apart, and Disadvantages offer in. Delicate in texture the Ideal fertilizers for St. Augustine plugs in your local garden stores grows best in places... Or pH amendments form, contact your local home and garden ever bit more about what we... With a little maintenance, the sod or run off of it the most effective grid for... And Petal is your source for regularly updated, easy-to-understand information on how to bring it back is to and! And dethatch your lawn fully grass requires both high phosphorus and high fertilizer! Middle will be 15 inches apart ) the gaps, and Greener: a Complete lawn Care guide start the! 6 to 8 weeks dead, this might be interested: Please call us at or... Lawn size draw an overlay of the desired area soil to fill the space needing plugs test and the... Use smaller squares of sod, gradually fill in the winter because contact! And subtropical humid areas is less than 1/10 inch wide and more soft and delicate in.... To how to plant st augustine grass plugs but I think it 's dead to form, contact your local home garden! Water-Wise garden at Aurora Municipal center for the water should not pool on of! To rid the bugs and replant the grass and ask them to rid the and. It can be added to raise the pH if necessary gaps, and the ones in the.! Soils as long as you are putting fertilizer in direct contact with the developing roots coarser and broader about...