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Florida · St. Augustine

Florida St. Augustinegrass Care: Monthly Lawn Calendar

Start with your cultivar and your part of Florida. A Floratam lawn in the north and a dwarf cultivar in the south should not share one mower setting or winter routine.

By Coast to Coast GrassOriginally published May 9, 2023Content revised September 24, 2026 · Editorial approach
START HERE / THE PRACTICAL ANSWER

Three things to know.

Mowing
Most standard cultivars: 3.5–4 inches; dwarf types generally 2–2.5. CitraBlue is an exception at 2–3. Confirm the cultivar.
Repair
Match existing grass with sod or plugs. A generic seed mix will not restore St. Augustinegrass.
Season
North and central Florida slow in winter; south Florida may keep growing. Follow actual growth.
Your monthly calendar ↓Check the sources ↓
A lawn bordered by mature trees in evening light
A real garden setting. This photograph illustrates lawn care, not a particular state or grass species. Photo credits.

Know your grass and site

St. Augustinegrass is a warm-season grass established mainly with sod or plugs. Cultivars differ in shade tolerance, mowing needs and disease susceptibility.

Make the plan fit Florida

UF/IFAS separates Florida into north, central and south regions. Use its cultivar guidance and your lawn’s growth before choosing a feeding window. Check your local fertilizer and watering rules before setting a recurring schedule.

Choose your next step

Check the cause before choosing the job
If you notice…Check firstNext step
A warm week after winterMark new growth and note the next few mowing dates.Wait for sustained growth before adding nitrogen; a single warm afternoon is not a season change.
One strip looks dryCompare catch-cup readings in that strip and a healthy area.Correct coverage before increasing the runtime of every sprinkler zone.
An opening needs repairRecord the cultivar, light and cause of the gap.Use matching sod or plugs once conditions support rooting; protect the repair from traffic.

Mowing: check the actual cut

Measure the cut, not just the mower’s numbered setting. Keep the cultivar name with the lawn records. If a normal pass removes too much leaf, increase mowing frequency or raise the cut temporarily instead of forcing one low pass.

Water: measure before adjusting

Separate established turf from recently laid sod. The former needs watering based on conditions; the latter needs establishment care while roots develop. Keep a note of rainfall beside irrigation runtime so a rainy week does not get the same treatment as a dry one.

Calculate lawn area or sprinkler runtime · Collect a useful soil sample

Avoid an unnecessary treatment

A yellow patch is a reason to inspect roots, leaf symptoms and water distribution. Buying a fertilizer or fungicide before identifying the problem can spend money without correcting the cause.

Use the patch diagnosis checklist before choosing a treatment.

ONLY IF IT HELPS WITH THE JOB

A small, useful toolkit.

Start with what you own. These links open Amazon searches, not a tested-product ranking. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

Check an uneven sprinkler zone

Use identical straight-sided containers you own, or compare catch cups with clear depth markings.

Search Amazon: Irrigation catch cups

Separate rain from irrigation

A gauge is useful when you are unsure how much rain reached the lawn.

Search Amazon: Rain gauge

Protect a small sod repair

A temporary barrier can keep repeated foot traffic off rooting sod; check access for mowing.

Search Amazon: Temporary garden barrier

Compare tools for a different task

Common questions

Can I overseed St. Augustinegrass to fill bare spots?

For a matching repair, use sod or plugs of the intended cultivar. Adding a different grass seed introduces a different plant and a different maintenance routine.

Does the whole state stop growing in winter?

No. Record what your own lawn is doing. South Florida can have a longer growing season than north Florida; a statewide month label is only a reminder.

Sources and regional limits

These references support the care principles and regional examples above. Use your local Extension office for cultivar, soil and treatment advice. Product labels and local restrictions take priority over a calendar reminder.

How this guide was prepared. No on-site inspection or product performance test is implied.

KEEP IT BY THE GARDEN DOOR

Your year at a glance.

Keep a one-page copy of this guide’s monthly checkpoints.

Open printable PDF Download the one-page sheet
COAST TO COAST GRASSJANUARY - DECEMBER / REUSABLE EACH YEAR

St. Augustine in Florida

Record your part of Florida and cultivar. Check local fertilizer and irrigation rules before planning applications.

Before you start: Weather overrides the month. Repair during active warmth; reduce work as growth slows. Prepare water equipment before your first local freeze, even if earlier than shown.

  1. January

    Check your region

    Note whether your St. Augustinegrass is growing or dormant before changing inputs.

    Check: South Florida may remain active.

  2. February

    Prepare for growth

    Repairs usually use sod or plugs, not generic lawn seed.

    Check: A warm spell does not prove sustained green-up.

  3. March

    Watch green-up

    Compare growth across the lawn. Identify weeds before choosing a control method.

    Check: Delay disruptive work while the grass is still dormant.

  4. April

    Wait for steady growth

    Resume mowing as needed at a cultivar-suitable height. Inspect irrigation coverage.

    Check: Nitrogen and coring need suitable active growth, not a date.

  5. May

    Repair with the right grass

    If growth supports rooting, repair with matching sod or plugs and protect the patch.

    Check: Use the cultivar name, not a generic seed mixture.

  6. June

    Use the growing window

    Mow by growth. Core compacted areas only if needed and the lawn can recover.

    Check: Avoid saturated or drought-stressed soil.

  7. July

    Compare rain and irrigation

    Measure rainfall and sprinkler coverage before extending every zone.

    Check: Diagnose yellow patches before buying treatment.

  8. August

    Leave recovery time

    Inspect wear and thinning. Plan remaining repairs only if enough warm growing time remains.

    Check: Do not begin major work as growth is shutting down.

  9. September

    Reassess the season

    Reduce mowing frequency if growth slows. Review winter annual weeds and upcoming local restrictions.

    Check: Avoid late nitrogen that forces growth before cold weather.

  10. October

    Protect the leaf cover

    Clear heavy leaves and monitor moisture. Keep traffic off frosted turf where frost occurs.

    Check: Brown color may be dormancy; diagnose patches separately.

  11. November

    Adjust to the site

    If growth has slowed, reduce inputs. Winterize irrigation where freezing is expected.

    Check: In frost-free areas, follow continued growth and rainfall.

  12. December

    Keep a useful record

    Record this year’s green-up, repairs and water use. Inspect dry or repeatedly wet areas.

    Check: Do not assume every warm-season lawn is dormant now.

Identify the cultivar

Repairs usually use sod or plugs, not generic lawn seed.

Standard and dwarf cultivars have different cutting heights.

Use current local advice and product labels for treatments. New seed, sod and plugs need establishment care. This is a planning guide, not a monthly application schedule.

Sources: UF/IFAS: St. Augustinegrass for Florida lawns · UF/IFAS: Mowing your Florida lawn. Prepared September 24, 2026.

MAKE THE PLAN FIT YOUR YARD

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KEEP GROWING

A useful plan is one you can adapt. Return to your guide as the seasons change.

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