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 Louisiana
LSU publications have used different mowing ranges over time. This guide follows its 2026 summer article for the summer quick answer; the older species profile remains useful for growth and establishment. Keep the cultivar name from a sod invoice if available. A specific cultivar recommendation is more useful than guessing from a photograph or copying a mower setting from another lawn.
Choose your next step
| If you notice… | Check first | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| The lawn looks brown just after mowing | Compare the cut height and ground contours with an uncut edge. | Check for scalping and blade quality before adding fertilizer. |
| A patch stays wet after rain | Compare drainage there with nearby healthy turf. | Investigate water movement; extending irrigation will not correct saturation. |
| A repair needs to match | Confirm the grass and, where possible, its cultivar. | Arrange sod or plugs and a separate establishment watering plan. |
Mowing: check the actual cut
Measure the grass after mowing in several ordinary areas. Put the chosen height and the last blade-service date in the lawn record. If rain delays mowing, avoid trying to remove all the extra growth in one low pass. The one-third rule is a limit on leaf removal, not a requirement to mow every seven days.
Water: measure before adjusting
Before changing the timer, check a healthy area and the damaged edge at the same time. Note recent rain, shade and nearby pavement. For established turf, measure sprinkler coverage; for new sod, check rooting and follow establishment guidance. Label the repair area separately so it does not set the watering routine for the entire property.
Calculate lawn area or sprinkler runtime · Collect a useful soil sample
Avoid an unnecessary treatment
A brown or yellow patch is a symptom, not an insect or disease identification. Take an overall photo and close-ups of affected leaves and roots. Give your parish Extension office the dates of fertilizer, herbicide and irrigation changes if damage is spreading.
Use the patch diagnosis checklist before choosing a treatment.
A small, useful toolkit.
Start with what you own. Links labeled search open Amazon results; named models open specific listings. These are researched options, not tested-product rankings. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Find uneven sprinkler coverage
Use matching straight-sided containers or compare purpose-made catch cups.
Search Amazon: Irrigation catch cups (paid link)Keep traffic off new sod
Use a temporary boundary suited to the space; allow access for watering without walking across the repair.
Search Amazon: Temporary garden barrier (paid link)Common questions
Why does this page give a different height from an older LSU sheet?
The 2026 LSU summer article gives a 3–4-inch range; the older species profile gives a lower general range. We identify the seasonal source instead of presenting both as one fixed setting. Confirm unusual or dwarf cultivars separately.
Can I buy St. Augustinegrass seed for bare spots?
LSU’s species guidance describes establishment with sod or plugs. Check the actual species on any seed package; a product sold for southern lawns is not necessarily St. Augustinegrass.
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.
- LSU AgCenter: Summer lawn-care mistakes (2026)
- LSU AgCenter: St. Augustinegrass
- UF/IFAS: St. Augustinegrass for Florida lawns
How this guide was prepared. No on-site inspection or product performance test is implied.