| |
St.
Augustine grass is a fast growing grass that has a medium to dark
green color, coarse leaf texture, and is one of the most shade
tolerant warm season turf grasses available. With proper maintenance,
it will provide a dense, lush cover for a turf lawn. As a warm-season
grass, it is best adapted to warm, humid areas that are not exposed to
excessive or intense periods of cold weather. The "Raleigh" variety
has the best cold tolerance and seems best suited for North Carolina's
piedmont and coastal plains region. Seed is not available, so it can
only be vegetatively planted. St. Augustine grass generally grows best
in fertile, well-drained soils. It has excellent tolerance to shade
and has exhibited good salt, heat, and to a moderate extent, drought
tolerance.
Since it is fast growing,
St. Augustine
grass requires frequent mowing during the growing period. High rates
of fertilizer and heavy irrigation can cause disease problems,
therefore it should never receive more than 4 pounds of nitrogen per
thousand square feet in one year. Chinch bugs can be a problem,
causing leaves to rapidly wilt and turn brown. Yellow spots are often
associated with chinch bug activity. As soon as these symptoms appear,
treat with a pesticide immediately. St. Augustine grass is sensitive
to some postemergence herbicides, such as 2,4-D and MSMA. Contact your
local Cooperative Extension Service center for help in determining the
problem and solution if pest damage exists.
Following proper lawn management practices is the best means of
preventing and controlling problems in
St. Augustine
grass.
Characteristics:
-
Dark Green to
Parrot Green in color
-
Exceptional Shade
Tolerance
-
Excellent Drought &
Wear Tolerance
-
Extremely
Cold Tolerant
|
click for larger image |
