#Dethatching St. Augustin
2 messages in this thread
I have a dilemma. Having just moved into the Gulf Coast area, I'm
trying to learn about St. Augustine grass. In trying to determine
if dethatching is helpful (or necessary even) here, I found a
reference in a gardening book for the area that says DON'T thatch
St. A…it cuts the runners. However, the LAWNGR.TXT file says
thatch every 3 years or so. Any comments?? Is the depth of the
verticut the issue?
Thanks!
Bryan, the real issue is why you have thatch in the first place. Thatch is
not part of a healthy St. Augustingrass lawn even though 90% of the
homeowners with St. Aug grass have thatch. The power rakers will hurt the
grass a bit but it should return okay. Another approach is apply a 1/4
inch layer of top soil or peat moss mixed with compost activator. Those
materials will have sufficient decomposers to break down the thatch in a
few months. Thatch on St. Augustine is a function of 1. fertilizing too
much; 2. watering too much and/or 3. mowing too closely. Healthy St.
Augustine roots should go down 12 inches. If they do, then watering every
3,4,or 5 days is all that should be needed. Daily watering or every two
day watering is how you make for thatch production. Use a slow release
form of Nitrogen fertilizer once in the spring and again in the fall —
that's it. St. Augustine should be mowed at 3 inches; not the 1 1/2 to 2
inches most Floridians use. Don't expecty St. Augustine to look as green
as the Kentucky bluegrass you may have had in the north. It is a yellower
green by nature. You can get the lawn to thicken by adding plugs of
Floratan St. Aug sod set at 8 to 10 inches. Spring is a good time to do
that.