How to Water New St. Augustine Sod
St. Augustine grass' lush look and dense growth makes it ideal for your home's lawn, creating the perfect backdrop for flowers and shrubs or a game of backyard football or soccer. This grass species is known for requiring very little water except when its sod is first installed. Practice proper watering of your St. Augustine grass to help it get established, then slowly reduce your waterings and enjoy your grass for years.
Run a sprinkler or water manually by hand at least twice a day, or as needed to keep the soil perpetually moist to the touch to a depth of 1 inch. Start watering at this frequency immediately after laying new St. Augustine sod until the sod has been in place for 1 to 1 1/2 weeks.
Reduce waterings to once a day after the St. Augustine grass has been in place for 1 to 1 1/2 weeks. Apply just 1/2 inch of water at each daily watering session for the next week. Place a plastic container or a tuna can in the middle of the lawn and measure the contents with a ruler after a watering session to determine whether you've applied enough water.
- St. Augustine grass' lush look and dense growth makes it ideal for your home's lawn, creating the perfect backdrop for flowers and shrubs or a game of backyard football or soccer.
- Reduce waterings to once a day after the St. Augustine grass has been in place for 1 to 1 1/2 weeks.
Reduce watering even further once the grass has been in place for 2 to 2 1/2 weeks. Instead of daily waterings, provide1/2 inch of water every two to three days for the next two weeks.
Water as needed once the final two-week period is complete. By now, the grass should be well-established in your soil and should need little watering. St. Augustine grass is very water-thrifty and may only need to be watered once or twice every two weeks. This varies by your climate, so use the lawn's appearance as a guide -- wilting or yellowing may point to a greater water need.
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References
- "The Lawn Bible: How to Keep It Green, Groomed and Growing Every Season of the Year;" David R. Mellor; 2003
- University of California Davis: St. Augustine Grass
Writer Bio
Joshua Duvauchelle is a certified personal trainer and health journalist, relationships expert and gardening specialist. His articles and advice have appeared in dozens of magazines, including exercise workouts in Shape, relationship guides for Alive and lifestyle tips for Lifehacker. In his spare time, he enjoys yoga and urban patio gardening.
