St. Augustine Grass: 17 Cultivars, NTEP Trial Data and Care Rules

Key takeaways

• No St. Augustine grass seed is sold: Texas A&M says seed is not currently available, and UF/IFAS says the grass is established by vegetative propagation only (Texas A&M EHT-144; UF/IFAS LH010).
• Across the 2016 national trial (2017 to 2020 ratings), CitraBlue averaged 6.2, Palmetto 6.1, Raleigh 5.8 and Floratam 5.4 for turf quality on a 1 to 9 scale; gaps of 0.4 or more are significant (NTEP report 21-14).
• Floratam lost 96 percent of its cover to winter kill at Stillwater, Okla., in 2025, against 20 percent for Raleigh, and kept only 30 percent summer cover in the Gainesville, Fla., shade plot (NTEP 2023 test, 2025 data).
• St. Augustinegrass sod averaged 54.25 cents per sq ft at the farm nationally in April to June 2026, the highest weighted average of any grass in the USDA report (USDA AMS).
• Treat chinch bugs only at about 20 to 25 per square foot; populations have developed resistance to pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, organochlorines and organophosphates (UF/IFAS ENY-325).

Key number	Value	Source
Seed available	None; sod, plugs or sprigs only	Texas A&M EHT-144
Mowing height, standard cultivars	3.5 to 4 in (rotary)	UF/IFAS LH010
Mowing height, dwarf cultivars	2 to 2.5 in	UF/IFAS LH010
Minimum daily light	4 to 6 hours	Texas A&M EHT-144
Annual nitrogen, Florida	2 to 4 lb (north), 2 to 5 (central), 4 to 6 (south) per 1,000 sq ft	UF/IFAS EP353
Chinch bug treatment threshold	20 to 25 bugs per sq ft	UF/IFAS ENY-325
Verticut when thatch exceeds	1 in; blades 3 in apart	UF/IFAS LH010
Sod, national farm price	54.25¢ per sq ft (Q2 2026)	USDA AMS
Florida sod acreage, 2024	14,157 acres, more than any other grass	UF/IFAS EP658

What is St. Augustine grass, and where does it grow?

St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a coarse, broad-bladed warm-season turfgrass that spreads by above-ground stolons and grows best at 80°F to 95°F (Texas A&M EHT-144). UF/IFAS calls it the most commonly used lawn grass in Florida, and UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions estimates it covers more than two million acres of Florida lawns (UF/IFAS LH010; UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions).

Its range is the humid South and the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. The NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox lists it as a perennial for USDA hardiness zones 7a to 12b, but Clemson warns it is very susceptible to winter injury west of Columbia, S.C., and has documented winter injury along the northern South Carolina coast (NC State Plant Toolbox; Clemson HGIC 1211). Profiles of the other warm- and cool-season lawn grasses are in our Turf & Trees section.

Florida’s sod farms show how dominant the grass is: 21 producers had 14,157 acres of St. Augustinegrass in production in 2024, more than any other species (UF/IFAS EP658). In North Carolina, by contrast, only six of 21 surveyed sod farms (29 percent) grow it (NC State sod report).

Species	Florida sod acres in production, 2024	Producers growing it	Source
St. Augustinegrass	14,157	21	UF/IFAS EP658
Bahiagrass	12,110	14	UF/IFAS EP658
Zoysiagrass	2,753	16	UF/IFAS EP658
Bermudagrass	2,664	13	UF/IFAS EP658
Centipedegrass	155	3 (all in north Florida)	UF/IFAS EP658

What does St. Augustine grass look like?

St. Augustine grass looks like a thick mat of flat, wide, blunt-tipped blades on long runners, green to blue-green, with a coarse texture. In the 2016 national trial, Floratam rated 3.0 and Palmetto 4.9 for leaf texture on a 1 to 9 scale where 9 is very fine (NTEP report 21-14, Table 14). Clemson compares its broad, flat stems to centipedegrass.

Unlike bermudagrass and zoysiagrass, it produces no rhizomes (below-ground stems), so Texas A&M warns that heavy above-ground injury from scalping hurts it more than it hurts those grasses (Texas A&M EHT-144). Floratam has visibly reddish stolons, and CitraBlue has a blue-green color that UF/IFAS says is easy to tell from other cultivars (Clemson HGIC 1211; UF/IFAS LH010).

What are the downsides of St. Augustine grass?

The downsides of St. Augustine grass are poor wear tolerance, no seed, a short list of herbicides for grassy weeds, cold injury outside the coastal South and one dominant pest, the southern chinch bug. UF/IFAS lists all of these, plus thatch under heavy fertilizer and water, and three diseases: gray leaf spot, large patch and take-all root rot (UF/IFAS LH010).

• Traffic: UF/IFAS says it does not hold up to repeated foot or vehicle traffic (UF/IFAS LH010).
• Water: Texas A&M says current cultivars are less drought tolerant than bermudagrass or buffalograss and may need more irrigation (Texas A&M EHT-144).
• Weeds: Clemson says postemergent control of grassy weeds is limited, so control relies largely on preemergents (Clemson HGIC 1211).
• Maintenance: Clemson calls it a high-maintenance turfgrass, fertilized monthly on sandy soils and every 6 weeks on clay during the growing season (Clemson HGIC 1211).

Which types of St. Augustine grass can you buy?

More than a dozen St. Augustine grass cultivars are sold as sod or plugs, split by UF/IFAS into standard types mowed at 3.5 to 4 inches and dwarf types mowed at 2 to 2.5 inches (UF/IFAS LH010). Floratam is the most widely produced in Florida. The table below compiles 17 cultivars from university release notes and extension ratings, with the source for each row.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Cultivar	Type and texture	Origin or release	Mowing height	Cold tolerance	Shade tolerance	Chinch bug resistance	What sets it apart	Source
Floratam	Standard, coarse	UF and Texas A&M, 1973	3.5 to 4 in	Poor	Fair; needs 6+ hours of sun	Lost its original resistance	Most widely used in Florida; injured by atrazine above 85°F	UF/IFAS; Texas A&M
Raleigh	Standard, coarse	NC State, 1980	3 to 4 in	Very good	Good; 5 to 6 hours of sun	Poor	Cold-hardy pick for north Florida and the Carolinas; highly susceptible to gray leaf spot (UF)	UF/IFAS; Texas A&M
Palmetto	Semi-dwarf, medium	Found by a Florida grower in 1988; released mid-1990s	3 to 4 in	UF: very good; Clemson: fair	UF: very good; Clemson: fair; about 5 hours of sun (Texas A&M)	UF: very good; Clemson: slight	Lighter green; UF says research shows no extra drought tolerance	UF/IFAS; Clemson; Texas A&M
CitraBlue (FSA 1602)	Standard, coarse, prostrate	University of Florida; on the market since 2018	2 to 3 in	Fair	Very good	Slight	Blue-green; best NTEP 2016 quality and gray leaf spot scores; thatch-prone	UF/IFAS; NTEP; UF Innovate
Bitterblue	Standard; relatively fine for St. Augustine (UF text)	Selected in the 1930s	3.5 to 4 in	Good	Good	Slight	Dark blue-green; Clemson says intolerant of some St. Augustine herbicides	UF/IFAS; Clemson
Classic	Standard, medium	Woerner Turf, early 2000s (proprietary)	3.5 to 4 in	Good	UF table: very good, but UF says shade tolerance is not verified by research	Unknown	Dark green	UF/IFAS
ProVista	Standard, coarse	Based on Floratam genetics	Not listed	Fair	Very good	Unknown	First glyphosate-tolerant turf on the market; slower growth than Floratam	UF/IFAS
Seville	Dwarf, fine	Not listed	2 to 2.5 in	Fair	Very good	Unknown (UF); susceptible to chinch bugs and webworms	Thatch-prone; cold sensitive; shallow-rooted (Clemson)	UF/IFAS; Clemson
Captiva	Dwarf, fine	Florida Agricultural Experiment Station	2 to 3 in	Good	Good	Resistant; the only resistant commercial cultivar, per UF ENY-325	Slow-growing; limited availability	Clemson; UF ENY-325
Delmar	Dwarf (Texas A&M) or semi-dwarf (Clemson)	Not listed	2 to 3 in	Good	Good	Poor	Susceptible to sod webworms and large patch	Clemson; Texas A&M
Sapphire	Dwarf	Not listed	2 to 3 in	Fair	Fair	Poor	Folded blade gives a fine-textured look	Clemson
Jade	Semi-dwarf	Not listed	2 to 3 in	Good	Good	Poor	Cold sensitive (Clemson text) despite a good cold rating in Clemson’s table	Clemson
Mercedes	Standard, fine	Not listed	3 to 4 in	Good	Good	Poor	Finer leaf than other standard types	Clemson
Amerishade	Semi-dwarf, medium	Not listed	Not listed	Not listed	Most shade-tolerant on the market, per Texas A&M	Not listed	Highly susceptible to disease	Texas A&M
Texas Common	Standard	Grown in Texas since the 1920s	Not listed	Not listed	Not listed	Highly susceptible (Texas A&M E-420)	Natural variation across Texas	Texas A&M; Texas A&M E-420
Cobalt	Hybrid, wide blade	Texas A&M AgriLife (embryo rescue)	Not listed	Better than Floratam (breeder)	Better than Floratam (breeder)	Not listed	Top 2025 NTEP quality (6.4) and shade cover (96%)	Texas A&M Dallas; NTEP
Sola (XSA 11377)	Standard	NC State, August 2022	Not listed	Comparable to Raleigh	Improved over Raleigh (breeder)	Better than Raleigh (breeder)	Licensed through Sod Solutions	NC State

The extension record disagrees on Palmetto. UF/IFAS rates its cold tolerance, shade tolerance and chinch bug resistance all “very good,” while Clemson rates the same three “fair,” “fair” and “slight” (UF/IFAS LH010; Clemson HGIC 1211). The 2025 NTEP shade plot sits between them: Palmetto kept 83.3 percent summer cover, behind Cobalt at 96.0 percent (NTEP 2023 test).

Which is better, Palmetto or Floratam?

Palmetto is better than Floratam where a lawn gets cold winters or afternoon shade; Floratam is the established choice for full sun in central and south Florida. In the 2016 national trial Palmetto averaged 6.1 for turf quality against 5.4 for Floratam, and in 2025 Floratam lost 96.0 percent of its Oklahoma plot to winter kill against 42.7 percent for Palmetto (NTEP 21-14; NTEP 2023 test).

Floratam’s case rests on heat and sun. Texas A&M credits it with good resistance to large patch and drought, and in the College Station drought plot (2017 to 2020) Floratam rated 5.4 for wilting against 4.6 for Palmetto on a 1 to 9 scale (Texas A&M EHT-144; NTEP Table 11). It needs at least 6 hours of direct sun.

What is the difference between Raleigh and Palmetto St. Augustine?

Raleigh is the more cold-hardy of the two; Palmetto is finer, lighter green and holds more shade cover. In 2025, Raleigh lost 20.0 percent of its Stillwater, Okla., plot to winter kill against 42.7 percent for Palmetto, while Palmetto kept 83.3 percent summer cover in the Gainesville shade plot against 70.0 percent for Raleigh (NTEP 2023 test, 2025 data).

How did St. Augustine cultivars score in national trials?

In the 2016 National St. Augustinegrass Test, rated 2017 to 2020 at 10 sites from Florida to Texas and North Carolina, CitraBlue posted the highest quality mean of the four commercial entries at 6.2, followed by Palmetto 6.1, Raleigh 5.8 and Floratam 5.4 on a 1 to 9 scale (NTEP report 21-14). NTEP calls 6 or above generally acceptable; a gap of 0.4 or more is significant.

1. CitraBlue6.20
2. Palmetto6.10
3. Raleigh5.80
4. Floratam5.40

Source: NTEP 2016 National St. Augustinegrass Test, final report 21-14, Appendix Table Differences of 0.4 or more are statistically significant (LSD 0.05). Experimental entries omitted.

Show the numbers

	Mean turf quality (1 to 9, 9 = ideal)
CitraBlue	6.20
Palmetto	6.10
Raleigh	5.80
Floratam	5.40

Rating (1 to 9, 9 = best unless noted)	CitraBlue	Palmetto	Raleigh	Floratam	LSD (0.05)	Source
Turf quality, all sites, 2017 to 2020	6.2	6.1	5.8	5.4	0.4	NTEP Appendix
Quality, low fertilizer, Ft. Lauderdale, 2018 to 2020	8.0	6.8	6.2	6.4	0.5	NTEP Table 10
Quality, drought, College Station, Texas	5.6	6.2	5.7	6.0	0.6	NTEP Table 11
Genetic color (9 = dark green)	7.6	6.2	6.1	6.3	0.6	NTEP Table 12
Spring green-up	4.1	4.9	4.7	3.6	0.5	NTEP Table 13
Leaf texture (9 = very fine)	3.2	4.9	4.4	3.0	0.6	NTEP Table 14
Spring living ground cover, % (after winter)	54.0	77.9	78.6	43.5	11.7	NTEP Table 18
Winter kill, %, Dallas, 2018 to 2019 (lower is better)	43.3	25.8	32.5	69.2	21.9	NTEP Table 22
Gray leaf spot (9 = none)	8.3	6.9	6.1	6.6	1.8	NTEP Table 26
Seedheads (9 = none)	7.2	5.2	5.1	7.6	1.1	NTEP Table 31

Read the cold rows together. CitraBlue led on quality, color and disease but kept only 54.0 percent spring cover across four sites, and at Raleigh, N.C., it held 60.0 percent against 89.8 percent for Raleigh and 25.0 percent for Floratam (NTEP Table 18). That fits UF/IFAS rating CitraBlue’s cold tolerance only “fair.”

What did the 2023 national trial add?

The 2023 National St. Augustinegrass Test added Cobalt from Texas A&M as a standard entry, and its first full-year report (2025 data) put Cobalt at a 6.4 quality mean, Palmetto 6.3, Raleigh 6.1 and Floratam 5.7, with 0.3 points needed for significance (NTEP 2023 test, 2025 data). CitraBlue is not in this trial. The shade and winter-kill plots separated the cultivars most.

Rating, 2025 data (1 to 9 unless noted)	Cobalt	Palmetto	Raleigh	Floratam	LSD (0.05)	Source
Turf quality, all sites	6.4	6.3	6.1	5.7	0.3	NTEP Appendix
Shade quality, Gainesville, Fla.	5.7	4.7	4.3	2.3	0.9	NTEP Table 5
Summer cover in shade, %, Gainesville	96.0	83.3	70.0	30.0	16.1	NTEP Table 5
Winter kill, %, Stillwater, Okla. (lower is better)	85.0	42.7	20.0	96.0	18.2	NTEP Table 15
Spring living ground cover, %, six sites	75.2	77.4	82.5	60.2	7.8	NTEP Table 12
Quality under drought, Dallas	7.2	4.7	3.8	5.5	2.6	NTEP Table 4
Gray leaf spot, Raleigh, N.C. (9 = none)	8.9	7.8	8.6	7.7	0.8	NTEP Table 24
Take-all root rot, %, College Station, Texas	33.3	46.7	33.3	36.7	27.9	NTEP Table 23

1. Cobalt96
2. Palmetto83.30
3. Raleigh70
4. Floratam30

Source: NTEP 2023 National St. Augustinegrass Test, 2025 progress report, Table 5 Differences of 16.1 points or more are significant (LSD 0.05).

Show the numbers

	Summer living ground cover in shade (%)
Cobalt	96
Palmetto	83.30
Raleigh	70
Floratam	30

Shade is where the gap is widest. In the Gainesville shade plot, Floratam kept 30.0 percent summer cover and a 2.3 quality mean, the same weakness UF/IFAS describes when it says Floratam does not persist with less than 6 hours of sunlight (UF/IFAS LH010). Cobalt’s 85.0 percent winter kill in Oklahoma shows its shade advantage does not extend to cold.

1. Floratam96
2. Cobalt85
3. Palmetto42.70
4. Raleigh20

Source: NTEP 2023 National St. Augustinegrass Test, 2025 progress report, Table 15 Differences of 18.2 points or more are significant (LSD 0.05).

Show the numbers

	Percent winter kill (lower is better)
Floratam	96
Cobalt	85
Palmetto	42.70
Raleigh	20

Can you grow St. Augustine grass from seed?

No. St. Augustine grass seed is not sold for lawns: Texas A&M says “seed is not currently available,” and UF/IFAS says the grass is established by vegetative propagation only, meaning sod, plugs or sprigs (Texas A&M EHT-144; UF/IFAS LH010). Every St. Augustine lawn starts from living runners.

Wikipedia, the top organic result for the head term, says “only recently has commercially valuable and viable seed for St. Augustine become available” (Wikipedia). Neither land-grant source above supports that; Texas A&M’s EHT-144, posted to its site in July 2026, still lists seed as unavailable. If you want a seeded warm-season lawn, UF/IFAS lists common bermudagrass and Zoysia japonica cultivars such as Zenith, and our grass seed cost guide prices them.

Method	Rate or spacing	Watering until rooted	Notes	Source
Solid sod	100% of the area; staggered, brick-like seams over bare, moist soil	5 to 10 minute cycles several times a day for 7 to 10 days, then daily 1/4 to 1/2 in for 7 to 10 days, then 2 to 3 times a week	Fully established 3 to 4 weeks after sodding; no mowing until it pegs down, generally 14 to 21 days	UF/IFAS LH010
Plugs	6 to 24 in apart (UF); 12 to 24 in centers for bare areas (NC State)	Keep continuously moist until runners form	Closer spacing covers faster and leaves less room for weeds	UF/IFAS; NC State AG-540
Sprigs	Furrows 6 to 12 in apart; 1 bushel per 1,000 sq ft (UF) or 1.5 bushels (NC State)	Keep soil moist until shoots and roots grow	1 sq yd of sod pulled apart equals 1 bushel of sprigs (NC State)	UF/IFAS; NC State AG-540
Seed	Not available	Not applicable	Seed is not currently available	Texas A&M EHT-144

How to plant St. Augustine plugs

Plugging is the cheapest route to a St. Augustine lawn only if the plugs are cut from sod or spaced wide, and the spacing you choose sets both the plug count and the wait. The steps below combine UF/IFAS, NC State and Texas A&M instructions; plug counts come from geometry (144 square inches in a square foot divided by the spacing squared).

1. Plant in late spring or early summer while the grass is actively growing (Texas A&M), in May or once daytime temperatures stay above 60°F in North Carolina (NC State), and avoid cold winters and hot, dry summers in central and north Florida (UF/IFAS LH010).
2. Test the soil first; UF/IFAS asks for pH and salinity before planting, and Texas A&M warns that alkaline soils above pH 7.5 cause iron chlorosis (Texas A&M EHT-144).
3. Kill or remove existing weeds and grass in the area, because open gaps between plugs are where weeds establish.
4. Set plugs on 12-inch centers (1,000 per 1,000 sq ft), 18-inch centers (444) or 24-inch centers (250) in holes the same size as the plug, and tamp them in (UF/IFAS).
5. Water thoroughly at planting, then keep the area continuously moist with light, frequent watering until runners develop (UF/IFAS).
6. Wait 30 to 60 days after planting before the first fertilizer, because new roots cannot take it up and nutrients can leach (UF/IFAS).
7. Shift to 1/2 to 3/4 inch per watering, applied only when blades fold or footprints stay visible, once the runners have knitted (UF/IFAS).

How fast plugs close depends on spacing and season. In NTEP’s 2017 establishment plots at Auburn, Ala., the four commercial cultivars went from 2.7 to 5.3 percent cover on July 2 to 68.3 to 71.7 percent by Oct. 15, with no significant differences among them (NTEP Table 36).

• CitraBlue
• Raleigh
• Floratam
• Palmetto

Source: NTEP 2016 National St. Augustinegrass Test, final report 21-14, Table 36 No significant differences on Oct. 15 (LSD 22.6).

Show the numbers

	CitraBlue	Raleigh	Floratam	Palmetto
July 2	5.30	3.70	4.30	2.70
Aug. 2	11.70	10	9.30	9.30
Aug. 18	21.70	21.70	18.30	20
Sept. 15	55	55	51.70	50
Oct. 15	68.30	71.70	68.30	68.30

How much does St. Augustine sod or plugs cost?

St. Augustinegrass sod sold at a national weighted average of 54.25 cents per sq ft at the farm in the second quarter of 2026, in a 52 to 85 cent range, before delivery of $0.05 to $0.12 a sq ft (USDA AMS). Florida farms averaged 29 to 33 cents in 2024, and Florida retail pallets ran 51 to 65 cents a sq ft in October 2026.

Source and product	Price as published	Per sq ft	Date	Source
USDA national farm price, St. Augustinegrass	52 to 85¢ range; 54.25¢ weighted average	$0.54	Apr. to Jun. 2026	USDA AMS
North Carolina farms, on-farm	$0.53 to $0.65; average $0.60	$0.60	2026 survey	NC State
North Carolina farms, delivered	$0.57 to $0.74; average $0.64	$0.64	2026 survey	NC State
Florida farms, licensed cultivars	$0.31 to $0.35 by region; state average $0.33	$0.33	2024 prices	UF/IFAS EP658
Florida farms, non-licensed cultivars	$0.26 to $0.30 by region; state average $0.29	$0.29	2024 prices	UF/IFAS EP658
Floratam pallet, Pasco County, Fla.	$309.95 for about 500 sq ft, plus $12 pallet deposit	$0.62	Oct. 19, 2026	Gladiator Sod
Palmetto or Bitter Blue pallet, Pasco County	$324.95 for about 500 sq ft	$0.65	Oct. 19, 2026	Gladiator Sod
Floratam single piece, Pasco County	$2.75 per 24 by 16.5 in piece (2.75 sq ft)	$1.00	Oct. 19, 2026	Gladiator Sod
Palmetto pallet, Tampa Bay area	$254.99 for 500 sq ft; $151.99 for 200 sq ft	$0.51 to $0.76	Oct. 19, 2026	Tampa Bay Sod
Palmetto plugs, 72-count tray	$64.99 per tray	$0.90 per plug	Oct. 19, 2026	Sod Solutions
Palmetto plugs, 64 pack	$109.98 (16 pack $44.98; 32 pack $59.98)	$1.72 per plug	Oct. 19, 2026	SodPods

1. Florida farms, non-licensed (2024)0.29
2. Florida farms, licensed (2024)0.33
3. Tampa Bay Palmetto pallet (Oct. 2026)0.51
4. USDA national farm average (Q2 2026)0.54
5. NC farms, on-farm (2026)0.60
6. Pasco County Floratam pallet (Oct. 2026)0.62
7. NC farms, delivered (2026)0.64

Source: UF/IFAS EP658; Tampa Bay Sod; USDA AMS National Quarterly Sod Report; NC State sod report; Gladiator Sod Sod only; delivery adds $0.05 to $0.12 per sq ft in the USDA report.

Show the numbers

	Dollars per sq ft
Florida farms, non-licensed (2024)	0.29
Florida farms, licensed (2024)	0.33
Tampa Bay Palmetto pallet (Oct. 2026)	0.51
USDA national farm average (Q2 2026)	0.54
NC farms, on-farm (2026)	0.60
Pasco County Floratam pallet (Oct. 2026)	0.62
NC farms, delivered (2026)	0.64

St. Augustine is the priciest sod in the USDA report: its 54.25 cent average sits above zoysiagrass at 52.32 cents, tall fescue at 50.03 cents and bermudagrass at 38.04 cents (USDA AMS). Supply is part of it. In North Carolina, 66 percent of St. Augustinegrass growers expected shortages in 2026, against 34 percent who reported adequate to excellent inventory (NC State).

The worked table below prices 1,000 sq ft of material by method. It uses the USDA farm price for sod, posted October 2026 prices for plug trays, and assumes home-cut plugs are 2-inch squares. Labor and delivery are excluded; our sod installation cost guide covers installed prices.

Method, per 1,000 sq ft	Material needed	Arithmetic	Material cost	Cost for 5,000 sq ft
Solid sod, farm price	1,000 sq ft	1,000 × $0.5425	$542.50	$2,713
Solid sod, retail Floratam pallets	2 pallets of about 500 sq ft	2 × $309.95 (+ $24 deposits)	$619.90	$3,100
Tray plugs, 12 in centers	1,000 plugs = 14 trays of 72	14 × $64.99	$909.86	$4,549 (70 trays)
Tray plugs, 18 in centers	444 plugs = 7 trays	7 × $64.99	$454.93	$2,015 (31 trays)
Tray plugs, 24 in centers	250 plugs = 4 trays	4 × $64.99	$259.96	$1,170 (18 trays)
Home-cut 2 in plugs, 12 in centers	1,000 plugs = 27.8 sq ft of sod	1,000 × 4 sq in ÷ 144 × $0.5425	$15.07	$75
Sprigs	1 to 1.5 bushels = 9 to 13.5 sq ft of sod	9 to 13.5 × $0.5425	$4.88 to $7.32	$24 to $37

The surprise is the tray plugs. At 12-inch centers, store-bought trays cost $909.86 per 1,000 sq ft, about $367 more than solid sod at the farm price, so trays only save money at 18-inch spacing or wider. Cutting plugs from a pallet of sod is the cheap route, at about $15 of sod per 1,000 sq ft. Our sod vs seed comparison runs the same trade-off for seeded grasses.

How do you mow, water and fertilize St. Augustine grass?

Mow standard St. Augustine grass at 3.5 to 4 inches with a sharp rotary blade, water 1/2 to 3/4 inch only when blades fold or turn blue-gray, and feed 2 to 6 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft a year depending on region (UF/IFAS LH010; UF/IFAS EP353). Too much water and nitrogen are the habits UF/IFAS ties to thatch, large patch and gray leaf spot.

How tall should you mow St. Augustine grass?

Mow standard St. Augustine cultivars such as Floratam, Bitterblue and Classic at 3.5 to 4 inches and dwarf types such as Seville at 2 to 2.5 inches, removing no more than one-third of the blade per cut (UF/IFAS LH010). Texas A&M gives 2 to 4 inches overall and tells homeowners to use the mower’s highest setting or one notch below (Texas A&M EHT-144).

Cultivar or group	Recommended height	Note	Source
Standard (Floratam, Bitterblue, Classic)	3.5 to 4 in	Raise it in shade or drought	UF/IFAS LH010
Palmetto, Raleigh	3 to 4 in	UF/IFAS Table 1	UF/IFAS LH010
CitraBlue	2 to 3 in	Prostrate growth allows a lower cut; watch thatch	UF/IFAS LH010
Seville and other dwarf types	2 to 2.5 in	Clemson lists Captiva, Delmar, Jade, Sapphire and Seville at 2 to 3 in	UF/IFAS; Clemson
Floratam under a robotic mower	2.4 in year-round	UF research found no negative effects with constant small cuts	UF/IFAS LH010
All St. Augustine, Texas	2 to 4 in	Highest setting or one below	Texas A&M EHT-144
All St. Augustine, North Carolina	2.5 to 4 in	Mow to 2.5 in before green-up with a newly sharpened blade	NC State AG-540

Sharpen the blade monthly during the growing season, because a dull blade shreds the wide leaves and gives the lawn a brownish cast (UF/IFAS LH010). Texas A&M advises against spring scalping to clear thatch, since St. Augustine has no rhizomes to recover from.

How often should you water St. Augustine grass?

Water an established St. Augustine lawn when leaf blades fold, wilt or turn blue-gray, or when footprints stay visible, and apply 1/2 to 3/4 inch each time to wet the top 8 inches of soil (UF/IFAS LH010). Texas A&M says one or two waterings a week is usually enough in warm months, between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. (Texas A&M EHT-144).

NC State puts actively growing St. Augustinegrass at about 1 inch a week from rain or irrigation, or 1/2 inch every third day on sandy soil (NC State AG-540). To set run times, place straight-sided cans in each zone and time how long they take to fill to 1/2 or 3/4 inch. Our guide to the best time to water a lawn covers timing and local restrictions.

UF/IFAS lists St. Augustinegrass with bermudagrass and bahiagrass as the deeper-rooted grasses for deep sands; our page on growing grass in sand has the watering and feeding numbers.

What is the best fertilizer for St. Augustine grass?

The best fertilizer for St. Augustine grass is the one a soil test calls for. Without a test, NC State recommends a turf-grade fertilizer in a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio, such as 12-4-8 or 16-4-8, starting at 1/2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in May or two weeks after green-up (NC State AG-540).

Source and region	Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per year	Timing or per-application rule
UF/IFAS, north Florida (north of Ocala)	2 to 4 lb	First feeding mid-April (UF/IFAS LH010)
UF/IFAS, central Florida	2 to 5 lb	First feeding early April (UF/IFAS LH010)
UF/IFAS, south Florida	4 to 6 lb	Year-round growth; feedings in any month
Florida Urban Turf Fertilizer Rule (5E-1.003)	Not an annual cap	No more than 0.7 lb soluble N per application; up to 2 lb with 65%+ controlled-release N in spring or summer
Texas A&M, Texas	1 to 4 lb	Start after the lawn has been mowed twice; last feeding 4 to 6 weeks before first frost; quick-release N at 1 lb or less per application
Texas A&M E-420, chinch-prone lawns	No more than 3 to 4 lb in sun; 2 lb in shade	Slow-release sources lower the risk of overfeeding
NC State, North Carolina	2.5 to 3 lb (calendar sum); never above 4 lb	1/2 lb in May, June and August, 1 lb in July, 1/2 lb or less in September
Clemson, South Carolina	Per HGIC 1201	Monthly on sandy soil; every 6 weeks on clay

Bag math turns those rates into pounds of product. NC State’s shortcut: divide 100 by the first number on the bag for 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft, or 50 by the first number for 1/2 lb (NC State AG-540). The worked rows below use that formula and the Florida limits.

Bag analysis	Target per 1,000 sq ft	Formula	Product per 1,000 sq ft	Product for 5,000 sq ft
16-4-8	1/2 lb nitrogen	50 ÷ 16	3.1 lb	15.6 lb
16-4-8	1 lb nitrogen (NC State July rate)	100 ÷ 16	6.25 lb	31.3 lb
16-4-8, all soluble N	0.7 lb nitrogen (Florida soluble cap)	70 ÷ 16	4.4 lb	21.9 lb
15-0-15, 65%+ controlled-release N	2 lb nitrogen (Florida maximum, spring or summer)	200 ÷ 15	13.3 lb	66.7 lb
10-10-10	1/2 lb nitrogen	50 ÷ 10	5 lb (also 0.5 lb phosphate)	25 lb
Ferrous sulfate spray	Iron for yellowing on high-pH soil	2 oz in 5 gal of water per 1,000 sq ft	2 oz	10 oz in 25 gal

The 10-10-10 row shows why balanced garden fertilizers are a poor fit in Florida. At 1/2 lb of nitrogen it delivers 0.5 lb of phosphate per 1,000 sq ft, double the 0.25 lb per-application limit the Florida rule sets unless a soil test shows phosphorus deficiency (UF/IFAS EP353). Iron greens a yellow lawn, but UF/IFAS stresses it does not replace nitrogen.

If a fed lawn still looks pale, our guide to why grass turns yellow explains the spring chlorosis UF/IFAS links to nitrogen on St. Augustine and how to test for it.

When should you dethatch St. Augustine grass?

Dethatch St. Augustine grass when the thatch layer exceeds 1 inch, by verticutting with blades spaced 3 inches apart between early spring and midsummer while the grass is actively growing (UF/IFAS LH010). UF/IFAS follows with 1/2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft a week later. NC State plans dethatching when thatch reaches 3/4 inch, and Texas A&M flags problems above 1/2 inch.

Cut in two directions only, east to west or north to south, not all four, then rake or vacuum the debris and irrigate right away (UF/IFAS LH010). Our dethatching cost guide prices the job if you hire it out. Do not overseed St. Augustine with ryegrass for winter color; our overseeding guide explains why Clemson advises against it.

Check the rental reel first, because many are tighter than 3 inches; our dethatching how-to lists reel specs by machine.

What pests and diseases attack St. Augustine grass?

The southern chinch bug (Blissus insularis) is the most damaging insect pest of St. Augustinegrass in the United States, and gray leaf spot, large patch and take-all root rot are its main diseases (UF/IFAS ENY-325; Texas A&M EHT-144). Most outbreaks trace to stress: heavy nitrogen, overwatering, low mowing and thick thatch.

Problem	When and where	What to look for	Action threshold or control	Source
Southern chinch bug	Hot, dry weather; sunny spots by sidewalks and drives; 3 to 4 generations a year in north Florida, 7 to 10 in south Florida	Yellow patches that turn brown and spread outward; mistaken for drought	20 to 25 bugs per sq ft; check with a can flotation test (bugs float within 5 minutes)	UF ENY-325; UF LH010
Large patch (Rhizoctonia solani)	Spring and fall; cool, wet weather	Circular patches with yellow to orange borders; shoots pull easily from the sheath	Preventive fungicide when soil cools to 80°F, monthly until below 60°F (NC State); 50°F to 70°F soil (Texas A&M)	NC State; Texas A&M
Gray leaf spot (Pyricularia grisea)	Summer rainy season; lush new growth after heavy N	Tan or gray oblong lesions with purple to brown margins	Bag clippings; fungicides generally not needed in home lawns (Texas A&M)	UF; Texas A&M
Take-all root rot	Spring and early summer green-up; alkaline soil above pH 7	Brown irregular patches 1 to 20 ft across; short, black, rotten roots	Drainage, deep and infrequent watering, acidifying amendments	Texas A&M EHT-144
White grubs	Adults emerge late May (South Texas) to July (North Texas)	Dead patches that lift like carpet; animals digging	5 to 10 grubs per sq ft; preventive treatment in June (South) or July (North Texas)	Texas A&M EHT-144
Mole crickets	Florida lawns	Tunnels and soft mounds	Flush test: 1.5 oz liquid soap in 2 gal water over 2 sq ft	UF/IFAS LH010
Nematodes	Population peaks late April to early May and late August to early September	Thin stand, weak roots, slow recovery after rain	Lab assay; raise mowing height, water deeply, keep potassium up	UF/IFAS LH010

How do you get rid of chinch bugs in St. Augustine grass?

Confirm chinch bugs before spraying, then treat only when counts reach 20 to 25 per square foot, which UF/IFAS says is enough to warrant an insecticide; about one-third of St. Augustine lawns carry some chinch bugs below that level (UF/IFAS ENY-325). Texas A&M uses 25 per square foot (Texas A&M EHT-144).

1. Scout weekly in spring, summer and fall where turf is off-color in direct sun, along sidewalks and driveways (Texas A&M E-420).
2. Push a 6-inch can with both ends removed 2 inches into the soil at the edge of the damage, fill it with water and count the bugs that float (Texas A&M EHT-144).
3. Spot-treat the off-color turf and the surrounding infested area, then re-inspect every 3 to 5 days for at least 2 weeks (Texas A&M E-420).
4. Rotate insecticides by IRAC mode-of-action group, because Florida populations have developed resistance to pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, organochlorines and organophosphates (UF/IFAS ENY-325).
5. Cut the causes: thatch, drought stress and excess nitrogen. Texas A&M caps chinch-prone sunny lawns at 3 to 4 lb of nitrogen a year.

Resistant grass has not solved the problem for long. Floratam was released in 1973 as chinch bug resistant, and UF/IFAS says Florida populations overcame that resistance within 15 years (UF/IFAS ENY-325); UF’s species profile puts it at twelve (UF/IFAS IN383). UF/IFAS names Captiva as the only commercially available resistant cultivar.

What weed killer is safe for St. Augustine grass?

Use only herbicides whose label lists St. Augustinegrass. UF/IFAS names atrazine as a postemergence option and pendimethalin, benefin, bensulide or atrazine as preemergents, applied by Feb. 1 in south Florida, Feb. 15 in central Florida and March 1 in north Florida for crabgrass (UF/IFAS LH010). Do not spray atrazine above 85°F or on drought-stressed turf; Floratam is injured by atrazine above 85°F.

When bermuda invades a St. Augustine lawn, the selective bermuda grass killer program is narrow and label-specific.

For nutsedge in St. Augustine, UGA Bulletin 978 rates halosulfuron tolerant and sulfentrazone sensitive; our nutsedge control guide compares 11 sedge herbicide labels by lawn grass.

Clemson adds that broadleaf products are limited by summer heat above 90°F and by turf sensitivity during spring green-up (Clemson HGIC 1211). UF/IFAS advises weed-and-feed only where weeds cover the whole lawn, because the herbicide can reach the roots of nearby landscape plants. ProVista is the exception to the grassy-weed problem: it tolerates glyphosate. Our crabgrass guide covers preemergent timing in other regions.

This page is general information, not pesticide advice. The product label is the law: confirm the label lists St. Augustinegrass and your state’s rules before applying any herbicide or insecticide, and check whether your state requires a license for anyone you hire to apply it.

What do popular St. Augustine guides get wrong?

Three claims in widely read St. Augustine guides conflict with land-grant sources: that seed is now available, that the grass can be mowed at 1 to 3 inches, and that it spreads by rhizomes. Extension publications also disagree with each other on the chinch bug threshold’s unit and on which chinch bug species attacks St. Augustine. The table sets each claim beside the primary source.

Topic	What the guide says	What the primary source says	Source
Seed	“Only recently has commercially valuable and viable seed for St. Augustine become available” (Wikipedia)	“Currently, seed is not available”; established by sod, sprigs and plugs	Texas A&M EHT-144; UF/IFAS LH010
Mowing height	Maintain “between 1” and 3”” (Sunday)	3.5 to 4 in for standard cultivars; 2 to 2.5 in for dwarf types; mowing lower discourages deep rooting and invites scalping	UF/IFAS LH010
Growth habit	“Spreads by rhizomes and, if used as lawn grass, will rarely need mowing” (NC State Plant Toolbox)	Does not produce rhizomes; typically needs weekly mowing in the growing season	Texas A&M EHT-144; UF/IFAS LH010
Chinch bug threshold	Treat at “20 or more chinch bugs per 1,000 square feet” (NC State AG-540)	20 to 25 per square foot (UF/IFAS); 25 per square foot (Texas A&M)	UF/IFAS ENY-325; Texas A&M EHT-144
Chinch bug species	Lists the pest as Blissus leucopterus (Texas A&M EHT-144)	The St. Augustine pest is the southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis; B. leucopterus leucopterus is the common chinch bug of grain crops	Texas A&M E-420; UF/IFAS ENY-325

The threshold row matters most in practice. A count of 20 bugs per 1,000 sq ft is roughly 0.02 per square foot, a level UF/IFAS would not treat; spraying at that density adds insecticide exposure that speeds the resistance UF/IFAS documents (UF/IFAS ENY-325).

St. Augustine vs bermuda vs zoysia: which fits your yard?

St. Augustine grass beats bermudagrass and zoysiagrass in shade and loses to both on wear and on seed availability. UF/IFAS rates bermudagrass’s wear tolerance excellent and its shade tolerance poor (UF/IFAS LH007), and calls St. Augustine’s wear tolerance poor (UF/IFAS LH010). The table compares the three on numbers from the same sources.

For the head-to-head by yard conditions, see our St. Augustine vs bermuda grass comparison, which covers shade hours, water use and winter kill.

Factor	St. Augustinegrass	Bermudagrass	Zoysiagrass	Source
Sod, national farm price, Q2 2026	54.25¢ per sq ft	38.04¢	52.32¢	USDA AMS
Nitrogen, north Florida (lb per 1,000 sq ft per year)	2 to 4	3 to 5	2 to 3	UF/IFAS EP353
Nitrogen, south Florida	4 to 6	5 to 7	2.5 to 4.5	UF/IFAS EP353
Seed available	No	Common bermudagrass only	Zoysia japonica only (for example Zenith)	Texas A&M; UF/IFAS LH007; UF/IFAS LH011
Spreads by	Stolons only	Stolons and rhizomes	Stolons and rhizomes	Texas A&M EHT-144; UF/IFAS LH007
Shade	Most shade-tolerant warm-season grass; 4 to 6 hours of light minimum	Poor	Good	Texas A&M; UF/IFAS LH007; UF/IFAS LH011
Wear or traffic	Poor	Excellent	Good	UF/IFAS LH010; UF/IFAS LH007; UF/IFAS LH011

Pick St. Augustine for a lawn with 4 to 6 hours of sun and light traffic in the coastal South, bermudagrass for full sun and heavy use, and zoysia for a denser, lower-cut lawn that tolerates some shade and traffic. Our guides to bermuda grass and zoysia grass cover each in depth.

Is St. Augustine grass right for your lawn?

St. Augustine grass suits a lawn in the coastal South that gets 4 to 6 or more hours of direct light, sees light foot traffic and has an owner willing to irrigate, scout for chinch bugs and buy sod or plugs (Texas A&M EHT-144). It is a poor fit for deep shade, play areas, Oklahoma-style winters with cold-sensitive Floratam, or anyone who wants to seed.

If your situation is	Do this	Why (source)
Under 4 hours of direct light a day	Use mulch or shade plantings instead of turf	Texas A&M sets 4 to 6 hours as the minimum to survive (Texas A&M)
Partial tree shade, 4 to 6 hours	Choose Cobalt or Palmetto, or a dwarf such as Seville; skip Floratam	Summer cover in NTEP shade: Cobalt 96.0%, Palmetto 83.3%, Floratam 30.0% (NTEP 2025)
Cold winters (north of Columbia, S.C., Oklahoma, north Texas)	Choose Raleigh or Sola	Winter kill at Stillwater: Raleigh 20.0%, Floratam 96.0% (NTEP 2025); Sola matches Raleigh’s cold hardiness (NC State)
Central or south Florida, full sun	Floratam or CitraBlue	CitraBlue led 2016 NTEP quality (6.2) and gray leaf spot (8.3); Floratam is Florida’s most-used cultivar (NTEP; UF/IFAS)
Repeated chinch bug damage	Consider Captiva; scout before every spray	Only commercially available resistant cultivar; treat at 20 to 25 bugs per sq ft (UF/IFAS ENY-325)
Daily dog or play traffic	Plant bermudagrass instead	UF/IFAS rates St. Augustine wear tolerance poor (UF/IFAS)
You want to start from seed	Choose a seeded grass	No St. Augustine seed is available (Texas A&M)
Budget under $300 per 1,000 sq ft and time to wait	Cut 2 in plugs from sod, or plant tray plugs on 24 in centers	$15.07 of sod or $259.96 of trays per 1,000 sq ft (worked example above)
Lawn yellow on soil above pH 7.5	Spray foliar iron; test for take-all root rot	Iron chlorosis and take-all risk rise on alkaline soil (Texas A&M)
Thatch deeper than 1 inch	Verticut with blades 3 in apart in spring to midsummer	UF/IFAS threshold and blade spacing (UF/IFAS)

1. 1Does the area get less than 4 hours of direct light a day?

   YesDo not plant turf there; use mulch or shade plantings (Texas A&M).

   NoGo to the next question

2. 2Do you need to start the lawn from seed?

   YesChoose a seeded grass; St. Augustine seed is not available (Texas A&M).

   NoGo to the next question

3. 3Does the lawn take daily dog or play traffic?

   YesPlant bermudagrass; UF/IFAS rates St. Augustine wear tolerance poor.

   NoGo to the next question

4. 4Do winters reach Oklahoma or upstate South Carolina lows?

   YesPlant Raleigh or Sola; Floratam lost 96% of its cover at Stillwater in 2025 (NTEP).

   NoGo to the next question

5. 5Is the lawn partly shaded by trees?

   YesPlant Cobalt or Palmetto, or a dwarf such as Seville; avoid Floratam (NTEP shade plot).

   NoGo to the next question

6. 6Is the lawn in central or south Florida in full sun?

   YesPlant Floratam or CitraBlue (UF/IFAS, NTEP).

   NoPlant a cultivar suited to your region as sod in late spring, or cut 2 inch plugs from sod on 12 inch centers if budget matters more than speed.

Source: Texas A&M EHT-144; UF/IFAS LH010; NTEP reports 21-14 and 2023 test 2025 data; NC State Sola release