Saint Augustine Lawn Seeding - Reasons and Solutions

Saint Augustine Lawn Seeding - Reasons and Solutions
By Roger Everett

Saint Augustine grass is an unusual and different lawn type in many different ways to other lawn grasses. Not only in its unique wide leaf blades and its thick stolons (above ground runners), but also unusual in its appearance when the grass is going to seed.

In fact, many people who are unfamiliar with Saint Augustine grass seeding habits can believe there is something wrong with their lawn, or that some type of unusual weed has taken over their lawn. When the truth is their lawn is simply undergoing a natural seeding cycle. The reason for this often mistaken diagnosis of the turf is because of the unusual appearance of these seed heads, which do not look like what regular lawn seeding is expected to look like.

Saint Augustine grass in seed will have an abundance of thick stalks all over the lawn surface, which raise just a little higher above the leaf tips of the grass. On closer inspection of these rather tough and thick stalks will often be what appears to be a slightly pointy tip. And finally on even closer inspection we can then clearly see all the little seeds that are covering the seed head of these stalks in the lawn.

While slightly uncomfortable underfoot for the period of time the Saint Augustine lawn is seeding, these seed stalks are still very flimsy and fragile and pose no risk of any harm to people or pets at all. They simply crumble underfoot, as if they were just thick blades of grass.

Reasons For Saint Augustine Lawn Seeding

Most Saint Augustine lawns will go to seed at least once, and sometimes twice a year. This seeding will last for about two weeks on average, sometimes shorter and sometimes longer in duration. And despite the fact that Saint Augustine grass seed in notoriously bad at propagating a new lawn, the lawn is still a plant and like all lawn plants this lawn type will seed itself as a natural part of its life cycle.

Oftentimes lawn stress can cause greater seeding levels, or can cause the St Augustine lawn to seed at times when it normally would not. Most lawns and plants will quickly put out seed if it senses it is in danger of dying off, and the seeding is the lawn's way of ensuring its future survival. That if the stress should last and the lawn should die, then the seed it is producing with the last of its energy could then regrow the lawn once conditions improve in the future.

Reducing Seeding In St Augustine Lawns

As already stated, seeding is a natural part of the life cycle of lawns, so we really don't want to worry too much when it happens. Though in times when we can clearly see that the entire health of the lawn is also looking that it is under stress or in otherwise poor health, then it may well be that the poor health of the lawn may be causing the seeding.

In these cases, where the St Augustine lawn is seeding, and the lawn is also in poor health, then this is the lawn telling us that there are bigger underlying problems with the lawn that need to be fixed before the lawn deteriorates even further.

Our job then is to track down whatever is causing this poor lawn health and to rectify the problem quickly. In most occurrences this is usually a lack of water being available to the lawn. Other causes can also be factors such as a lack of nutrients in the soil, keeping the lawn cut too short, a deficiency of one major or minor nutrient etc.

On discovering and rectifying whatever may be the cause of the lawn being in poor health while at the same time also seeding, this repair should bring the St Augustine grass seeding under control in short time. Just remember though, seeding in Saint Augustine lawns is normal, and just because we are seeing seeding, does not also mean there is anything wrong with the lawn, which is only ever a signifier if the two symptoms show at the same time.

Roger Everett has been a professional operating in the lawn care industry for 15 years, who now shares his experience, as well as love and passion for lawns with others at his dedicated Saint Augustine grass lawn care site. Roger covers most lawn care topics such as discussing the best fertilizers for Saint Augustine lawns, and more specialized lawn care topics including leaf spot lawn disease. For more lawn care articles similar to this one, please visit The Saint Augustine Lawn Care Site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Roger_Everett/2289727
http://EzineArticles.com/?Saint-Augustine-Lawn-Seeding---Reasons-and-Solutions&id=9426301