Having a lush, green lawn is an ideal situation for homeowners. St Augustine grass provides a great look and feel, as it is soft underfoot and doesn’t crunch when you walk on it. No matter what the weather is like, this type of grass looks great all throughout the year.
Unfortunately, overwatering can cause some serious damage to your lawn. This is especially true for St Augustine grass, which is especially vulnerable to too much water. Not only does overwatering drown the grass, but it also encourages the growth of weeds and disease, among other things.
As the University of Florida IFAS Extension points out, overwatering is often the root cause of lawn-care problems. To ensure that your lawn looks its best and remains healthy, it’s important to make sure that it’s not getting too much moisture.
By avoiding overwatering, you can make sure that your lawn looks great all seasons of the year.
- Too much water at one time will wash away soil nutrients and compact the soil, making it hard for grass roots to grow.
- If water stands on top of the soil for too long, it will drown the grass roots.
The roots of plants rely on oxygen for their survival, just like we humans do. Without oxygen, the roots are unable to survive and eventually decompose into the earth, resulting in soil which is harder and less conducive to the growth of new life.
This has a huge environmental effect, with negative consequences for the environment. In addition to providing essential oxygen for life itself, oxygen also helps to promote healthier soil, aiding new grass in its growth and reinforcing nature’s delicate balance.
Therefore, it is important for us to remember that oxygen is key for both our own survival and the preservation of our environment.
5 Signs You’re Over Watering St Augustine Grass
Here are 5 signs that you are over watering St Augustine grass:
1 – Limp Grass blades
If you notice your St Augustine grass looking a bit too green and the leaves becoming limp, then it is likely that your lawn is being over-watered. To remedy this, it is important to find ways to reduce the amount of water that your lawn is receiving.
Cutting back on watering your lawn is a great starting point, however it is also beneficial to determine why your lawn may have been over watered in the first place. This could be due to an inefficient sprinkler system, uneven spreading of water, an excessive rain fall, or because of a lack of appropriate drainage.
Taking the time to identify and rectify the cause of your lawn’s over-watering can help prevent future problems, and will leave your St Augustine grass looking lush, green, and healthy.
2 – Inconsistent Growth
As the days grow warmer and the sun begins to rise higher in the sky, the blades of St Augustine grass start to show signs of distress. Instead of growing upwards, many of the blades start to take on a wavy form, curling in different directions.
This is an indication that the grass is receiving too much water, and it’s time to cut back on hydration. Overwatering will cause the soil to stay too moist and not allow oxygen to reach the grass roots.
Thus, reducing the amount of water given to the grass will help its overall health and lead to fuller, healthier blades.
3 – Discoloration
If you notice the edges of your St Augustine grass’s leaves turning brown or yellow, it is a sign that the plant is not receiving enough oxygen and may require less frequent watering.
This change in color may indicate improper growing conditions, so it’s important to monitor your grass’s water intake to keep it healthy and thriving.
It’s important to note that if this color change persists, you may need to adjust other elements of your grass’s environment to ensure it receives optimal growing conditions.
4 – Dying Roots
Overwatering St Augustine grass can spell disaster for your lawn, as too much moisture around the grass’s roots can lead to detrimental root rot.
If you begin to notice signs of this affliction, such as yellowing leaves or bald patches, it may be time to adjust your watering schedule.
Root rot can cause a variety of issues, not only killing off the grass but also providing a breeding ground for disease and pests. Therefore, watching how often you water your St Augustine grass is essential in order to prevent any long-term damage.
5 – Mold or Fungus Growth
Overwatering your lawn can be disastrous, as it fosters an ideal environment for fungus to grow, resulting in unsightly brown spots and dead patches.
Not only that, but fungus spores, found in the affected soil or water sources, can spread to nearby plants, causing them to be susceptible to fungal infections as well.
While St Augustine grass does require some hydration to thrive, be sure to watch your irrigation levels, as excessive amounts can lead to these dangerous conditions.
When Your St Augustine Grass Isn’t Getting Enough Water
Underwatering your St Augustine grass lawn can be a ‘greener’ approach, however, it is important to note that there will be some negative effects. If you are too conservative with watering, the grass can become stressed and can wilt and die.
This is something that should definitely be taken into account and monitored closely. To ensure the health of your lawn, it is important to monitor the soil moisture and water according to the specific needs of the grass and the current weather conditions.
Doing so will prevent overwatering or underwatering, allowing your grass to stay green and healthy throughout the season.
Here are some signs your St Augustine grass needs more water:
It’s turning brown
St Augustine grass is the perfect choice for gardens looking for a warm season grass that grows best during the warm, sunny days of the spring and summer months.
When the cooler fall temperatures come around, however, water is key in keeping your grass looking green and healthy. Without sufficient watering, St Augustine grass can start to turn brown as the cold weather sets in, so it’s important to make sure you’re providing enough water to keep it looking lush and vibrant.
With the right care, St Augustine grass will continue to bring life and color to the garden all year round!
Yellowing blades
To keep your St Augustine grass healthy and vibrant, proper watering is key. If you notice that there are yellowing patches between your blades of grass, this could be a sign that your lawn is not receiving enough water.
Adjusting your watering routine can help resolve this problem before it develops into brown patches. Watering less often but for a longer period of time can help ensure that the lawn’s roots have time to soak up the right amount of nutrients from the soil.
This is especially important during hot summer days when the soil needs more hydration. Ensuring your St Augustine grass is properly watered will keep your lawn looking lush and green.
Dry & hard ground
“After a long rain shower or targeted watering session, the ground around your lawn should feel as soft and malleable as clay beneath your feet.
This signifies that there is plenty of moisture in the soil for your St Augustine grass to draw from and use as it needs in order to survive, flourish, and stay vibrant and green.
Unfortunately, if your soil still feels hard and compact after watering or a storm, this could be a sign that you are not providing enough water for your lawn at the present time. Insufficient hydration can work detrimentally against the health and vitality of St Augustine grass.
Consider inspecting your irrigation system and adjusting the rate and duration of each watering session to ensure that your lawn gets the hydration it needs to remain healthy and luxuriant.”
Brown patches
If you’re seeing lighter-colored, brown patches in the St Augustine grass growing around the sidewalk, it could be a sign that your lawn isn’t getting enough sunlight or is being overwatered.
In such a case, you should move the sprinklers away from the affected area to reduce the amount of water it’s getting and also look into moving some of the tree branches in the vicinity so that the grass can be exposed to more sunlight.
While this may seem like a lot of work to do, it can drastically improve the health of the surrounding grass and make your lawn look better.
Patchy grass
If you have a gorgeous St Augustine lawn, it can be affected by extreme weather conditions like a heat wave or drought. When the roots of your grass don’t get enough water, it will start to look thin and patchy with some yellowing spots in between. This could soon become a major problem if left untreated!
To prevent this from occurring again in the future, you should make sure to water your lawn at least once a week during particularly hot summer months. This will ensure that your lawn remains healthy and green, and prevents the appearance of those dreaded brown patches.
Regularly watering your lawn will also help fight off weeds and pests, adding to its natural beauty. Taking the time to properly maintain your St Augustine lawn will pay off in the end and you’ll be glad you did it.