HELP! - Can't Keep St. Augustine Grass Alive

[Jim Burns]

I am at wit's end with my St. Augustine (Floratam) lawn. The same areas gradually die out every year. I have taken samples into my Florida county extension office and the results have been root rot and/or fungus. Twice I have totally removed the dead grass, loosened the soil 6" deep, mixed in organic matter, and resodded. The first week I watered twice a day, the second week once a day, and every few days thereafter when the grass showed signs of wilting. It has been a couple months since the last resodding, and about 1/4 of the new sod appears dead. It looks like it never took root. I applied Scotts MaxGuard (fertilizer plus insecticide) a couple weeks after I laid the sod and have also applied Scotts Lawn Fungus Control twice. The areas that die are in mostly sun.

Thanks, Jim

[Lou Minatti]

You shouldn't have to go through such a hassle with St. Augustine. Given the right conditions, it'll be virtually trouble-free, without all the junk you put on it. Two things:

1) It's a grass, and like just about all grasses it needs lots of direct sunlight. If you put it under a shade tree it won't do well. 2) The sod needs daily watering for at least two weeks after you've laid it down. Then, regular deep watering at least once a week.

You may be overfertilizing it with all that Scott's Fertilizer crap, especially if you just laid down the sod. If you feel you must fertilize it, wait a few months and then buy something manufactured by a company on the Gulf Coast. But I don't think you even need that. Ironite is all you should need.