How to Overseed St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustine grass is a type of warm season grass that is popularly grown in the southern regions of the United States. According to the University of Texas, this grass is native to the regions surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. Gardeners enjoy this grass type for its compressed grass blades that contribute a dense texture for lawns. Overseeding St. Augustine grass produces a denser lawn and is generally needed for older lawns that have bare areas.

Lawn mower

Rake

Seeder

Compost

Fertilizer

Pick a time in September to overseed the lawn. Mow the grass at a low setting, but do not take off more than one-third of the grass blade. You may need to mow the lawn twice to achieve a grass blade that is an inch in height. Short grass helps the St. Augustine seed germinate.

Rake up all of the grass clippings on the lawn. Water the lawn area for three days straight to produce a moist, but not over saturated soil.

Fill a seeder with PLS (pure live seed) St. Augustine grass seed. Use half a pound for every 1,000 feet. Push the seeder back and forth across the lawn area for an even spread.

Rake 1/8 of an inch of compost over the seed and water the area thoroughly. Fertilize the grass seed with a fertilizer high in phosphorous or a balanced fertilizer with an NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) amount of 20-20-20.

Fertilize the grass seed three months after seeding with a slow release fertilizer high in nitrogen, about one pound of nitrogen for every 1,000 feet. Water the grass area to activate the fertilizer.

Remove the thatch layer in your lawn if it is over half an inch to help with seed/soil contact. Thatch is the layer of living and dead organic matter between the grass and soil.

Avoid burning up your grass seed by applying nitrogen to the yard at the time of planting.