Grass Care
St. Augustine Grass Care Guide — Tangipahoa Parish
By Apex Grounds Co. · February 18, 2025 · 5 min read
St. Augustine grass in Tangipahoa Parish needs weekly mowing at 3.5–4 inches, 1 inch of water per week, fertilization 3 times per year, and vigilant monitoring for chinch bugs and brown patch disease. It's a high-reward grass when managed correctly for our South Louisiana climate.
Why St. Augustine Dominates Tangipahoa Parish
Drive through any neighborhood in Ponchatoula, Hammond, Amite, or Kentwood and you'll see one grass type covering the vast majority of lawns: St. Augustine. Its combination of shade tolerance — critical under our region's abundant live oaks and pines — rapid spread, and deep green color make it uniquely suited to South Louisiana. No other warm-season grass performs as well in partial shade, which is why it's been the default turf in this region for decades.
Maintaining it well requires understanding its needs through each season. Consistent, professional lawn maintenance tailored to this grass type makes a dramatic difference in long-term health and appearance.
Mowing: Height and Frequency
Maintain St. Augustine at 3.5–4 inches — higher than most mower default settings. This height shades the soil, reducing both moisture evaporation and weed germination. During peak growing season from May through September, mow every 7 days. Letting St. Augustine grow beyond 5–6 inches before cutting causes stress and creates an opportunity for fungal disease. Never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single cut.
Watering Schedule for Our Climate
St. Augustine needs roughly 1 inch of water per week during active growth. South Louisiana's summer rainfall — often 5–7 inches per month — frequently covers this need, but dry spells hit without warning. Signs of drought stress include bluish-gray coloration and grass blades folding lengthwise. When you see these signs, water immediately and deeply. Avoid frequent, shallow watering, which encourages shallow roots and increases chinch bug pressure.
Water in the early morning — before 9 a.m. — so blades dry during the day. Watering in the evening leaves turf wet overnight, creating ideal conditions for brown patch fungus.
Fertilization for St. Augustine in Tangipahoa Parish
Apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer three times annually: first in April when soil temps reach 65°F, again in June, and once more in August. A September potassium application helps with fall recovery and cold tolerance. Stop all fertilization by early October. Over-fertilizing St. Augustine — particularly with quick-release nitrogen — promotes rapid, weak growth that is highly vulnerable to disease. Professional fertilization services ensure the right product and timing for our specific conditions.
Chinch Bugs — The Primary Pest Threat
Chinch bugs are the most damaging insect pest for St. Augustine in South Louisiana. These tiny insects — adults are about 1/5 inch long, black with white wings — feed on grass sap, injecting a toxin that causes irregular brown patches, typically starting in the sunniest, driest areas of the lawn. Infestations often worsen during hot, dry summers when lawns are already stressed.
Early detection is critical. If you notice brown patches that don't respond to watering, inspect for chinch bugs using the flotation method: press an open can into the turf edge, fill with water, and watch for insects floating up. If confirmed, treat immediately with an appropriate insecticide. Letting chinch bug damage go untreated can destroy large sections of lawn within weeks in summer heat. Lawn pest control treatments applied preventively before peak chinch bug season (June–August) can protect the lawn proactively.
Brown Patch Disease
Brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani) is a fungal disease that attacks St. Augustine in the fall and spring when nighttime temperatures drop below 70°F while days remain warm. Circular or irregular brown patches, often with a darker outer ring, appear seemingly overnight. Prevent brown patch by watering in the morning, avoiding evening irrigation, and not applying nitrogen fertilizer after September. If brown patch appears, fungicide applications can slow progression while you adjust cultural practices.
Common Questions
How much water does St. Augustine grass need in South Louisiana?
St. Augustine grass needs approximately 1 inch of water per week during the growing season, including rainfall. In Tangipahoa Parish, summer rainfall often provides much of this, but during dry stretches you'll need to supplement with irrigation. Water deeply and infrequently — one long irrigation session is better than daily light watering, which promotes shallow roots and increases fungal disease risk.
What are chinch bugs and how do I know if I have them?
Chinch bugs are one of the most destructive pests for St. Augustine grass in South Louisiana. They feed by sucking sap from grass blades, causing irregular yellowing or browning patches that spread outward from a central point. The damage often first appears in sunny, dry areas of the lawn. To confirm chinch bugs, press an open-ended can into the soil at the edge of a damaged area, fill it with water, and watch for the tiny black-and-white insects to float to the surface.
What is the difference between Floratam and Palmetto St. Augustine?
Floratam is the most widely planted St. Augustine variety in Louisiana and offers excellent performance in full sun with good resistance to St. Augustine Decline (SAD) virus. Palmetto is a semi-dwarf variety with superior shade tolerance, making it the better choice for yards with significant tree cover. Palmetto also handles cold slightly better than Floratam, which can be an advantage during Louisiana's occasional hard freezes.
How do I thicken up thin or bare spots in my St. Augustine lawn?
St. Augustine spreads by stolons (surface runners) and cannot be replanted from seed — you'll need to fill bare spots with sod plugs or small sod pieces. Cut healthy sod into 6-inch squares, place them in prepared bare spots, press firmly into contact with the soil, water daily for 2–3 weeks, and keep foot traffic off until rooted. Addressing the underlying cause of the bare spot — shade, pest damage, drainage issues — is just as important as the repair itself.