Click to see full answer. Hankhill is correct you can favor the existing St Augustine over the Bermudagrass by cutting high (3 +), and irrigating the mix until the St Augustine takes over. When to Plant St. Augustine Grass. But can’t I lay sod over my existing grass? happiness April 24, 2019 at 1:15 pm. Then you’ll have to get rid of TWO layers of lawn. As long as you fill in no more than 1inch (25mm) at a time, the grass will happily work its way through and fully establish itself at the slightly new higher elevation. According to the University of Texas, this grass is native to the regions surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. St. Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a warm season grass grown throughout the southeastern sections of the United States. April and May would be excellent months to lay sod or plant plugs to establish a new lawn or repair damage done to a St. It is possible to dump new soil over top of what you have, and prepare it for sod or seed. I know that St Augustine is a really hardy grass that will just take over an old lawn if you plug it. Plant St. Augustine grass plugs or sod in full sun, at least 90 days before your region’s first estimated fall frost, to give the grass … While Saint Augustine grass does do a very good job at standing up to wear and tear, it can still become damaged due to overuse for long periods of time, or through neglect of good lawn care practices over the life of the lawn. Sod grass requires soil contact in order to thrive. Can I Add Topsoil to My Existing Lawn?. Reel mowers can be gradually reduced to 3/4 to 1/2 inch over time. Thanks! Using Bermuda Grass To Establish a St. Augustine Lawn. You can't simply lay sod on top of grass without doing proper preparation. The sod compresses the grass and limits its exposure to sunlight and water. I looked everywhere for St. Augustine grass seeds...and was told you CAN'T GROW St. Augustine from seed? Nope. St. Augustine grass is usually dormant during the colder winter and fall seasons. Using a glyphosphate like Round Up you can spray your existing lawn, and sod over the dead grass. The best way to add topsoil to your lawn without damaging your grass is to topdress the lawn with topsoil that matches the lawn's native topsoil. The grass can be mowed with a rotary mower at higher levels. You should, therefore, establish your lawn in mid-summer when conditions are great for the growth and spread of this grass species all over your lawn. I'm looking for the least expensive option and best lowest maintenance grass and considering bahia. Lawns laid with St. Augustine sod are full, lush and green, if maintained properly. Generally, St Augustine has no problem completely overrunning and dominating a Bermudagrass lawn in a short time (1 2 years), even in full sun. St. Augustine grass is a type of warm season grass that is popularly grown in the southern regions of the United States. If you lay sod on existing lawn it will die a rather quick death, killing the lawn underneath as well. Begin mowing at 2 inches (50mm) height as soon as grass or weeds can be cut. People will ask us if they can lay sod over mulch or over wood chips left from grinding stumps. St. Augustine grass grows quickly with stiff, coarse blades. I often get asked if you can just apply a shallow dressing of soil over grass and then lay sod on top of that. St. Augustine sod usually comes in rolls for larger areas or … Various diseases can be the reason why your grass is dying or appearing as though it is dead. Similarly, it is asked, can St Augustine grass be grown from seed? Would we have to remove existing grass (which we really don’t want to do). OK, so I found Bahai Grass. St. Augustine is considered a bit more invasive than the other warm season grasses so it may not be permitted by your HOA. If the new St. Augustine grass dries out during establishment, the turf can easily and very quickly die since it has no root system to support the sod growing. Spring is the second best time to lay sod and is the preferable time for warm season grasses such as centipede, zoysia, bermuda, and St. Augustine that become dormant in the winter. Sod provides a quicker alternative when establishing a lawn. “You really need soil to soil contact, in order for the roots to establish. If using a rotary mower you may want to continue cutting at 2 inch height. St. Augustine is a much wider-blade grass that also enjoys full sun but has the highest shade tolerance. 3. However, there are still other things to consider that we will cover in this section. The new grass never rooted. As a rule, the more plugs, the better. St. Augustine can be planted easily in the summer, however, during the establishment of a St. Augustine lawn in the summer, it is vital that the grass is kept moist. Also, Brown Patch is a common problem in St. Augustine lawns, especially if they are over-watered. Starting over may be the best way to get rid of perennial grassy weeds such as Nimblewill, Bentgrass, Tall Fescue clumps, or Quackgrass that you can’t kill without killing your good grass. I just moved into a new house, and the ENTIRE back yard is Crabgrass. Saint Augustine grass can be planted out at most times of the year in the warmer regions where winter is not expected to be too cold, however different regions will differ as to the best time of year to plant new Saint Augustine lawns, and this is usually based on climate … Would we have to level the lawn with new dirt first and then plant new sod? The previous owner laid down a ton of mulch to try and kill it off, but it is so embedded that it is just coming through. These are the steps to renovate a lawn by killing the existing grass and establishing a new lawn: Mid-August, spray the bad lawn area with Roundup. This option will save you money on excavation costs of removing the old soil and grass. Because of the way St. Augustine grows, it can be hard to get good seed contact with the soil without scalping and damaging the existing lawn. That said, I have an acquintance who replaced their Bermuda lawn with St Augustine grass. Plant your sod over an existing … Gardeners enjoy this grass type for its compressed grass blades that contribute a dense texture for lawns. I can only dream that it will take over his ST A. St. Augustine grass grows best in the warmth of spring and summer, when high temperatures are normally 80-100 °F. If you have a few inches (75mm or more) to fill in, you can most definitely remove the sod, fill underneath, then lay … The best time to lay sod, however, is in early and mid-fall when temperatures are cooler but grass continues to grow. St. Augustine, being one of the best options for home and commercial lawns, comes out as a clear winner when it comes to shade tolerance. If it’s mostly topsoil, then you probably won’t have a problem. Effects If the environmental conditions favor one grass species over another, "choking out" may occur. However, this method is usually more expensive. If you live in a region where St. Augustine is especially happy, you may be able to use Bermuda to your advantage. St. Augustine is … The answer depends on the percentage of wood chips compared to the percentage of topsoil under the sod. Many homeowners want to avoid the extra work involved in removing existing lawns to install new sod. It was a slow process but where the St. Augustine was surrounded by the rye it would take hold and started to grow and spread. Watch for grubworms (whitish giant maggots in the soil as they feed on St Augustine.) Shade Tolerance of St. Augustine Compared to Bermuda Grass. Laying Down St. Augustine Sod. St Augustine is a spreading grass and will fill in within a month. Laying down sod is often a quicker way to plant St. Augustine grass. Plant St. Augustine grass during summer. Lawn diseases. After 2 weeks, you can till the ground and lay your sod. Sod, though, can be applied directly over existing grass.” The author went on to write: “Professional landscapers often apply sod directly over grass. We will use the rakes to do final grading and then water the soil and install the new sod. I’m afraid not. All they did was mow their existing Bermuda grass almost all the way down to the ground (lowest blade setting on a mower), and then plopped St. Augustine sod over the freshly scalped Bermuda. It is one of the most popular grasses of choice for lawns throughout the United States. Can we lay new sod over existing lawn? I seeded in some Rye grass to hold additional moisture and then next year started again with the St Augustine Palmetto grass. Hi, can I lay new sod over existing grass, or does the ground have to be absolutely clear of grass, weeds before putting down the new grass.? Looking for people who know, not guesses (I can guess myself). The next door neighbors had part of their yard resodded professionally and the landscapers simply put the sod over existing grass, it seems to have grown in fine-- but maybe i missed a step they took? The sod needs to be in contact with soil. If it’s mostly wood chips, you probably will. The current lawn is in bad shape (from previous owners) and I'm wondering if I can just lay the sod over it without doing anything to it before hand (from what I read the lawn underneath dies out and becomes fertilizer). “Therefore, the existing grass / lawn must be extremely sparse or you will have to bring in dirt and put it on top before laying the new sod. 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