Normally on the coastal regions, St Augustine grass is mainly of tropical origin and indigenous to fringes of swamps and lagoons, sandy beach ridges and limestone shorelines. Through the years it has gradually shifted inland to natural open sites such as lakeshores, stream banks and other moist places. It found in various countries all over the world such as Nigeria, South America, Caribbean region, South Pacific, Australia and also the Gulf Coast of USA. In the early years, St Augustine grass was indigenous to the Gulf region together with Western Africa and by the 1800s it had been present in Brazil, Sierra Leone and Sc as well.
Also called carpeting grass, St Augustine was shifted inland in the coastal regions due to man's need. It had been highly useful lawns and pastures. Its only requirement was moistness and fertile soil making it a popular among the farmers. It cannot survive in drought conditions as it needs constant moisture.
This particular kind of grass roots at the nodes and has a coarse texture and unlike the Bermuda grass it does not have rhizomes. The leaf blades are usually folded and abruptly contracted at the base.
Depending upon the fertility and drainage, the St Augustine grass can survive several types of soil system. The pH factor from the ideal soil should be between 5 and 8 with adequate moisture. Also you ought to keep in mind that there should be no water signing in the field as excessive moisture has a tendency to harm the grass. Hugely common as a lawn grass, St Augustine provides a decent cover with moderate degree of maintenance as well as helps in keeping the weeds from the picture. Generally the home owners prefer a thick, green lush which can be achieved higher levels of maintenance and increased way to obtain water.
St Augustine is hugely responsive to nitrogen based fertilizers once the colour and growth rate are concerned. Some 1 pound of nitrogen is sufficient for 1000 feet square monthly. The development rate from the grass is hugely dependent on moisture, temperature and nutrient availability. High temperature helps the grass to grow rapidly whereas the cool temperature will reduce the growth. Also one should keep in mind that during cooler temperature, the lawn will retain the green colour but eventually the growth will decelerate.
The St Augustine Grass is highly susceptible to insects and pests which include the Southern lawn clinch bug and also the White grub. The clinch bug is a greater threat as it attacks the stems at the base of leaf cover and can leave dead grass to build up all around the lawn. The white grub is yet another menace which feeds about the roots of the grass and the outcome is generally dead grass in the following year. For that insecticides to work, they must be drenched into the soil to get rid of the grubs and pests which live in the soil.
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