How Often to Water St. Augustine Grass in Summer

Water St. Augustine grass when it shows stress: blades folded in half, a blue-gray tint, or footprints that stay visible (UF/IFAS, Watering Your Florida Lawn). Give it a half to three-quarter inch, early in the morning, and no more often than your address's watering days allow: two days a week in daylight saving time, one in winter (SJRWMD). Keep standard varieties mowed at 3.5 to 4 inches.

If you would rather hand off the mowing, our lawn and garden maintenance plans cover it. If you are still choosing a grass, start with zoysia vs. St. Augustine for a Brevard lawn.

How often to water St. Augustine grass in summer

Let the grass decide when, and the district decide which days. UF/IFAS says St. Augustine needs irrigation when blades begin to fold up, wilt, or turn blue-gray (UF/IFAS, St. Augustinegrass for Florida Lawns). Footprints or tire tracks that remain visible on the grass long after they are made are another sign (UF/IFAS, Watering Your Florida Lawn).

When you see those signs, apply about a half to three-quarter inch of water. That amount stays the same all year. What changes with the season is how often you water (UF/IFAS, Watering Your Florida Lawn).

Sandy soil makes summer harder. UF/IFAS notes that Florida soils are typically sandy, and sandy soils do not hold water for long and dry out faster than soils with more clay. Those lawns will generally require more frequent irrigation (UF/IFAS, Watering Your Florida Lawn). UF/IFAS says if it rains, suspend irrigation until visible drought stress symptoms appear (UF/IFAS, Watering Your Florida Lawn). Check the grass before you set the timer.

Watering days in Brevard County

The St. Johns River Water Management District sets the standard watering days, and its map shows Brevard among the counties that "follow local or standard restrictions" (SJRWMD, watering restrictions). The standard schedule on that page is:

• Daylight saving time (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November): odd-numbered or no address, Wednesday and Saturday. Even-numbered address, Thursday and Sunday. Nonresidential, Tuesday and Friday.
• Eastern Standard Time (first Sunday in November to second Sunday in March): odd-numbered or no address, Saturday. Even-numbered address, Sunday. Nonresidential, Tuesday.

The district's rules also say to "water only when needed and not between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.," for no more than one hour per zone, and no more than three-quarter inch per zone per irrigation day (SJRWMD, watering restrictions). That cap matches the grass: a half to three-quarter inch is what UF/IFAS says St. Augustine needs per application.

The rules cover water from private wells and pumps, ground or surface water, and public and private utilities (SJRWMD, watering restrictions). They apply whether or not your city has its own ordinance (SJRWMD, local ordinances). That same list names Brevard County and several Brevard cities as having ordinances of their own, so your county or city may add rules. Confirm your address on the county or district page before you set a timer, because the district also posts water shortage orders that can change the schedule (SJRWMD, watering restrictions). If you irrigate with reclaimed water, ask your utility which schedule applies to you.

Water early in the morning

UF/IFAS says the best time for lawn irrigation is the early morning hours. Watering during the day wastes water to evaporation, and watering in late afternoon or late morning may be harmful if it extends the time the lawn is naturally wet from dew, which can accelerate disease (UF/IFAS, Watering Your Florida Lawn).

Not sure how long your zones need to run? UF/IFAS describes a catch-can test: line up straight-sided cans from the sprinkler outward, run the system for 15 minutes, and compare the depths. If the cans hold a quarter inch, it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to apply the right amount. Reset the timer through the year, because failing to adjust for seasonal changes will usually lead to overwatering (UF/IFAS, Watering Your Florida Lawn).

How high to mow St. Augustine grass

UF/IFAS says standard St. Augustine cultivars "should be maintained at a height of 3.5-4 inches" (UF/IFAS, St. Augustinegrass for Florida Lawns). The only cultivars it says to mow lower, at 2.5 inches, are the dwarf and semi-dwarf types: Captiva, Delmar and Seville (UF/IFAS, Mowing Your Florida Lawn). If you do not know which kind you have, ask before you drop the deck.

A taller cut protects the lawn. UF/IFAS says mowing greatly influences rooting depth, with a deeper root system developing in response to higher mowing heights. A deeper root system brings greater tolerance to drought, insects, disease and temperature stress. It also says mowing below the recommended height is a primary cause of turf death (UF/IFAS, Mowing Your Florida Lawn).

Do not scalp it in July. UF/IFAS's rule is to mow often enough that no more than a third of the blade height comes off in one mowing. Its example: a lawn kept at 3 inches should be mowed when it reaches 4 to 4 1/2 inches. For the 3.5 to 4 inch standard height, the same math (this post's arithmetic, not a UF/IFAS figure) means mowing at about 5.25 to 6 inches (UF/IFAS, Mowing Your Florida Lawn).

How often is that? UF/IFAS says the growth rate of the lawn determines how frequently it needs to be mowed, and that the fastest growth occurs in summer or under high fertility and watering. Its table gives a range of 5 to 14 days for St. Augustine (UF/IFAS, Mowing Your Florida Lawn).

If your lawn is not St. Augustine, the heights differ. UF/IFAS gives 1.75 to 2.5 inches for zoysia (UF/IFAS, Zoysiagrass for Florida Lawns) and 3 to 4 inches for bahia (UF/IFAS, Bahiagrass).

Mowing habits that help in summer heat

UF/IFAS's good-mowing list includes several habits that matter in summer (UF/IFAS, Mowing Your Florida Lawn):

• Mow only when the turf is dry. Never mow wet turf with a rotary mower, because clippings can clog the machine.
• Sharpen the blade often enough to prevent a ragged appearance. Rotary blades need to be sharpened and balanced frequently for the best possible cut.
• Mow in a different direction every time. UF/IFAS says this helps prevent wear patterns, reduces the grain, and reduces the possibility of scalping.
• Leave the clippings on the lawn. UF/IFAS says they break down on their own and, if you mow regularly, do not contribute to thatch.
• Set the cutting height by measuring from the ground to the blade with a ruler, with the mower on a driveway or sidewalk.

Insects, disease, weeds and fertilizer are separate work from watering and mowing. Hire a licensed lawn and ornamental company for that part and keep the habits above going alongside it.

What a maintenance plan covers

Our lawn and garden maintenance service is mowing, edging, trimming, blowing, bed cleanups and mulch for homes across Brevard County. Plans run weekly, every other week or monthly. Mowing at the right height for your grass is part of the job.

We do not apply fertilizer, weed killer or pest treatment; a licensed lawn and ornamental company does. We keep the lawn cut, edged and clean, and you keep the watering on the days above. Ask for an estimate and tell us the grass you have.

See what our Lawn Care & Garden Maintenance service includes in Brevard County.