St Augustine Lawns – Waiting to Mow

Q: I have a St Augustine grass lawn. There are tall spikes with seeds on them appearing now. Should I mow it after the seeds fall off to help thicken my lawn?

A: St Augustine grass produces very few viable seed, so waiting to mow won’t make much difference. This contrasts with the fescue commonly seen in highway medians. Department of Transportation crews purposely wait to mow until after the grass has set seed. The only way to thicken St Augustine lawns is with proper maintenance. If you have bare spots, cut twelve inch grass runners from the edge of the lawn and shallowly plant half of each one twelve inches apart. Water regularly for two weeks and the runners will form roots and start growing.