Best Fertilizer for St. Augustine Grass
St Augustine grass is a popular grass used by developers from Florida to Mexico for its ‘friendly’ profile, hardiness, and longevity. It’s particularly popular in moderate climates and coasts because of its resistance to salty soil and ocean winds which most other common grasses (like Bermuda grass) can’t withstand nearly as well. In order for St Augustine to grow properly, however, you must use a lot of fertilizer. Not all fertilizers affect all grasses the same way. Each species has its own preferences and St Augustine is no exception!
Nitrogen Fertilizers
Fertilizers come in different types. One subdivision of fertilizers is nitrogen fertilizers. These are fertilizers that promote plant growth by nitrogenizing the soil, or providing plants with more free nitrogen to remove any constraints on their metabolic processes. Different plants need different kinds of fertilizers, as we discussed above, and this is the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass. Like everything though, it’s not as simple as “nitrogen fertilizer”. There are different types of nitrogen fertilizers you’ll need to consider. Here, we’ll look at the most common two you’ll have to deal with: Quick-release (or soluble) nitrogen, and slow-release (or insoluble nitrogen).
Quick Release Nitrogen
Quick-release nitrogen fertilizer is just what it sounds like: A kind of fertilizer that releases its nitrogenous compounds into the surrounding soil rapidly. This is accomplished by binding the nitrogen into easily decomposed compounds that will quickly degrade once exposed to soil, resulting in a massive outflow of nitrogen into the dirt. Plants can then take advantage of this free nitrogen, and will usually respond within one week or so. If you want a rapid boost in your lawn’s lushness, soluble nitrogen is the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass.
Insoluble Nitrogen
Insoluble nitrogen fertilizer, on the other hand, is a form of nitrogen fertilizer that does not easily decompose. This makes the nitrogen content less immediately relevant and usually yields results after about 10 weeks. In general, choosing soluble or insoluble as the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass in your lawn is a matter of preference.
Horticulturists recommend applying about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet when the grass has turned and there’s no risk of frost, and repeating the procedure once every 8 weeks or so. However, homeowners are reminded to not fertilize in the winter.
Nitrogen Fertilizers
Fertilizers come in different types. One subdivision of fertilizers is nitrogen fertilizers. These are fertilizers that promote plant growth by nitrogenizing the soil, or providing plants with more free nitrogen to remove any constraints on their metabolic processes. Different plants need different kinds of fertilizers, as we discussed above, and this is the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass. Like everything though, it’s not as simple as “nitrogen fertilizer”. There are different types of nitrogen fertilizers you’ll need to consider. Here, we’ll look at the most common two you’ll have to deal with: Quick-release (or soluble) nitrogen, and slow-release (or insoluble nitrogen).
Quick Release Nitrogen
Quick-release nitrogen fertilizer is just what it sounds like: A kind of fertilizer that releases its nitrogenous compounds into the surrounding soil rapidly. This is accomplished by binding the nitrogen into easily decomposed compounds that will quickly degrade once exposed to soil, resulting in a massive outflow of nitrogen into the dirt. Plants can then take advantage of this free nitrogen, and will usually respond within one week or so. If you want a rapid boost in your lawn’s lushness, soluble nitrogen is the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass.
Insoluble Nitrogen
Insoluble nitrogen fertilizer, on the other hand, is a form of nitrogen fertilizer that does not easily decompose. This makes the nitrogen content less immediately relevant and usually yields results after about 10 weeks. In general, choosing soluble or insoluble as the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass in your lawn is a matter of preference.
Horticulturists recommend applying about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet when the grass has turned and there’s no risk of frost, and repeating the procedure once every 8 weeks or so. However, homeowners are reminded to not fertilize in the winter.