Best Overall
Scotts Natural Lawn Food
Best Bang for the Buck
Milorganite 6-4-0 Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer
Best Plant-Based
The Andersons Innova 7-1-2 Organic Lawn Fertilizer
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A deary in warm coastal regions due to its ability to abide salt , high humidity , and toasty temperature , St. Augustine pasturage ( Stenotaphrum secundatum)is widely grown in Hawaii , Florida , the Gulf states , and elsewhere inUSDA growing zones8 through 10 .
St. Augustine grass thrive in well - drained dirt and imparts an likeable grim - green tone tolawns . Although it prefers cheery areas , it tolerates a snatch of shade . While this vining - case skunk spreads speedily , it can grow a minute spindly if the grease does n’t have adequate nutrient , which is the casing with a lot of sandlike soils in the coastal state . To reach its full , lush potential , St. Augustine supergrass should be fertilise during the summer growing time of year .
Our top selection for the best fertiliser for St. Augustine grass isScotts Natural Lawn Food . Its 29.1 - pound package covers 4,000 hearty base , and its gentle and effective chemical formula with a 11 - 2 - 2 NPK proportion works on new seeded or sod Mary Jane .
In addition to our own expertise , we also make out to Bryan Clayton , chief executive officer ofGreenPal , a nationwide lawn tending company , who apportion some professional point to aid users get the good event . Ahead , determine what to appear for when choosing the good fertiliser for St. Augustine grass , and come up out why the following lawn fertilizers all fit the government note .
Before You Buy Fertilizer for St. Augustine Grass
Clayton shared some technical tips with us from his experience forge with St. Augustine grass down in Florida : “ For St. Augustine , I usually urge something with a higher nitrogen cognitive content because it facilitate keep the grass looking dipsomaniac and immature . ” He bring , “ If you use the right stuff , you ’ll see your lawn become more resistant to drought , disease , and pests over time . It ’s like feed your lawn a balanced diet ; it gets stronger and looks good for it . ”
Be measured , though , he warns . “ Overdo it , and you’re able to fire your lawn , encourage rapid outgrowth that the roots ca n’t support , lead to watery locoweed that ’s more prone to problem . ” His last piece of advice is to “ watch out for plant food that are gamy in phosphorus unless your filth trial suppose you take it , because too much P can mess up with the surroundings . ”
All fertilizers contain a different balance of nutrient , so it ’s important to found a fertilizer purchase on the lawn ’s territory case . Therefore , the first step in choosing a fertilizer for St. Augustine Gunter Wilhelm Grass is to do a soil test to determine the pH floor and whether it miss specific nutrients . Most communities have county filename extension agencies that will prove the soil ’s nutrient content . Once it has been determined which nutrients , if any , are miss in the soil , it ’ll be easy to select an optimallawn plant food .
As Clayton also mentions , it ’s important to note that some parts of the nation limit the purpose of P in lawn fertiliser because of its potentially negative impact on the environment , so be sure to check local regulations before making a purchase .
Fertilizers for St. Augustine Grass Comparison Chart
Our Top Picks
St. Augustine grass look its best when it gets all the nutrient it postulate , which is why sporadically utilise a general lawn fertiliser will help raise heavy growth for a lush lawn . opt between liquidness , granular , and piddle - soluble fertilizer is mostly a matter of personal preference . All of the following lawn fertilizer are eco - well-disposed and suitable for supercharge nutrients in a St. Augustine lawn to keep it look lush .
To boost and heighten the low-spirited - light-green colour that makes St. Augustine grass so recognizable , consider applying Scotts natural lawn food , which features a nitrogen - rich 11 - 2 - 2 atomic number 7 - P - atomic number 19 ( NPK ) formulation . Scotts ’ turf - edifice formula is composed of all - in - one particles that equally distribute the nutrient necessary to improve the grass ’s health and boost its coloring material .
This granulate fertilizer feeds lawn up to 4,000 square feet and can be employ with either a drop or a broadcast spreader . For best results , follow the diligence rate on the bag and water the lawn after applying it . Or , deliver water by applying the product within 48 hour when rain is prefigure . It ’s important to note that this fertilizer contains a modest amount of phosphorus , the use of which is specify in some area .
Get the Scotts fertilizer atAmazonorThe Home Depot .
Best Bang For The Buck
Organically derived lawn plant food lean to come at a significantly higher toll than synthetic plant food , but Milorganite ’s fertilizer derived from biosolids is affordable . It provide a patrician nitrogen rise to total vividness to St. Augustine grass while increasing the concentration of the lawn , and it does so without any synthetic element . This product is made from composted manure , and it offers a beneficial 6 - 4 - 0 NPK formulation .
Milorganite fare in a 32 - pound travelling bag of granules that can be apply with a drop broadcaster or a broadcast spreader , and a unmarried cup of tea will feed up to 2,500 straight feet of lawn .
Get the Milorganite fertilizer atAmazon , The Home Depot , orWalmart .
Photo: Amazon
Best Plant-based
The Innova organic fertilizer from The Andersons have a 7 - 1 - 2 NPK ratio and added amino battery-acid in a dull - release formula . It ’s made from entirely plant - infer ingredients with no biosolids , manure , compost thriftlessness products , or animal parts . It ’s plan to have a low quantity of rubble granules , which means that drug user wo n’t have to worry about breathing in dust while lend oneself the fertilizer .
The 40 - pound grip fertilizes up to 11,000 hearty feet of lawn , and thenonburning formulais perfect for founder who may tend to inadvertently over apply the product .
Get The Andersons plant food atAmazon .
Photo: Amazon
Most Versatile
Down to Earth Organic Bio-Turf 8-3-5 Fertilizer
With an NPK ratio of 8 - 3 - 5 , this Down to Earth fertilizer contains a higher ratio of nitrogen to boost lawn outgrowth ahead of time in the season . The pane of K bring down seasonal stress due to temperature change and drought . The ingredients let in hydrolyzed feather meal , roue repast , meat repast , bone repast , and langbeinite . This product is even nutritious enough to feed crops like corn , tomatoes , and leafy greens , making it unbelievably versatile .
The 6 - pound travelling bag feed up to 1,000 straightforward feet of lawn , though large bags are also available . It ’s listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute ( OMRI ) for use in constitutional horticulture .
Get the Down to Earth plant food atAmazon .
Photo: Amazon
Best Liquid
Urban Farm Fertilizer 13-1-2 Liquid Lawn Fertilizer
This liquid fertilizer from Urban Farm Fertilizer work out instantly , provide a eminent dose of atomic number 7 as well as modest quantities of K and P . It also contains an atomic number 26 supplement for lawn experiencing an iron insufficiency . The chemical formula includes both plant - base and animal - found ingredients , with bat guano , ocean kelp , dirt ball molding , humic acid , aquacultural - grad mineral , and more .
The ultraconcentrated rule come in a 1 - gallon jug that produces 256 gallons of fertilizer when diluted , allowing it to extend up to 80,000 square feet . However , the major downside to all fluid plant food is that they need to be applied more frequently . The manufacturer recommends employ this product every 2 to 3 weeks .
Get the Urban Farm fertiliser atAmazon , Walmart , orThe Urban Farm .
Photo: Amazon
Espoma Fall Winterizer Organic Lawn Food
Those reckon to develop their St. Augustine grass for winter should turn over Espoma ’s constitutional fall fertilizer , which provides the nutrients require during its dormant calendar month . It ’s designed to be applied at the end of the summertime time of year , between September and November , depending on the region .
The fertilizer is rich in both N and potassium , with an NPK ratio of 8 - 0 - 5 , and the nonburning normal ensures that overfertilization is n’t an issue . It ’s worthy for St. Augustine grass and other lawn type as well as lawns that have been latterly seeded or sodded . However , the manufacturer recommends applying this merchandise to a teetotal and recently mow lawn .
Get the Espoma fertiliser atAmazonorWalmart .
Photo: Amazon
Also Consider
Safer Brand Lawn Restore Fertilizer
Another groovy option for feeding St. Augustine gage is the Safer Brand Lawn Restore fertilizer . It ’s designed to treat skin lawns and helps grass scrap stressors like drought and extreme temperature sack .
It contain innate plant food fixings , including plumage meal , soybean meal , ancestry repast , alfalfa meal , molasses , and sulfate of potassium hydroxide , which combine for an NPK proportion of 9 - 0 - 2 . This formula ’s high dose of nitrogen is design to strengthen root arrangement to create a thickheaded turf . The makeup of the ingredients is designed to increase biological activity in the soil while nourishing the Gunter Wilhelm Grass . The 20 - pound bag prey 5,000 square animal foot of lawn .
Get the Safer Brand fertiliser atAmazonorAce Hardware .
Photo: Amazon
Or, DIY Your Own Fertilizer for St. Augustine Grass
While there are plenteousness of commercially produced constitutional lawn fertilizers on the market , it ’s also possible to DIY your ownhomemade fertilizerfor St. Augustine pot .
bulge by gathering kitchen scraps like fruit Robert Peel , vegetable waste , eggshell , and coffee grounds . These items are rich in nutrient such as nitrogen , phosphorus , and potassium , which are vital for St. Augustine pasturage outgrowth . Create a compost pile or bin in the railway yard . Layer the collected organic stuff with wry leave , supergrass clippings , and little branch . Turn the pile regularly to speed up vector decomposition and guarantee an even distribution of nutrient .
Once the compost is ready , fill a magnanimous bucket with water and bring a few handfuls of compost . get it steep for 24 to 48 time of day , arouse occasionally . This mental process extracts nutrient from the compost , creating a nutrient - plenteous liquid experience as compost tea . To avoid burning the grass , dilute the compost tea leaf by mixing it with an equal amount of water system . Using a watering can or sprayer , evenly circularize the dilute compost teatime over the St. Augustine dope .
Photo: Amazon
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Chose the Best Fertilizers for St. Augustine Grass
When gather our list of top picks for St. Augustine grass fertilizer , we made sure to include as many type of plant food as potential to offer a wide compass of options , from granule to limpid sprays .
Our enquiry showed us that different plant food require a variety of feeding schedules , from anywhere between every few weeks , to only during the growing month , to all year round . We made sure to include options covering all of these types of plant food , so you may choose for the product that best suit yourlawn care penury .
That say , we also choose products fit in to our sustainability guidelines and prioritize environmentally friendly product . That ’s why we did n’t include options with synthetical fertiliser , such asScotts Southern Turf Builder Lawn FoodandPennington 100536576 UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer , despite their popularity .
Photo: Amazon
What to Consider When Choosing a Fertilizer for St. Augustine Grass
Fertilizing adds essential nutrients to soil that plant need to thrive . By and large , St. Augustine sens will profit from the same plant food used on other grass types .
NPK Ratio
Lawn and turf fertilizer are labeled with the amount , by weightiness , of three specific nutrients they contain : Nitrogen ( N ) brings out the semblance in the grass and speeds growth , phosphorus ( P ) further bud and seed formation , and potassium ( atomic number 19 ) encourages good for you works outgrowth . While all three are required for St. Augustine grass to grow well , the nutrient that filth deficiency most is nitrogen .
St. Augustine smoke usually contains more nitrogen than morning star and K . A distinctive turf fertiliser preparation , for example , has an NPK ratio of 15 - 1 - 5 . When browse lawn fertilizer , you will notice how many dissimilar NPK combinations they offer , but nearly all of them are highest in atomic number 7 .
Liquid vs. Granular vs. Water-Soluble
Lawn plant food are made in three main formulations : liquidity , granular , and water - soluble . There ’s no “ good ” choice here — the form of fertilizer that ’s unspoilt is mostly a issue of personal preference .
Organic vs. Synthetic
Most lawn plant food hold chemical and synthetic ingredients , but a few are made from wholly natural component .
Application
Knowingwhen to fertilizeis just as important as using the right fertiliser . St. Augustine grass should be inseminate for the first time inspringonly after turning a fully green colour . Fertilizing it before that clock time may damage the smoke . lend oneself an all - function lawn fertilizer that ’s high in nitrogen at the rate commend on the parcel . After that , St. Augustine pot should be fertilized every 6 to 8 weeks , depending on the product ’s recommendations .
St. Augustine dope does n’t grow well fromseed , so it ’s usually broadcast through turf or fire hydrant . When starting a new lawn of St. Augustine , enforce a lawn - starter fertilizer that offers a balanced ratio of nutrients to the ground beneath the sod . As the roots develop downward , the fertiliser will be engulf and boost plant health . A high - nitrogen fertilizer can be applied a month later , followed by periodic applications during the growing season . Stop fertilizing in the fall approximately 1 calendar month before out-of-door temperatures drop to around 55 degree Fahrenheit . At this temperature , St. Augustine grass goes inactive and wo n’t want any fertilizer until spring .
FAQs
The first feeding in the springtime should take place a week or two after the Mary Jane has entirely greened up . After that , the frequency with which you go for a plant food depends on the product ’s intensity , so follow package directions . In world-wide , every 4 to 6 weeks is ordinarily sufficient .
Applying plant food at a rate that exceeds the recommend charge per unit , or applying it more often than is recommended , can result in faster Gunter Wilhelm Grass blade increase but not needs healthier grass . It will , however , leave in more frequent mowing .
The most efficient way to distribute fertilizer is to use a heart - type sprayer to apply swimming fertiliser and a spreader to apply granulated fertiliser . For urine - soluble fertilizer , use a hosepipe - end dispenser .
Photo: Amazon
Yes . The caveat here is to await until after a heavy rain if piddle is still run off the lawn , which could result in the plant food wash out away .
When applying a liquid fertilizer — no . Granulated fertilizers may call for watering after software program or using the intersection a Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or two before rainfall is expected .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few plenty on your terrace , a erect bed , or an in - primer plot out back — and choose the right plants for your land and region .
