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4 states with a calendar

St. Augustinegrass lawn care by state.

Georgia says St. Augustinegrass cannot be established from seed; Georgia, Texas, South Carolina and Alabama each have a calendar.

By LawnYear editorial team · Published · Updated Windows are read from the extension publications listed under Sources; the dates are approximate.

Approximate dates for your state. Check with your local cooperative extension office before you act.

No seeding window

Georgia's calendar says St. Augustinegrass cannot be established from seed, so no state shows a seeding window for it on this site.

Mowing heights compared

Georgia gives 2 to 3 in, Texas 2 to 4 in, and South Carolina an ideal of 2.5 to 4 in depending on site and management. Clemson adds lowering to 2 to 2.5 in just before spring green-up and raising it 1/2 to 1 in once nights fall below 70 F.

Feeding and water

Georgia gives 2 to 5 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft a year. Texas caps it at 4 lb a year, with the last feeding 4 to 6 weeks before first frost. South Carolina gives 1/2 to 1 lb in early May. For water, Georgia says 1 inch a week if there is no rain, Texas says to replace at least 60% of evapotranspiration, and South Carolina says 3/4 to 1 inch when the whole lawn looks dry.

Alabama's two schedules

Alabama's standard schedule is 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in May and July, 2 lb a year, and its maximum schedule adds April and August for 4 lb. Its mowing range is 2.5 to 4 in, the same top and bottom as South Carolina's ideal range.

St. Augustinegrass windows by state

For dates by ZIP code, use the lawn schedule by ZIP tool.

  • Georgia

    • Fertilize: May 1 – Aug 31Best months May to August (September possible); 2 to 5 lb N per 1,000 sq ft a year. Do not apply nitrogen in spring until soil at 4 in is constantly 65 F and rising.
    • Weed control: Feb 1 – Mar 31Spring preemergent is best in February and March; April is possible.
    • Mow: Apr 1 – Sep 302 to 3 in; raise 1/2 in in hot weather and remove no more than 1/3 of the height at once. The calendar marks April to September. St. Augustinegrass cannot be established from seed.
    • Water: Apr 1 – Sep 301 inch per week if there is no rainfall (April to September on the calendar).
    [1]University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (2023)(opens in a new tab)

  • Texas

    • Fertilize: Mar 1 – Oct 31First application in March to April once the lawn is growing and has been mowed at least twice; then 0.5 to 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft, 1 to 4 times in the growing season, no more than 4 lb N per 1,000 sq ft a year. Last application 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost. Dates are statewide; Texas spans very different climates.
    • Weed control: Jan 1 – Mar 31Preemergent herbicide for summer annual weeds (crabgrass, goosegrass) when soil temperature reaches about 55 F for 4 to 5 consecutive days. The calendar shows January to March.
    • Weed control: Sep 1 – Oct 31Preemergent herbicide for winter annual weeds when soil temperature reaches about 70 F for 5 consecutive days.
    • Mow: Mar 1 – Oct 31Mow at 2 to 4 in weekly, or as often as needed to prevent scalping; never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf at once.
    • Water: May 1 – Oct 31Irrigate only when needed to prevent wilting, or to replace at least 60% of evapotranspiration. Skip irrigation in rainy periods. Check the irrigation system in March and April before turning it on.
    [2]Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (2022)(opens in a new tab)

  • South Carolina

    • Fertilize: May 1 – May 311/2 to 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in early May after the lawn fully greens up (whole month shown). Do not apply nitrogen from January to April or from September to December. Dates are for South Carolina as a whole; coastal and central areas run earlier than the piedmont and mountains.
    • Weed control: Feb 15 – Mar 31Preemergent herbicide for crabgrass, goosegrass and sandspurs: mid-February in coastal and central areas, mid-March in piedmont and mountain areas; a second application 8 to 10 weeks later. End date is interpreted.
    • Weed control: Sep 1 – Sep 30Preemergent herbicide in September, with a second application 8 to 10 weeks later.
    • Mow: May 1 – Aug 31The ideal height ranges from 2.5 to 4 in depending on site and management. Lower to 2 to 2.5 in just before spring green-up and raise 1/2 to 1 in once nights fall below 70 F.
    • Water: May 1 – Aug 31When the whole lawn looks dry, apply 3/4 to 1 inch of water the next morning.
    [3]Clemson Cooperative Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), 2018(opens in a new tab)

  • Alabama

    • Fertilize: May 1 – Jul 31Standard schedule: 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in May and July, 2 lb a year. The maximum schedule is 4 lb a year, adding April and August (outside the window shown).
    [4]Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Auburn University), 2023(opens in a new tab)

Approximate dates for your state. Check with your local cooperative extension office before you act.

Sources

The dates and figures on this page come from these publications.

  1. [1]
    University of Georgia Cooperative Extension ↗ (opens in a new tab)St. Augustinegrass Lawn Calendar (September 2023); months rated B best, P possible, M marginal.Publication year 2023 · Read 2026-10-29
  2. [2]
    Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service ↗ (opens in a new tab)HORT-PU-170 (05/22), St. Augustinegrass Home Lawn Maintenance Calendar; copy hosted on the Harris County AgriLife Extension site (agrilife.org, not .edu).Publication year 2022 · Read 2026-10-29
  3. [3]
    Clemson Cooperative Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) ↗ (opens in a new tab)HGIC 1218, St. Augustinegrass Yearly Maintenance Program (revised 2018).Publication year 2018 · Read 2026-10-29
  4. [4]
    Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Auburn University) ↗ (opens in a new tab)ANR-0239, Home Lawn Maintenance (2023); Table 2 monthly nitrogen schedule by grass and Table 1 mowing heights.Publication year 2023 · Read 2026-10-30