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Why Your St. Augustine Grass Turning Yellow

Is your St. Augustine grass turning yellow? Don’t worry, because you aren’t alone! There are various reasons why it begins to yellow, and some remedies to help it return to its fine color. If you want to learn more about what you can do for your yellowing St. Augustine grass, then read on!

Why Is My St. Augustine Grass Turning Yellow?

Here are four main reasons why your St. Augustine grass is turning yellow and what to do about it:

Lack of Nutrition

The soil requires nitrogen, and a lack of it leads to yellowing especially during the hot summer season! However, you shouldn’t fertilize your grass with nitrogen during the summer to make it greener.

Instead, put two ounces of iron sulfate for every five gallons of water, which is good for about 1,000 square feet of your lawn. Repeat this monthly (or every two weeks) throughout the summer season. This can help your St. Augustine grass turn green again.

During the other seasons, fertilize the grass with high-nitrogen blends to maintain its health.

st augustine grass turning yellow

Root Rot

This root rot’s a serious fungal disease which causes yellowing that’s similar to grass nutrient deficiency. However, it can cause your grass to die and thin out if not controlled and treated. You’ll know if it’s a root rot when you see yellow rings around your St. Augustine grass during spring and/or summer.

To prevent yellowing and thinness of your grass, use a fertilizer that contains ammonium nitrogen. Prevent and control the disease by using fungicide which contains azoxystrobin, mixing half an ounce of that with every five gallons of water, which is ideal for 1,000 square feet of grass. Apply the mixture to your grass once a month and make sure to wear protective clothing while doing so.

Chinch Bugs

If you see patches of dead grass which are encircled by a circle of yellowing grass, then this is a symptom of a chinch bug infestation. These are common pests to St. Augustine grasses, and they attack when your grass is most susceptible, namely when it has a lot of thatch.

To prevent and treat this, use a vertical mower to remove these thatches and apply a chinch bug spray to get rid of these pesky pests.

Chemical Dangers

If you spilled the wrong harsh chemicals by accident, this can cause brown or yellow spots. To remedy this, flood the affected area with a lot of water, covering the entire grass with an absorbent product. After that, remove all the soaked liquid chemicals. To prevent chemical spillage, use funnels to keep it from touching the grass.

Besides this, avoid using too much insecticide or herbicide, which scorches your turf!

Wrapping It Up

Hopefully, this article on St. Augustine grass turning yellow informed you of why and what to do! So don’t wait any longer and begin caring for your grass now.

If you have any questions or want to share your experience on caring for St. Augustine grass, then comment below. Your thoughts are much appreciated!

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