Question
This is my first year to have st aufustine grass. I used plugs. I spent weeks digging them up and planting them and dont want to loose them. Can I let the grass come to seed this year and help my chances of it covering my yars and If so when should I stop the last mowing of the year. Im in East texas. Also is there anything I can do to help it spread out (fertilizer, ETC.)This is my first yard. Any help will greatly be appreciated.
Tanks

Answer
Hi Brent;
Water the bejeebers out of it.
St. Augustine will almost grow in a swamp, and if you keep it nice and damp, it will spread like the dickens.
when new shoots come up, mow them. this is a hard time of the year to mow the grass low, because that exposes it to heat damage.
I have tried to get mine to go to seed, but it has never worked out for me, so I gave it up.
If I were you, I would just keep it watered, and water deeply the first time, to a depth of at least 6 inches, and every day while it is very hot, rewater. The top 2 inches should do it.
Next spring, when it starts greening up, keep your mower blade setting to 2 inches, and mow when it has 1 inch of new growth.
Mowing low will encourage the roots to put out new shoots.
If you have good, loose soil, and not heavy clay, you should almost be able to watch it spread.
Keep up the deep watering program to encourage a deep root system.
Charlotte