Question
I dont know if I asked the right person for my question but it seemed that you would have a pretty good all around knowlage anyway. I have a St. Augistine Lawn in southern California (Los Angeles area), Although I'm not sure exactly what type of St. Augistine. My question is really pretty general, or maybe not. I would like to know about care for my Lawn. Now I will get a little more specific. These are the things that i would like to know more about...
Watering
Mowing hight
Possible diseses or pests and how to identify
weed control products
fertilizing schedual and what to use
Dethatching when and how
How to premote faster growth for filling in
Possible treatment for prevneting the grass from dieing from Dog Urine

As for the questions you aked in your instructions...
I fertilize once in a while maybe once every 4 to 6 months.
Temp here is at coldest about 60 during the day and at hotest in the low 100's. Night time will occaionally get pretty cold in the low to high 30's
My lawn goes from partial shade to full shade to full sun a little of everything (oviously I have trouble with grass growing in full shade or even doing really well in patial shade)
Mow 1 time a week at pretty long lengths when grass is growing vigurously. other wise pretty short (just enough to take a little off the grass.)
And right now I water 2 times a week for about 20 min each time. Thinking about going 3 times a week.

I guess this has turned out to be a pretty detailed question so Please take your time in getting back I appriciate you help either way.

Thanks,
Stuart

Answer
Stuart,

Thanks for the question.  Im not sure where to begin with this question.  I would advise that you go online and pick up a copy of Nick Christian's book, Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management, 2nd Edition.  It runs abut $75.00 but is well worth the investment.  There is know way I could fully answer all of your questions about each of the topics you inquired about...I simply dont have time.

However, I will try to give you a brief overview of each topic.  

Watering - Deep and infrequent.  The goal is to saturate the root zone and as it dries out the roots are incouraged to reach deeper to get the water.  So dont water every day or the roots dont have to grow anywhere for water.  If the surface is dry that may not be all bad, you shoul dbe concerened with whats going on 3-4 inches below the surface.  Do not set up a water program, i.e. 3 times per week, and then forget about it.  The grass may not need to be watered three times per week.  It may need 2 times this weeks and 3 times next week.  It all depends on temp., rain fall, wind to some extent, and mainly how fast the soil has dried out.  

Mowing height -  My opinion is the taller the better.  The plant has more leaf area which means more photosynthesis, which means mroe energy.  The weeds are more easily controlled for several reasons and I think it looks nicer.  I would shoot for nothing shorter than 2.5 - 3 inches.  

Diseases and Pest - SAD, St. Augustine decline, a common virus on St. Augustine.  However there are resistant cultivars available.  There are several other diseases which can effect St. Augustinegrass, however proper fertility, water and cultural practices will greatly reduce the chances of your lawn being affected.  THe best diagnoses is to take a sample of the affected turf and send it to a diagnostic lab.  Most golf courses will even do this to make sure they are treating the correct disease.  Test range in price from lab to lab but you should be able to get one done for under $20.  Pest can range from fire ants to grubs and beetles to mites.  The best way to ID is to either purchase a turfgrass insect book or there are several university sites set up to walk you through the ID process.  Once you know the pest you are dealing with you can then select an appropriate control method.  

Weed Control - Several products are available including 2,4-D and 2,4-D three way mixes for broad leaf weeds.  There are several products such as Monument, Manor and Blade which will help control grassy weeds.  The cheapest and most effective means of weed control is by hand removal.

Fertilizer - In the  early spring use a produc with more phosphorus.  In the summer use a slightly higher nitrogen fertilizer and in the fall use somehting with a little mroe potasium.  Rule of thumb is around 1 lb of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn per active month of growth.  For instance if you were using a 20-0-10 in June you would need to apply 5 lbs of fertilizer to get 1 lb of Nitrogen.  1 / .20 = 5.  

Dethatching - Best if preformed during active growth periods so the turf can recover faster.  If thatch is greater than a half inch it is considered to much.  Dethatch using a vertical mower (several types found online).  

Promote faster growth by proper water, fertilization, weed control, disease and pest control,  and cultural practices.

To prevent grass from dying as a result of dog urine, either immediately water the spot to dilute the urine and help move it through the soil profile or remove the dog from the grass.  I dont mean to sound smart but thats about all I know to do.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,

turfnut2