St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a popular warm-season turfgrass known for its deep, blue-green color and coarse texture, creating a lush, dense lawn. It is highly valued in warmer climates for its good heat and humidity tolerance, as well as its superior ability to thrive in partially shaded environments compared to many other warm-season varieties. Understanding the various purchase formats and retail options is important for homeowners looking to establish or repair a lawn. This guide details the physical forms in which St. Augustine grass is sold and where to find the best materials for your needs.
Understanding the Purchase Options
St. Augustine grass is established exclusively through vegetative methods, as it is not grown from traditional seed. The three primary forms available for purchase—sod, plugs, and sprigs—each offer a different balance of cost, installation effort, and time to establishment.
Sod is the fastest way to achieve a finished lawn, consisting of mature grass and a thin layer of topsoil cut into rolls or squares. Installing sod provides immediate coverage, which instantly reduces weed competition and soil erosion. However, sod is the most expensive option and requires intense, immediate watering to ensure the roots penetrate the underlying soil quickly.
Grass plugs are small, individual clumps of turf, typically measuring a few square inches, and are a more economical choice for establishment. Plugs are planted in a grid pattern, usually 12 inches apart, and spread by sending out runners (stolons) to fill in the bare soil. This method is slower, often taking six months to a year to achieve a uniform lawn, but it requires less upfront material cost and is effective for patching smaller areas.
The third option, sprigs, involves planting individual runners or pieces of the stolon without attached soil, a method often reserved for large-scale agricultural projects or farms. Since St. Augustine grass is not commercially available as viable seed, any product marketed as St. Augustine seed is likely a non-viable mix or another grass species. Homeowners must choose a vegetative option like sod or plugs for successful establishment.
Primary Retail Sources
The quality, price, and variety of St. Augustine grass available are heavily influenced by the type of retailer chosen for the purchase. Selecting the right source ensures the material is fresh, healthy, and the correct cultivar for specific environmental needs.
Local sod farms and specialty growers are often the best source for high-quality St. Augustine grass, as they harvest material fresh to order. Buying directly from a farm ensures the sod or plugs have not suffered from prolonged storage. These suppliers often carry a wider selection of specific cultivars, such as ‘Palmetto’ or ‘Floratam’, which offer varying shade or pest resistance properties. Farm staff typically possess the most detailed knowledge about the grass and can provide tailored advice on selection and installation.
Independent nurseries and local garden centers offer a middle ground, providing personalized customer service with the convenience of smaller purchase quantities. These retailers often source material from nearby sod farms, offering a good balance of quality and accessibility. They are particularly useful for purchasing smaller amounts, such as a few pieces of sod for patching or trays of plugs. Their staff often have localized expertise regarding common lawn issues in the area.
Big box stores and large national retailers provide the highest convenience and often the lowest initial price point, with grass material readily available in pallets or trays. However, the quality of St. Augustine grass from these sources can be inconsistent, as the material may have been harvested days earlier and stored under suboptimal conditions, leading to dehydration or heat stress. While they are easy to access, these stores usually carry only the most common, mass-produced varieties, limiting options for specialized requirements.
Essential Buying Considerations
A successful St. Augustine grass project relies on careful planning and execution, starting well before the material is installed. The first practical step is accurately calculating the amount of grass needed to prevent shortages or waste.
Calculating Quantity
To calculate the quantity of sod, measure the area’s length and width to determine the total square footage. Then, add five to ten percent extra to account for cutting and trimming around borders or obstacles. A standard pallet of St. Augustine sod typically covers between 400 and 500 square feet, so dividing your total square footage by 450 provides a good estimate of the number of pallets required. If using plugs, the required number is determined by the spacing, with a 12-inch spacing needing approximately one plug per square foot.
Timing and Installation
Optimal timing for installation is late spring or early summer, when soil temperatures are reliably above 65°F to promote active root growth. In warmer climates, installation can extend into early fall, provided the grass has sufficient time to establish a root system before any potential winter dormancy. The most crucial timing consideration is ordering fresh material that can be installed on the same day it is delivered, as St. Augustine sod quickly begins to deteriorate once it is unrolled and stacked.
Quality Inspection
Upon delivery, a quick quality inspection is necessary to ensure the material is healthy and viable for planting. Check the sod or plugs for a uniform, vibrant green color, avoiding any material that appears yellow, brown, or dry. The soil layer should feel moist, and there should be no signs of pests, such as chinch bugs, or fungal diseases. Confirming delivery logistics, including the drop-off location for the heavy pallets, should be arranged in advance to minimize the time the grass spends waiting to be installed.