In areas where it can be safely grown, St. Augustine grass has some great qualities. St. Augustine grass spreads quickly via surface roots called stolons. This creates a thick, dense mat which crowds out weeds. Unlike other warm-season grasses, St. Augustine stays green late into the Fall, provided proper nitrogen levels are maintained. It also tolerates shade better than Bermuda grass and will thrive in soils with a pH of 5.0 to 7.5
Besides the cold, the biggest obstacles to having a beautiful St. Augustine lawn are poorly drained soils, improper mowing and chinch bugs. However, new varieties of St. Augustine grass have been introduced. “Captiva” is resistant to chinch bugs and requires less mowing than other varieties. “Floratam” is also resistant to chinch bugs and is resistant to the virus that causes St. Augustine Decline (SAD).