Why Waiting to Mow St. Augustine Won't Thicken Your Lawn

St. Augustine grass produces very little viable seed, so letting it go to seed before mowing won't help thicken the turf. That strategy works for fescue (which DOT crews use on highways), but not here. To fill bare spots in St. Augustine, cut 12-inch runners from the lawn's edge, plant half their length shallowly every 12 inches, and water regularly for two weeks. The runners will root and spread. Proper maintenance—mowing, watering, fertilizing—is the real key to density.