St. Augustine Stolons Crawling: Verticutting Solution

St. Augustine stolons crawling 2 ft across yard (never happened before). Gardener may be mowing too high. August in Texas (115°F). How to lower height without killing it?

Verticutting (Vertical Mowing)

Best done at spring green-up when grass wants to grow. Blades slice through thatch and stolons, forcing new upright growth.

Summer Verticutting Risks

• Lawn looks terrible for weeks.
• Requires intensive watering to recover.
• High heat stress increases mortality.

Alternative: Gradual Height Reduction

1. Lower mower one notch per week until desired height (2.5–3" for St. Augustine).
2. Never remove >1/3 blade per mow.
3. Water deeply after each mow during heat.

If thatch >1", spring verticutting is still the long-term fix.