Year-Round St. Augustine Care in Southern California

10-year-old St. Augustine lawn in SoCal. Summer lush with water; winter dormant/brown. Friend suggested ammonium nitrate—but labels say "not for St. Augustine." You want a proper annual program.

Why Ammonium Nitrate Is Bad for St. Augustine

• High burn potential (salt index).
• Rapid release → surge growth → thatch/disease.
• No potassium = poor stress tolerance.

Recommended Annual Program (SoCal)

Timing	Product	Rate	Purpose
Early Spring (Feb–Mar)	Calcium nitrate (15.5-0-0)	1 lb N/1000 sq ft	Wake up from dormancy; Ca strengthens cell walls
Late Spring (Apr–May)	16-6-8 (Turf Supreme/Best)	1 lb N/1000 sq ft	Balanced growth; K for heat prep
Summer (Jun–Aug)	16-6-8 monthly	0.5–1 lb N/1000 sq ft	Maintain color; slow-release preferred
Early Fall (Sep)	16-6-8	1 lb N/1000 sq ft	Root building before cool
Late Fall (Oct–Nov)	0-0-22 (Potassium sulfate)	1 lb K/1000 sq ft	Winter hardiness; no N

Water & Mow Rules

• Water: Deep, infrequent (1″/wk in 1–2x). Morning only.
• Mow: 2.5–3″ height. Sharp blade. Never scalp.
• Dethatch: If >½″, vertical mow in spring.
• Aerate: Annually (spring) for compaction.

Should You Replace It?

St. Augustine can work in SoCal with irrigation. But if you want less water, less mow, better dog tolerance: Kikuyugrass or Bermuda (TifTuf) are superior. St. Augustine's winter dormancy is normal—not a failure.

Follow the program above. Your lawn will green up faster in spring, hold color longer in fall, and resist disease better.