St. Augustine Tip Browning: Dull Mower Blades, No Action Needed

St. Augustine with 1-2mm brown tips after summer of dull mower blades. Grass otherwise healthy, not growing in those spots, but green below tips.

Diagnosis

Dull blades shred grass tips → brown necrotic tissue. Grass "pauses" growth to seal wounds. Not disease, not nutrient deficiency, not fatal.

Why Doing Nothing Is Correct

• Only tips affected — crowns/roots healthy
• New growth emerges green from crown
• Lowering mower height scalps grass, invites stress/disease
• Fertilizer (15-15-15) already applied — don't overdo

Corrective Action

• Sharpen/replace mower blade — clean cuts heal fast
• Mow high (3.5-4") — less tip removal per cut
• Wait — fall growth pushes brown tips up and out

When to Worry

If brown spreads down blades, patches enlarge, or grass thins — then investigate. Currently: cosmetic, temporary, self-resolving. Enjoy less mowing!