When making your Saint Augustine grass thicker and fuller, the big question is, what is the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass? These fertilizers are not meant for Agustine grass alone but to treat grass and provide other turfgrasses with the required nutrients. Because a healthy lawn is what you want, I have prepared a list of the best fertilizer for St Augustine in the market.
The best fertilizers for St Augustine grass include Milorganite, Pennington Ultragreen, The Andersons PGF, Lesco Professional, Simple Lawn Solutions, and Scotts Turf builder.
What is the Best Fertilizer for St Augustine Grass?
There is no single best St Augustine grass fertilizer. Each of the fertilizers for Agustin grass on this list comes with its benefits. So, you will be keen to see the fertilizer’s strengths to see whether it is what your St. Augustine grass needs to spread quickly.
See if you can get the best fertilizer for St Augustine grass from this list of five:
1. Milorganite Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer
Nitrogen is the main component of many starter fertilizers for a good reason. Your St. Augustine grass will only grow healthy with a good nitrogen foundation. As you may have seen, Milorganite is a slow-release fertilizer, which releases nitrogen nutrients to the soil gradually but steadily.
The fertilizer is analyzed as 6-4-0, which emphasizes the nitrogen content. Thanks to its slow-release mode, the fertilizer can feed your St Agustin grass for three months from the day of application.
Milorganite fertilizer sets itself apart from others. The fertilizer is a product of recycled nutrients, making it eco-friendly. Thanks to its recyclable nature, many gardeners use it to treat grass when the soil structure is compromised.
Besides, the fertilizer helps boost microorganisms’ activity in the soil, improving soil aeration, which is important for a healthy lawn.
Milorganite is a versatile fertilizer. It is not manufactured for turfgrass alone. Instead, you can use it to top other plants and vegetables in the garden.
Lastly, this fertilizer is way more affordable than its peers; thus, you can save a few bucks by purchasing it.
What to Know About the Fertilizer
- It is eco-friendly
- The bag weighs 32 lbs
- Has an NPK formation of 6-4-0
- It is slow-release nitrogen fertilizer
- It doesn’t contain staining iron
- Can feed your grass for up to 3 months
- Perfect in strong root development
2. Pennington Ultragreen Lawn Fertilizer
You get the desired results when you feed your grass with enough nitrogen and iron. That is not a myth but a fact with Pennington’s Ultragreen lawn fertilizer. Although the iron in the fertilizer is 5%, the nutrient blends well with nitrogen to give your St. Agustine grass the needed texture, dense green color, and a healthy look.
If you live in the South and have been looking for the best St Augustine fertilizer in Florida, Pennington Ultragreen is the best St Augustine grass fertilizer to salvage your lawn.
After applying it on your lawn, the fertilizer bestows your grass to endure temperatures during the summer. Apply Pennington Ultragreen Lawn Fertilizer in the late spring and early summer for best results.
What to Know About the Fertilizer
- Packed with an NPK ratio of 30-0-4
- The fertilizer is a granular type
- It is classified as an immediate-release as well as slow-release
- The ideal weight is 14 lbs
- The package can cover an area of 5,000 sq ft
- Remains in the soil for up to 3 months upon application
3. The Andersons PGF Complete Fertilizer
This best St Augustine fertilizer is classified as ideal for feed and weed. With a balanced NPK ratio of 16-4-8, it is easy to conclude it can boost your grass’ healthy. While most competitors have zero or little phosphorous (P), The Andersons PGF with Humic DG is complete and balanced.
Incorporating Humic DG (fulvic acid and humic acid) into the fertilizer makes it the best for deep root formation and treating grass.
You need to apply this fertilizer twice a year for the best results.
What to Know About the Fertilizer
- The package weighs 18 lbs.
- It is a granular type of fertilizer.
- It is a slow-release fertilizer; thus, it feeds your Agustine grass two months after application.
- This amount can cover an area of about 5,000 sq ft.
4. Lesco Professional St Augustine Weed & Feed Fertilizer
If you are looking into growing a lush lawn amid hot temperatures, shades, or even drought, then Lesco fertilizer is what you need. The 50 lb bag has a ratio of 17-0-7 and is 30% poly-coated with sulfur and urea, meaning it will not burn your grass.
According to the manufacturer, when wet, you will get good results if you apply this fertilizer on your St. Augustine grass. Because the fertilizer is a slow-release, it will continue to nourish your St Augustine grass for at least two months.
Apply this fertilizer at the start of spring, and you will not regret it. Perhaps, you also saw that the fertilizer is suitable for ‘weed and feed’. That is right. Lesco is the best St Augustine grass fertilizer that balances between feeding the grass with the proper nutrients and ensuring no weeds survive around the grass.
What to Know About the Fertilizer
- The package weighs 50 lbs
- It has an NPK ratio of 17-0-7
- Best for feed and weed
- It has 30% poly-coated sulfur urea
- You must apply it on wet grass for better results
- It is fast to slow-release
- You start to see results in the second week, but the fertilizer nourishes grass for eight more weeks.
5. Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food
This fertilizer is renowned for its ability to guard your St. Augustine grass against extreme temperatures that are the norm in the South. Besides, the fertilizer is kid and pet-friendly.
Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food is made in a way that makes it possible for the grass to develop a deeper and strong root system, which in turn helps the grass cope with harsh conditions.
Nitrogen, the greatest portion of the fertilizer, is slow-release, which enables the grass to attain a dense green color. To prevent grass burning, the manufacturer uses an ‘all-in-one patented particle distribute’ of nitrogen. Because of the distribution method, the fertilizer’s nutrients fall and spread evenly on the grass to provide it with the needed nourishment.
What to Know About the Fertilizer
- The bag weighs 14 lbs
- Covers 5,000 sq ft
- The fertilizer is classified as slow-release
- It has an NPK ratio of 32-0-10
- Continues to feed the grass six weeks after application
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What fertilizer should I use for St Augustine grass?
A: Any fertilizer with 1 pound of nitrogen for every 1,000 sq ft is good for St Augustine grass.
Q: What is the best NPK for St. Augustine?
A: A balanced NPK of 10-10-10 is good when starting a new St Augustine. However, you can change the ratio later but ensure N has a higher portion than P and K.
Q: What to do when St Augustine grass turns yellow?
A: The yellow color on St Augustine grass may indicate a lack of iron due to overwatering or excessive rain. To reverse this, apply iron-rich fertilizer such as LawnStar Chelated Liquid Iron.
To Wrap Up
Whether you are going for the best liquid fertilizer for St Augustine grass or granular fertilizers, you must know the components of the fertilizer.
The best fertilizer for St Augustine grass should have a large portion of nitrogen (N), little amount of phosphorous (P), and a decent portion of potassium (K). After a closer look, Pennington Ultragreen tops the best St Augustine grass fertilizer list.
But if you live in the South, where temperatures are high most of the time, then Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food is the best bet. Whichever location you are in or whatever fertilizer you choose, opt for slow-release fertilizer, which will last at least eight weeks from the application date.