Best Fertilizers for St. Augustine grass

St. Augustine is commonly grown in Hawaii, the Gulf states, Florida, and elsewhere in USDA growing zones 8 to 10. It is a favorite in warm coastal regions as it can tolerate high humidity, salt, and toasty temperatures.

St. Augustine grass grows in well-drained soil and offers an attractive blue-green color to lawns. Although it prefers full sun, it can tolerate a little shade. This vining-type grass spreads quickly, however, it can grow a bit thin if the soil doesn’t provide adequate nutrients, which happens with a lot of sandy soils in the coastal states.

Fertilize St. Augustine grass during the summer growing season to get its full, lush growth. Learn what to look for when choosing the best fertilizer for St. Augustine grass, and find out why the listed fertilizers are the best performers. 

1. Pennington 100536576 UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer

You can consider Pennington UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer if you are looking for a reasonably priced fertilizer with extensive coverage. It consists of a high-nitrogen 30-0-4 NPK ratio, made to boost vigorous growth and rich color in St. Augustine lawns. A 14-pound bag of Pennington fertilizer covers up to 5,000 square feet and can be applied using a broadcast spreader or a drop spreader.

The product consists of slow-release nitrogen that keeps feeding the lawn for up to 3 months after it’s applied, so you may not need to fertilize frequently. UltraGreen helps protect the grass from drought and heat and contains 5 percent iron to deepen the blue-green color of St. Augustine turf. 

Buy the Pennington fertilizer at The Home Depot, Amazon, and Shell Lumber.

Specs:

• Quantity: 14 pounds
• Coverage: 5,000 square feet
• Application: Between June and August

Pros:

• Each feeding lasts up to 3 months
• Helps maintain a lush green lawn
• Affordable

Cons:

• Needs abundant water to completely dissolve

2. Simple Lawn Solutions Maximum Green Liquid Fertilizer

Maximum Green from Simple Lawn Solutions provides a high-nitrogen NPK formulation of 28-0-0 to boost lawn color and promote robust growth quickly. Maximum Green is worth considering as it contains 70 percent quick-release nutrients and 30 percent slow-release nutrients.

After providing a rapid burst of color and growth, the fertilizer slowly releases a consistent supply of nutrients, which means users don’t have to apply it often. Similar to many Simple Lawn Solutions liquid products, Maximum Green is available in its own 32-ounce sprayer jug that attaches to a garden hose to feed easily. 

Purchase the Simple Lawn Solutions fertilizer on Simple Lawn Solutions and on Amazon. 

Specs:

• Quantity: 32 ounces
• Coverage: 3,200 square feet
• Application: Any time of year, with included sprayer

Pros:

• Long lasting slow-release formula 
• Ideal for all grass types
• High nitrogen level for greener grass

Cons:

• Small bottle with limited coverage

3. Pennington UltraGreen Starter Lawn Fertilizer, 14 LBS

Standard lawn fertilizers don’t always contain sufficient phosphorus to help start a new St. Augustine grass lawn from sod, which is the more advisable method of growing this grass variety. Pennington UltraGreen Starter lawn fertilizer provides an optimal 22-23-4 NPK ratio to promote root development in a new sod lawn.

This granular starter fertilizer is available in a 14-pound bag and can be applied up to 5,000 square feet. For best results, apply this Ultragreen fertilizer with a broadcast spreader or a drop spreader to the soil before placing the sod strips. When the sod is set properly, water thoroughly to help establish the new grass. Apply UltraGreen starter to promote healthy root development if inserting St. Augustine plugs into an existing lawn. 

Buy the Pennington fertilizer at The Home Depot, Amazon, and Shell Lumber.

Specs:

• Quantity: 14 pounds
• Coverage: 5,000 square feet
• Application: For new lawns or overseeding existing lawns

Pros:

• Helps encourage strong root system
• Effective with most lawn types
• Affordable
• Provides feed for up to 3 months

Cons:

• May clump together during spreading

4. Scotts Southern Turf Builder Lawn Food

Consider applying Scotts Southern Turf Builder Lawn Food to enhance and deepen the blue-green color that makes St. Augustine grass so noticeable. It consists of a nitrogen-rich 32-0-10 NPK formulation. It’s designed for Southern yards and helps protect grass from heat and drought. Scotts’ turf-building formulation comprises all-in-one particles that uniformly distribute the nutrients essential to improve the grass’s health, enhance its color, and protect it from hot temperatures.

This granulated fertilizer feeds lawns up to 10,000 square feet and can be applied with either a broadcast or a drop spreader. For best results, apply according to the application rate on the bag and afterwards water the lawn. Or, save water by applying the product prior to 48 hours of when rain is forecasted.

Get the Scotts fertilizer at The Home Depot, Amazon, and Target.

Specs:

• Quantity: 14 pounds
• Coverage: 5,000 square feet
• Application: Four times per year

Pros:

• Covers a large area
• Ideal for most lawn types
• Protects against drought and heat 

Cons:

• Bag is troublesome to seal once opened

5. Simple Lawn Solutions Commercial Grade Lawn Energizer

No need to worry if you don’t have a spreader? With Simple Lawn Solutions’ Lawn Energizer, you receive a 32-ounce jug with a built-in sprayer that can attach to a garden hose, making it easy to fertilize the lawn without having the need to buy a pump sprayer or spreader. The fertilizer is available in a concentrated liquid that feeds an area up to 3,200 square feet, and refill jugs are also available.

The fertilizer consists of a nitrogen-rich 6-0-0 NPK ratio to enrich and deepen St. Augustine’s blue-green color promotes dense growth. Micronutrients and Iron in Lawn Energizer’s formulation encourages healthy root development and improves soil quality.

Buy the Simple Lawn Solutions fertilizer at Simple Lawn Solutions and on Amazon.

Specs:

• Quantity: 32 ounces
• Coverage: 3,200 square feet
• Application: Any time of year, with included sprayer

Pros:

• Available with a hose spray attachment
• Suitable for small to medium lawns
• Easy-to-use liquid solution

Cons:

• Limited coverage

6. Milorganite 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

Milorganite’s Organic Natural Fertilizer has no chemicals at all. It provides a gentle nitrogen enhancement to add color to St. Augustine grass while improving the density of the lawn, and it does it without any artificial ingredients. This nitrogen fertilizer is made from composted manure and it provides a beneficial 6-4-0 NPK formulation.

Milorganite is available in a 32-pound bag containing granules that can be applied using a broadcast spreader or a drop spreader, and a single bag can feed up to 2,500 square feet of lawn. This organic fertilizer will boost soil health, and it’s safe for the environment too. Its users can freely use it without worrying about runoff polluting waterways or posing danger to aquatic life.

Purchase the Milorganite fertilizer at The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Amazon, and Walmart.

Specs:

• Quantity: 32 pounds
• Coverage: 2,500 square feet
• Application: Any time of the year

Pros:

• Organic formula won’t burn grass
• Can also deter deers
• Helps promote strong root system

Cons:

• Strong odor when first applied

7. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Lawn Food, 5 lb.

You can apply this Miracle-Gro Lawn Food without using any pump-type garden sprayer or spreader. It comes in water-soluble granules for use with a hose-end sprayer. To use these granules, fill the sprayer’s reservoir with one package of fertilizer (four packages are there in the box) and attach the dispenser to a garden hose. 

One packet can cover up to 1,800 square feet of lawn. It has a NPK ratio of 30-0-6. Spray the lawn in an even pattern to distribute the fertilizer.

MIracle Gro Lawn Food’s high-nitrogen formulation will enrich and enhance the color of St. Augustine grass and promote healthy, dense growth. The four packets can feed up to 7.2 square feet of lawn. This water-soluble fertilizer is most suitable for small and medium-size yards in which a hose is reachable to all areas of the yard.

Buy the Miracle-Gro fertilizer on Amazon and at Shell Lumber.

Specs:

• Quantity: 5 pounds
• Coverage: 7,200 square feet
• Application: Every 4 to 6 weeks when grass is growing

Pros:

• Divided into individual packets
• Dissolves with ease during watering
• Durable container will last for many seasons

Cons:

• Works best with garden feeder (sold separately)

For more information about St. Augustine grass, read the article ‒ St. Augustine grass:Characteristics, Planting and Maintenance.

In conclusion, the best fertilizers for St. Augustine grass are ‒  Pennington 100536576 UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer, Simple Lawn Solutions Maximum Green Liquid Fertilizer, Pennington UltraGreen Starter Lawn Fertilizer, 14 LBS, and Scotts Southern Turf Builder Lawn Food, among others. Choose the one considering the ease of use, quantity, and coverage for your St. Augustine lawn.

Contact Eden today to hire professionals for your lawn care and maintenance needs.