Last updated: September 30, 2026
Short answer: Mow St. Augustinegrass in Sarasota at 3.5 to 4 inches with a rotary mower, and don’t remove more than one third of the leaf blades in a single cut. That rule sets the timing rather than the calendar: a lawn held at 4 inches is mown before it passes about 6 inches. UF/IFAS Extension publishes those heights.
St. Augustinegrass is mown higher than most lawn grasses, and cutting it short is a common
way to weaken it. UF/IFAS Extension publishes the heights.
Height and frequency
| Factor | Published value |
|---|---|
| Standard cultivars (BitterBlue, Classic, Floratam) | 3.5 to 4 inches, rotary mower |
| Maximum removed per mowing | No more than one third of the leaf blades |
| Water per irrigation application | One-half to three-quarters inch |
The one-third rule sets mowing frequency rather than the calendar: a lawn held at 4 inches is mown
before it passes about 6 inches.
Why is St. Augustinegrass used on Sarasota lawns?
It produces a dense, green to blue-green turf that’s well adapted to most soils and climatic regions in Florida. It also has relatively good salt tolerance, and certain cultivars handle shade better than other warm-season grass species. On coastal ground, that salt tolerance is the property that matters most, which is why it’s used here.
St. Augustinegrass produces a green to blue-green dense turf that is well adapted to most soils and
climatic regions in Florida. It has relatively good salt tolerance, and certain cultivars have better
shade tolerance than other warm-season grass species — the salt tolerance being the property that
matters most on coastal ground.
Can St. Augustinegrass be started from seed?
No. St. Augustinegrass is established by vegetative propagation only, which includes sod, plugs or sprigs. There isn’t a seed route, so a bare patch in the lawn gets closed by laying new material into it rather than sowing over it. Plan any repair around sod, plugs or sprigs, not a bag of seed.
St. Augustinegrass is established by vegetative propagation only, which includes sod, plugs or
sprigs. A bare patch is closed by laying material rather than sowing it.
Sources
- UF/IFAS Extension ENH5/LH010 (Trenholm, Shaddox, Schiavon, Unruh & Kenworthy) — edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh010 (read 2026-07-30)
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