LSU AgCenter ranks it the most shade-tolerant warm-season turfgrass, so it’s our first suggestion when water oaks, sweetgums or pines shade part of your lawn. It needs lime on Slidell’s acidic soil and a careful eye on drainage.
St. Augustine GrassSlidell
St. Augustine Sod for Shaded Slidell Yards
St. Augustine sod in Slidell is the grass for yards under trees.
St. Augustine for your Slidell yard
Parish
St. Tammany ParishBest for
Shaded front yards, oak-lined lotsPallet coverage
About 450 sq ft eachEstimates
FREE on all servicesLicensed & Insured, Best Price GuaranteeFREE Estimates4 Grass Varieties14 Metro Cities
01 · Slidell
Will St. Augustine grow under Slidell’s trees?
Usually, yes, within limits. The native forest on Slidell’s main soil is water oak, maple, sweetgum, ash, cypress, bay and some pine. The city wants to keep its canopy: its 2040 plan sets a goal to preserve the tree canopy, and removing a tree takes a Tree Removal Permit.
So the shade isn’t going anywhere, and St. Augustine is the turf built for it. A few rules from LSU decide whether it thrives:
- 01
4 to 6 hours of sun
4 to 6 hours of sun: Most turfgrasses need that much direct light. St. Augustine copes with moderate shade, but LSU says even St. Augustine won’t grow well in dense shade.
- 02
Mow higher in the shade
Mow higher in the shade: Cut 2.5 to 3 inches in sun and raise it to 3 to 3.5 inches under trees, so each blade carries more leaf.
- 03
Feed shaded turf lightly
Feed shaded turf lightly: No more than half a pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application under trees.
- 04
Let light in from below
Let light in from below: LSU’s older guide suggests limbing trees up to 6 to 8 feet. Taking a tree out is a city permit question, so ask Planning first.
02 · Slidell
How does Slidell’s acidic soil affect St. Augustine?
St. Augustine prefers soil that is very slightly acidic to neutral, ideally about pH 6.5. Slidell’s Myatt and Stough topsoil reads about 5.0 to 5.3. One LSU agent puts it simply: in many yards, lime will be needed.
The catch is overshooting. LSU links take-all root rot to soil pH above 6.5 and to long stretches of rain, and Slidell gets about 66 inches a year. That’s why we lime to a soil test, never by guesswork. The St. Tammany Parish extension office has the sample boxes.
Drainage matters as much as pH. LSU names St. Augustine and centipede as the grasses most often hit by winter decline in wet, poorly drained soil, and Myatt is classed as poorly drained. Crown the grade and fill the dips before the sod goes down.
03 · Slidell
Which St. Augustine problems turn up in Slidell?
- 01
Chinch bugs in the sunny patches
The southern chinch bug is mainly a St. Augustine pest. It favors thick thatch, full sun and hot, dry weather, and does most damage mid to late summer. Check with a soap flush: 1 tablespoon of lemon-scented soap mixed into a gallon of water. LSU sets the treatment point at 25 to 30 bugs in each square foot of turf.
- 02
Large patch in spring and fall
Large patch thrives when nights run 60 to 75 F, which in Louisiana means spring and fall. On St. Augustine, look for a yellowish edge on a spreading patch. Water early in the morning and keep nitrogen at LSU’s rates.
- 03
Winter decline on low ground
LSU finds winter decline worst on poorly drained, low-lying ground. Core aeration, sand topdressing and better grading are its fixes.
04 · Slidell
A St. Augustine care calendar for Slidell
Variety matters here too. LSU’s 2007 guide warns that some cold-sensitive varieties should not be planted north of the New Orleans area, and Slidell is USDA zone 9a with January lows averaging near 42 F. We talk variety on the yard visit. For hot-weather habits, read our summer care tips for St. Augustine, or weigh it against Bermuda in our St. Augustine and Bermuda comparison.
Partly sunny yard with heavy play? Zoysia for partly shaded Slidell yards may be the better fit. For prep, timing and permits, see how we install sod in Slidell, and for everything we know about the grass itself, our main St. Augustine sod page.
| Season | Task |
|---|---|
| Mid spring | First feeding, up to 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft (April is LSU’s example) |
| Early summer | Second feeding in June; total stays at or under 3 lb a year |
| Mid to late summer | Scout for chinch bugs in the sunniest spots; optional August feeding |
| Fall | Water mornings only and watch for large patch |
| Winter | Keep traffic off soggy turf; St. Augustine has the lowest cold tolerance of the four |
Shade-tolerant St. Augustine for your Slidell yard
If your lawn lives under water oaks or pines, we’ll measure the sun, test the pH and look at where water sits after a storm before we recommend St. Augustine. Then we lay it with our own crew. Start with a free yard visit, or browse the Slidell sod and lawn guide first. Get a free estimate.
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