LSU AgCenter rates it the most shade-tolerant warm-season turf, and it fits the slightly acidic clay found across much of the city. TurnKey Grass delivers and lays it throughout Gretna for homeowners who want a full lawn under and around their trees.
St. Augustine GrassGretna
St. Augustine Sod in Gretna for Shaded Yards
St. Augustine sod in Gretna is the grass to pick when trees shade part of your yard.
St. Augustine for your Gretna yard
Parish
Jefferson 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 · Gretna
How much shade can St. Augustine take in a Gretna yard?
More than any other warm-season grass, but there’s a limit. LSU says most turf needs 4 to 6 hours of direct sun, and even St. Augustine won’t grow well in dense shade. Live oaks with spreading limbs can make a yard extremely shady.
No canopy survey exists for Gretna, so shade gets judged yard by yard. Count the hours of direct sun on a summer day before you decide. Under trees, mow at 3 to 3.5 inches to give the blades more leaf area, and cap each feeding at half a pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet. An older LSU publication suggests limbing trees up to 6 to 8 feet to let light reach the turf.
02 · Gretna
Does Gretna soil suit St. Augustine?
Mostly, yes. LSU puts its ideal pH at about 6.5. The backswamp clay across the middle of town and the Westwego clay in the south both read near 6.2 at the surface on federal soil maps, a short step from that target.
The river end is the exception. Schriever clay there typically reads 7.3 and can reach 8.4, and take-all root rot is favored when soil pH climbs past 6.5, especially after long wet spells. It attacks St. Augustine and can pass for chinch bug damage. A soil test before laying tells you which side of 6.5 your yard is on.
03 · Gretna
Which problems hit St. Augustine in Gretna?
- 01
Chinch bugs in late summer
Southern chinch bugs go after St. Augustine above all, especially in full sun, hot dry weather and thick thatch. Louisiana sees 3 to 4 generations a year, with most damage from mid to late summer. LSU’s check is a soap flush: 1 tablespoon of lemon-scented dish soap in a gallon of water. Once 25 to 30 bugs turn up in a square foot, it’s time to treat.
- 02
Large patch in spring and fall
This fungus likes nights between 60 and 75 F and days that stay under about 85 to 90 F, which in Louisiana means spring and fall. On St. Augustine it shows a yellowish cast at the leading edge of the patch. Water early in the morning and keep nitrogen at the recommended rates.
- 03
Winter decline on wet ground
St. Augustine is one of the two lawn grasses most often hurt by winter turf decline in wet, poorly drained soil. Gretna’s clays all drain very slowly, so the lawn needs a grade that sheds water before the first roll goes down.
04 · Gretna
What does a St. Augustine year look like in Gretna?
For the hot months in more detail, see our summer care tips for St. Augustine.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| April | First feeding, 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Mow at 2.5 to 3 inches in sun, never taking more than a third of the blade. |
| June | Second feeding at the same rate. Start soap-flush checks as the heat builds. |
| July and August | Highs average about 92 F nearby. Peak chinch bug season. An optional August feeding is the last of the year, keeping the total at 3 lb or less. |
| Fall | Large patch weather returns. Water early in the day and hold off on extra nitrogen. |
| November to February | Dormant months on LSU’s calendar. A brown, resting lawn is normal now. |
05 · Gretna
St. Augustine questions from Gretna homeowners
Can I seed St. Augustine instead of laying sod?
No. There’s no commercial St. Augustine seed in Louisiana, so it goes in as sod or plugs. Sod gives you full cover on the day it’s laid, and the main St. Augustine grass page explains how we handle it.
Will it come through a Gretna winter?
It has the lowest cold tolerance of the common lawn grasses, but Gretna sits in USDA zone 9b, and the closest NOAA temperature station averages January lows around 45 F. Expect it to brown and rest through winter, then green up in spring.
Should I pick St. Augustine or Bermuda?
Shade decides it. If trees or close neighbors block the sun for part of the day, St. Augustine. If the yard is open and takes hard use, look at Bermuda for Gretna yards, or read our Bermuda versus St. Augustine comparison. Partial shade with steady foot traffic can suit zoysia.
Shade in your Gretna yard? Start here
Show us where the trees fall across your Gretna lawn and we’ll tell you whether St. Augustine will hold there, then plan the prep for your band of clay. More on the city’s soils is in our Gretna sod guide, and the full job is on Gretna sod installation. Get your free estimate.
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