LSU AgCenter ranks it the most shade-tolerant warm-season turfgrass, and it copes with the neutral to alkaline levee silt common across LaPlace better than centipede can.
St. Augustine GrassLaPlace
St. Augustine Sod in LaPlace for Shaded Yards
St. Augustine sod in LaPlace is our first suggestion when trees shade part of your yard.
St. Augustine for your LaPlace yard
Parish
St. John the Baptist 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 · LaPlace
Will St. Augustine grow under LaPlace shade trees?
Usually, up to a point. The NRCS lists oaks, cottonwood, hickories and sweetgum as the native forest on Carville soils, the levee silt that covers much of LaPlace, and pecan and water oak turn up on the wetter Gramercy ground too.
LSU says most turfgrasses need 4 to 6 hours of full sun, and even St. Augustine won’t grow well in dense shade. If a mature oak blocks the sun all day, the grass under it will thin out no matter what we lay. An older LSU guide suggests thinning branches or limbing trees up to 6 to 8 feet to let light in. In the partly shaded spots, raise the mower to 3 to 3.5 inches so the blades catch more light.
02 · LaPlace
How does St. Augustine handle LaPlace’s alkaline soil?
LSU puts the ideal pH for St. Augustine around 6.5, and another LSU source gives a working range of 6 to 7.5. Carville silt loam, the most common soil in LaPlace, has a representative surface pH of 7.8 in the federal soil survey, with a range from 6.6 to 8.4. LSU’s Home Lawn Series notes that many turfgrass species can grow in more alkaline soils, and St. Augustine is a far better bet on that ground than an acid lover.
The catch is take-all root rot. LSU says it’s favored by extended rainfall and a soil pH above 6.5, and the Reserve weather station averages about 67 inches of rain a year. A soil test through the LSU AgCenter tells you where your yard actually sits before you lay anything. The parish extension office is in Edgard on the west bank.
03 · LaPlace
Which pests and diseases hit St. Augustine in LaPlace?
- Southern chinch bugs: LSU calls them primarily a St. Augustine problem, worst in thick thatch, full sun and hot, dry weather, with most damage in mid to late summer. Check with a soap flush: 1 tablespoon of lemon-scented dish soap in 1 gallon of water. LSU treats only at 25 to 30 bugs in each square foot of turf.
- Large patch: Look for a yellowish ring at the edge of a spreading patch in spring or fall, when nights run 60 to 75 F. Water early in the morning and keep nitrogen at the recommended rate.
- Take-all root rot: It can look a lot like chinch bug damage, so check for bugs before you treat for either one.
- Winter decline: LSU lists St. Augustine among the grasses most often hit in wet, poorly drained soil. That’s the slow-draining silty clay found in the lower parts of LaPlace.
04 · LaPlace
A St. Augustine care calendar for LaPlace
Shaded turf should get no more than 0.5 lb of nitrogen per application, per LSU. For hot-weather habits, see our summer St. Augustine care tips, and if you’re weighing a sunnier grass, compare Bermuda against St. Augustine or look at zoysia for partly shaded LaPlace yards. Our St. Augustine grass service page covers the grass in full.
| Season | Mowing | Feeding | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | 2.5 to 3 in sun, 3 to 3.5 in shade | 1 lb nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft | Large patch on cool nights |
| June | Never cut more than a third of the blade | Second 1 lb application | Chinch bugs in the sunniest strips |
| July and August | Keep the height up in the heat | Optional August feeding, staying under 3 lb for the year | Chinch bug peak; Reserve averages a 91.6 F July high |
| Late fall to winter | Only as needed | None | Standing water on low, wet ground |
Shade under your LaPlace oaks? Let’s look at it together
We’ll count the sun hours under your trees, check whether your lot sits on alkaline silt or wet silty clay, and tell you plainly where St. Augustine will fill in. The LaPlace sod installation page explains the prep, and the LaPlace lawn guide compares all four grasses. Ask for a free estimate.
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