Fescue is a cool season perennial grass that is featured in the lawns of many homeowners. However, fescue also can be a weed that is invasive and causes harm to lawns featuring warm season grasses, such as St. Augustine. Left unchecked, fescue can grow in clumps that inhibit the growth of St. Augustine grass in a lawn. Killing the fescue grass is the first step, which must be followed by repair so that the lawn once again looks healthy.
Wear gloves and safety glasses for protection. Add 1 gallon of water to a garden sprayer. Measure 2 ounces of glyphosate herbicide in a measuring cup and add to the water in the tank. Place the top on the tank and shake to mix.
Spray fescue grass in the St. Augustine lawn. Choose a time early in the day, for example, when the wind is calm to prevent over spray and drift during application of the herbicide.
Monitor the treated fescue for 10 to 14 days to make sure it has been killed. Remove the dead grass from the lawn with a shovel.
Apply a balanced starter fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, to the soil where the fescue was removed. Work the fertilizer into the soil and smooth with a rake.
Cut a section of St. Augustine sod with an old knife. Shape the sod so that it fits the area wellwhere the fescue was removed. Place the sod in the lawn and press firmly in place. Water the St. Augustine sod patch to prevent drying for the first 10 to 14 days. Following this, provide 1 inch of water every 7 to 10 days.
Things You Will Need
- Safety glasses
- 1-gallon garden sprayer
- Glyphosate herbicide
- Measuring cup
- 10-10-10 fertilizer
- St. Augustine sod
- Old knife
- Use caution when working with glyphosate herbicide. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations closely. Wash immediately if you come into contact with the herbicide, and consult a physician if the herbicide contacts your eyes.
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