St.Augustine Bitter Blue
Sodding with Bitter Blue allows you to enjoy a lawn almost immediately, but proper installation is key to long-term success. Sod should be laid on fresh, moist soil and arranged in a staggered, brick-like pattern to avoid separation between pieces. It’s important not to lay sod over existing turf, as this often leads to poor rooting and an unhealthy lawn.
To minimize weed growth, fill any gaps between the sod strips with loose soil. This helps close open spaces and creates a tighter, more unified surface. Once laid, rolling the sod and watering thoroughly will ensure solid contact with the soil, speeding up the rooting process.
Newly installed sod should be watered at least twice a day, delivering about 1/4 inch of water per session, until the roots are firmly established. Once the sod has taken root, you can transition to a regular watering schedule to maintain a healthy lawn.
Key Features:
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Best Use: Home lawns, commercial properties, and general landscapes
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Color: Rich blue-green
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Blade Width: 8–9 mm (fine texture)
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Mow Height: Maintain at 3.5 to 4 inches
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Wear Tolerance: Good
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Recovery From Damage: Very Good
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Drought Tolerance: Good
Mowing Guidelines:
Maintaining the right mowing height is critical for keeping Bitter Blue healthy and attractive. We recommend mowing at a height of 3.5 to 4 inches. For most residential rotary mowers, this means using the highest deck setting to maintain the proper cut.
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Frequency: Mow based on growth, not a strict schedule. Only remove one-third of the blade height at a time to avoid stress.
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Blade Care: Use a sharp mower blade for a clean cut. Dull blades can shred the grass tips, giving the lawn a brownish cast. During the growing season, blades should be sharpened monthly.
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Clippings: If the lawn is mowed regularly, you can leave the grass clippings in place, they won’t contribute to thatch. However, if they begin to clump, remove them to keep the lawn breathing.
Avoid mowing too low. Cutting Bitter Blue below the recommended height can weaken its density and open the door for weed problems, thinning, and turf stress.
Watering Guidelines:
Bitter Blue should be watered only when needed. Watch for early signs of drought stress, like blades folding, wilting, or turning a grayish-green tone. When 30–50% of the lawn shows signs of stress, apply about ¾ inch of water in a single session. Most lawns recover within 24 hours.
Proper watering:
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Encourages deep root growth
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Minimizes thatch buildup
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Helps the lawn bounce back from foot traffic and heat