REVIEWED SEPTEMBER 6, 2026
Start here
Start with a lawn fertilizer labeled for St. Augustine and check its slow-release nitrogen content. Use soil testing to guide pH and phosphorus decisions. Match feeding to active growth; shady areas may need less than sunny ones. Yellow grass needs a closer look before adding more nitrogen.
Before you buy
Check the exact label, season, grass establishment and local rules. Avoid treating weed-and-feed as ordinary lawn food.
Read the bag, then check the rules
The nutrient numbers describe the fertilizer’s nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content. They do not tell you whether your lawn needs that product today. Match the label to the grass, use soil-test guidance and follow the rules for the property’s city and county.
These guides provide general buying information. For thinning, discoloration or an unfamiliar problem, identify the cause before adding fertilizer or a pesticide.
Read the source guidance
- UF/IFAS: St. Augustine lawn care ↗
- UF/IFAS: establishing a Florida lawn ↗
- Jacksonville fertilizer and irrigation rules ↗
UF/IFAS is cited for lawn-care guidance, not as an endorsement of the products linked on this site.