Almost every living organism regenerates themselves by certain factors, like we human multiplies by forming a zygote.
Plants are one such exceptional creation that grows and reproduces by multiple mediums! These mediums can be the flowers, seeds, runners, or any other transportable portion of the plants.
Again, out of those components, runners hold tendencies to form many other multiple reproducible plant organs. Thus it can be successfully used as a transportable growing part of a plant.
You can have St. Augustine as one of the most identified lawn plants carrying many growing mediums in one frame!
But does St. Augustine grass have runners?
Yes, St. Augustine has runners that can grow either laterally or above the grass blades. These runners give production of new roots, blades of grasses, and branches. However, they are not usually visible unless you have a bare spot on your lawn.
Let us explore even better!
In this garden gild guides we’ll discuss the following:
- Does St. Augustine grass have runners?
- What causes runners in St Augustine grass?
- What do you do with St Augustine grass runners?
- Should I pull St. Augustine runners?
- Should you pull out grass runners?
- How do you transplant St Augustine grass runners?
- FAQs
Does St. Augustine grass have runners?
If you could see them so quickly, then you wouldn’t even ask the question in the first place. Saint Augustine plants grow by producing runners. So, it’s an essential part of their characteristics to have runners and, therefore, to continue their growth.
St. Augustine spreads all over your garden through their runners. They produce two kinds of runners, one is above the ground surface, and the other is underground. So they spread both outsides and inside the lawn spontaneously.
The runners that spread over the ground surface are known as Stolons. These Stolons grow laterally and are applied parallel to the ground. As a result, you can see St. Augustine grasses getting mixed with the rest of the other plants on your lawn over time.
As told before, their runners are not usually seen with bare eyes. They can only be seen when looking from the close. But from a distance, the runners cannot be inspected unless your lawn has bare spots or diseases.
What causes runners in St Augustine grass?
Runners in St. Augustine are so much of a natural phenomenon that helps in their growth and spreading. So, the main question should not be the thing that causes runners to grow in St. Augustine. Instead, it should be something like why you can see them growing in the first place.
Runners are hard to inspect, especially in a developed St. Augustine lawn. Then, again, those which grow underground are impossible to see. But, the reason that causes runners to grow and make you see them is the inability to penetrate inside the soil.
When the runners cannot attach to the soil through penetrating them, they are often seen to be grown above the turf grasses or through grass blades.
This is known as looping, which causes the visible runner to grow in St. Augustine plants. This is caused due to the presence of the excess amount of thatching in between the blades and the surface of the soil. A lack of aeration can also be the reason for this.
What do you do with St Augustine grass runners?
Nothing! If they are not creating an issue on your lawn, you should leave them as they are! As runners are the way for the growth and development of St. Augustine plants, getting rid of them may create obstacles in their flow.
But, in case of need, you can get rid of them by following some of these methods:
1. The method of mowing:
This is the most common and effective method to eliminate excess runners. In this method, the lawn is mown at least twice a year. In case of higher soil thatching, the property should be cut even more. The mowing should be done short and effective.
Again, excess mowing is not acceptable as it can end up clearing more of the runners and destroying your St. Augustine yard. Again, too short mowing can end up cutting the leaf blades that you don’t want. So you can mow, keeping the length slightly longer so that only runners are removed.
2. Top dressing method:
A straightforward way is the ultimate dressing executed simply by spreading some sandy loam over the land. It is done using a shovel, and it should also be spread evenly throughout the lawn by a rake.
It is done so that the leaves through them are showing, and their breathing is ensured. In this way, you can get rid of the runners without smothering the plants.
3. Using a dethatching machine:
The process is even more straightforward than mowing out your lawn. A dethatching device is used to get rid of only the upper levels of the runner. You are also suggested to get rid of such runners. If you go too deep inside the ground, you can end up destroying your St. Augustine garden.
4. Should I pull St. Augustine runners?
Yes and no at the same time. Not the same time, but yes, it depends on a particular time of requirements. That is to say; you first need to find out whether they need to be aided or can be left as they are.
St. Augustine runners not only spread all over your yard but also give rise to grass blades and roots. Through these roots, further arising of the plants are ensures. Again, due to the produced grass blades, your lawn appears to look thicker and fuller.
Due to the runners, your Augustine garden turns out to be matured. In gardening that includes some other plants, you can get rid of some of the runners. This is because of providing opportunities for other plants to grow as well.
And, you can do this by pulling them out. The method is suitable to avoid other critical methods like mowing, dressing, using dethatching machines, etc.
But, an individual Saint Augustine garden would not require doing anything with the runners and let their natural flow continue.
Should you pull out grass runners?
It would help if you pulled out the grass runners only in case of looping. It is such a condition where the runners cannot connect to the ground and grow within the grass blades. As a result, they grow longer, higher, and gradually seem to become unsighted.
This kind of runner should be pulled out. Pulling out helps to avoid mowing and all other ways. Pulling can even further help to target the individual runners that you want to get rid of.
By saving the leaf blades, you can pull off the runners. However, the thing you should remember while pulling that, you are not going to pull out all the runners as it can negatively impact your gardening.
How do you transplant St Augustine grass runners?
Transplantation of St. Augustine runners is made possible due to their transportation from one lawn to another.
For example, you can switch them from your backyard to the front yard or place them on bare spots on the same lawn.
The transplantation can be done following the method of Sprigging. This is a procedure where you will cut the runners with the crown and roots. The roots should be intact before planting them on the soil.
To do this, dig the soil up tov2 inches deeper and plant the transplanted portion into them. Then, water the Sprigged lawn daily at a phase up to a week. Water should be poured by half-inch.
After the roots have started to emerge, the irrigation system can be cut down twice a week.
In this way, you can easily do the runners transplantation which is more accessible than the sod and money.
people also ask
1. Does St Augustine grass spread underground?
Yes, St. Augustine runners can grow both below and above the ground surface. However, the runners that grow below the surface spreads grass blades underground.
2. Can you replant grass runners?
To switch from one garden to another, you can quickly replant the grass runners to make the new garden complete of St. Augustine grasses. They can go from seeds, turf, and as well as replantation.
Relevant post:
Conclusion
St Augustine does have runners. Therefore, it propagates proportionally due to the massive multiplication rate of the runners.
But, to avail that feature of Augustine, you need to ensure maximum bare spots nearby the mother plant.
