St. Augustine Mowing Schedule for Florida: Month by Month
St. Augustine grass runs on a tight schedule in Florida. The same heat and humidity that drives it into full growth by May also make timing errors costly: scalp it in a summer drought or skip too many cuts in spring and recovery takes weeks. This calendar locks in the right height and frequency for every month.
The mowing calendar here covers the when and how high. Florida St. Augustine lawns also need a fertilizing, watering, and seasonal prep plan that fits around these mowing intervals. The Florida Lawn Care Guide handles that side of the schedule: nutrient timing, irrigation adjustments, and what to do between cuts to keep the turf dense and healthy.
Height and Blade Basics
Set your deck to 3.5 to 4 inches for full-sun St. Augustine. Shaded sections under trees or covered lanais run better at 4 to 4.5 inches. The extra blade height captures more light and speeds recovery after each cut.
Stick to the one-third rule year-round: never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single pass. If the grass reaches 6 inches, mow to 5 inches first, wait a few days, then drop to your target height. Mowing height fundamentals covers deck settings for every major warm-season grass type if you are managing a mixed lawn.
January: Dormant or Near-Dormant
Growth is minimal for most of Florida. North Florida lawns may be fully dormant. Central and South Florida see occasional slow flushes during warm spells, but the grass is not actively building.
Mow only if the turf visibly exceeds 4.5 to 5 inches. Do not drop below 3.5 inches. If the lawn has gone dormant, skip the cut and preserve your blade edges for spring.
February: Still Slow in the North
North Florida stays slow through most of February. South Florida lawns in Zones 10 and 10b can push out a few growth flushes when temperatures hold above 65 degrees for more than a day or two.
If you mow, hold the deck at 3.5 to 4 inches. Frequency: once every three to four weeks at most.
March: Growth Picks Back Up
Soil temperatures climb toward 65 degrees across the state and St. Augustine breaks dormancy. South Florida transitions to active mowing by early March. North Florida gets there by late in the month.
Set your deck height now before the grass gets ahead of you. Start at every two to three weeks and be ready to shift to weekly by month’s end.
April: Weekly Mowing Begins
St. Augustine enters active growth statewide by mid-April. Shift to a weekly schedule and hold the deck at 3.5 to 4 inches.
This is also the right time to inspect your blade. Heading into peak growing season with a dull edge means ragged cuts, tan tips, and higher disease susceptibility. A fresh, sharp blade before May is worth the ten minutes it takes.
May: Peak Season Starts
The rainy season arrives across most of Florida by late May. St. Augustine responds fast: warm soil, consistent rain, and long days push growth into high gear. Weekly mowing is the floor. In wet stretches you may need to cut every five to seven days to stay inside the one-third rule.
Hold the deck at 3.5 to 4 inches. Do not drop lower to try to slow the growth rate; scalping in summer heat stresses the turf and opens gaps for weeds.
June: Maintain the Pace Through the Heat
Peak growing season. Mow every seven to ten days. Florida’s afternoon storms can push St. Augustine to six or more inches in ten days if you miss a cut.
Watch for gray leaf spot during prolonged overcast and wet periods. It shows as small brown lesions on the blades. The fungus spreads faster on turf already weakened by dull cuts, so keep the blade sharp and the deck clean.
Raise the cutting height by half an inch during extended drought periods: 4 to 4.5 inches for sun, 4.5 to 5 for shade. The extra blade helps the grass retain moisture.
July: Stay on Schedule
July is typically the highest-growth month statewide. Skipping a weekly cut during a wet July is the most common mistake Florida homeowners make. Letting St. Augustine reach seven or eight inches and then cutting back to four in one pass causes yellowing and setback that can linger for several weeks.
Mow weekly. If the lawn looks like it will breach six inches before your scheduled day, push the cut up by a day or two.
August: Dog Days, Same Rules
Growth stays strong through August. Heat and humidity peak. Keep mowing weekly at 3.5 to 4 inches.
This is not the month to experiment with lower heights. Scalping in August can kill sections of St. Augustine outright, leaving bare patches that will need plugging in fall. Stay at your established height and stay on schedule.
September: Growth Starts to Ease
Rainy season winds down toward the end of September. Growth rate eases in North Florida but stays active in Central and South Florida. Continue weekly mowing through most of the month.
Watch the forecast. As dry stretches replace the daily afternoon storms, the grass may slow to every ten days before month’s end.
October: Renovation Window
Growth slows significantly in October. Shift to every ten to fourteen days as the pace drops.
This is the best window for patching thin or bare spots. St. Augustine spreads
by stolons and recovers well when soil temperatures are still warm but air
temperatures are cooling. Bare or thin areas from summer heat damage come back
fastest now: fill them with grass plugs (
St. Augustine Palmetto | 72 Live Extra Large Grass Plugs | Drought, Salt & Shade Tolerant Turf Sod | for Healthy Lawns — $169.97) while the soil
is still warm enough for the stolons to take hold before the first cold snap.
Keep the deck at 3.5 to 4 inches during any renovation work. Do not raise the height to compensate for thin areas.
November: Slowing Down
Growth slows to every two to three weeks in November. North Florida may see the last meaningful cut of the year by mid-month. Central and South Florida continue at two-week intervals through the end of the month.
Do not scalp the lawn before winter. Leaving St. Augustine at 3.5 to 4 inches heading into cooler weather protects the crowns from cold snaps.
December: Last Cuts and Mower Storage
Most of North Florida stops mowing by December. Central Florida may get one or two cuts. South Florida still sees occasional slow growth during warm spells.
If you mow in December, hold to 3.5 to 4 inches. After the last cut of the season, prep your mower for storage: drain or stabilize the fuel, change the oil, and clean the deck. The Florida mowing guide covers equipment care and grass-specific tips for carrying the turf through the cooler months.
Quick Reference: Mowing by Month
| Month | Height | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| January | 3.5–4 in | As needed or skip |
| February | 3.5–4 in | Every 3–4 weeks |
| March | 3.5–4 in | Every 2–3 weeks |
| April | 3.5–4 in | Weekly |
| May | 3.5–4 in | Weekly (every 5–7 days in wet spells) |
| June | 3.5–4 in | Every 7–10 days |
| July | 3.5–4 in | Weekly |
| August | 3.5–4 in | Weekly |
| September | 3.5–4 in | Weekly to every 10 days |
| October | 3.5–4 in | Every 10–14 days |
| November | 3.5–4 in | Every 2–3 weeks |
| December | 3.5–4 in | As needed or skip |