We all know that Pasadena California has encountered some drought in the past few years and with that we are looking at our lawn more and more as an enemy rather then the friend that it is!
 If you currently have st augustine grass and it has begun to brown up beware! There is something wrong with the grass, the soil or the watering. In this article i will explain in 3 easy steps what can be done to help green up that amazing lawn with the minimum amount of effort and as little water as possible assuming you have st augustine grass installed in your Southern california home.Step 1. The first thing that needs to be done is simple yet not many people know about it therefore they never have done it This might be the reason why the lawn looks the way it does and takes as much water as it does. In the fall you need to Aerate your st augustine grass Aerate? you might ask well this is a simple process of making 4"-6" holes all over your lawn creating a less compact more oxygenated root system, this helps the root take in more organic mater and at the same time retain more water. It is recommended that at this time you top dress your grass with a 1/4" of top quality topsoil or top quality compost this will release nutrients into the root system throughout the  year. Aeration is recommended to be done at least every 2 years but Top dressing is recommended yearly. At this time it is optional to add rye grass seed to the lawn so it can be green during the winter but this is an option which can benefit the st augustine grass by feeding it once the warm weather kicks in.
Step 2. Watering st augustine grass is an art with your type of grass, most gardeners/landscapers usually set up your timer to run 5-10 minutes every day the whole year, this causes wasted water during the winter months and scarcity of water during the summer months. The art consist of balancing 3 areas Frequency, Duration and Time.

How often you might ask? (Frequency) For a lawn that is healthy no weeds and no pests you can water 3 times a week, st augustine grass can go between watering 1-5 days without harming the equilibrium.
How long? (Duration) This depends on the type of irrigation system that you might have if you have a spray system, the kind where the water just flows from your regular pop up sprinklers, you can water for 30 minutes each zone. If you have the Rotor kind of sprinklers, this is the kind that pops up and spray from left to right and right to left they look like a jet of water spraying your lawn, this requires about 45 minutes each zone. but for a better solution bring a rain measuring cup and lay it in several areas of your yard and once the rain measure gets to about 1/2" to 3/4" that should be enough.
Now what(Time) is best for your st augustine grass benefit?
This is simple water your grass before the dew between 2-4am Why not during the day? Well simple if you water your grass during the day you will be losing most of the water do to evaporationAgain the watering of your st augustine grass is an art so during the sumer times you might have it at the optimal but once the rainy season comes in please take note and turn off the timer or readjusted according to your rain measure. A well water grass makes for an amazing looking yard.
Step 3. The last step is critical and most people overlook it because most of the home owners either have a service that cuts their lawn or do it themselves and dont know this, but The Maintenance part of your st augustine grass is essential for the optimal health of your grass.
Mowing is crucial specially during the summer months Mow your lawn at the highest setting on your lawn mower, this will prevent weeds and hold more water during the summer months, leaving clippings every other mow is essential for the overall health of your st augustine grass this will act like a natural mulch as well as a natural fertilizer. Do NOT cut more then 3/4 of your st augustine grass at one time, there will be times that you might have to mow the lawn more then once a week if necessary then do it. Make sure that the blade in your mower is nice and sharp and that your mower is not leaking any oil or gasoline.
Regular Feeding Is a most! if you want an amazing looking st augustine grass you need to fertilize it. During spring it is recommended to us a 16-4-8 with slow release form of nitrogen fertilizer 6.25 pound for every 1,000 square feet i suggest 2 applications one in March and one in July Iron might be needed if you notice yellowing spots in some areas, this can be applied during the month of June. Apply 2 oz. of ferrous sulfate in 3 to 5 gallons of water per 1,000 square feet
During May you might want to add another 1/4" of compost for depleted soils.Remember if you follow the steps above this may save you water in the long run keeping your st augustine grass healthy and greener then the neighbors even during drought. Cruz gardening service has helped and maintained the communities grass during the harsh times always following code and maintaining that amazing looking grass green!