A: An irrigation system assures that you have an adequate supply of moisture when and where it is needed, which makes it very convenient. Unfortunately, it can also result in over-watering if the system is not set and monitored properly. A good system should supply water only as fast as it can be absorbed by the soil. The turf should get a good soaking (1 inch of water) and then be allowed to dry out before the next watering. If you put a pan under the sprinkler, you can measure the amount of water the system is putting out and set your system accordingly. You can also use the same method to set up a manual system of hoses and sprinklers.

Q: Should I mulch?

A: Yes! Mulching will help to control weeds and keep moisture in the soil. Use shredded hardwood bark or pine straw and spread to a depth of 3 inches. More is definitely not better. Do not pile mulch up around trees and shrubs because it can encourage disease and insect infestation. Most people mulch in the spring or the fall. You can mulch twice a year, but you want to keep the overall depth at 3 inches all year.

Q: I have a question about St. Augustine grass. There are shoots or stringers coming up, are they a symptom of something that is not being provided in the yard or is it natural? How can it be corrected if possible because I have some areas with no shooters that look great and others areas have a lot!

A: The "stringers" are actually stolons and this is StAugustine's natural way to propagate itself.

Q: I had a number of areas in my St. Augustine lawn that were damaged by Brown patch this past fall and seem to have died or has no grass growing up through it. Should I bring in dirt to level off the yard and provide a base for the roots to grow?

A: The dead areas need to be cleaned up and re-plugged. Adding soil is not necessary, at least not for the lawn. If you have other problems that would be solved by adding more soil, that's something else. St Augustine is normally grown from sod or plugs and not seed (which is available, but not widely). You can purchase new plugs at a local nursery, or buy a plug tool and remove some plugs from healthy areas and insert them into the damaged areas at about 10" spacing. Re-plugging or re-sodding can be done anytime during the active growing times during the year as long as there is adequate water.

Give your lawn a good fertilizer treatment that's specifically formulated for St Augustine.

This advice should be taken lightly since I am basing it solely on the descriptions you have given, which may or may not be correct. I would suggest that you contact a local lawn care professional for a thorough analysis. This analysis is usually free with an estimate for their lawn care.