St. Augustine is the most common lawn grass in Palm Beach County, and it's a good one for our climate. It handles heat and humidity, fills in quickly, and stays green most of the year. But it has one big weakness: it doesn't like being cut short.
Keep St. Augustine at about 3.5 to 4 inches. Taller blades shade the soil, hold moisture through dry spells, and crowd out weeds. Cutting lower to stretch the time between mowings usually backfires, because a scalped lawn browns, thins out, and invites weeds and chinch bugs.
From roughly May through October, when rain and heat drive fast growth, most lawns need mowing every week. In the cooler, drier months from November to April, growth slows and every two weeks is often enough. A good rule: never remove more than a third of the blade in one cut.
Sharp mower blades matter as much as height. A dull blade tears the tips, which turn brown and make the whole lawn look dry even when it isn't. If you'd rather not keep track of any of this, weekly or bi-weekly service takes care of it for you.