08/27/2026
A patch of your St. Augustine grass is turning a sad, sickly yellow. With the intense late-summer heat, is it just thirsty, or is it actively under attack?
🤷♂️Here is how to tell the difference before you treat it:
☀️ Drought Stress: The grass blades will roll up lengthwise, the lawn takes on a dull, bluish-gray tint, and footprints you leave behind stay flattened. The patch will usually recover within a couple of days after a deep watering session.
🐜 Chinch Bug Damage: The grass turns yellow, then shifts to a dry, straw-brown. Crucially, it will not recover with water. This is because the bugs inject a toxic saliva that physically blocks the grass's vascular system, starving it from the inside out.
Don't waste expensive water trying to green up a pest problem—test it first!