Amateur needs help with newly sodded St. Augustine lawn

[jclpub]

Amateur needs help with newly sodded St. Augustine lawn in south AL

Re-sodded my lawn in May with St. Augustine. Lawn was lush and beautiful for the first two months. Was growing ninety to nothing and had to mow twice a week.
Now it is starting to thin and get brown spots. I have only watered and mowed, I have not fertilized or anything. (Actually, I may have over-watered.)

I stopped watering (with irrigation) in July but it has rained consistently since then.

I need some advice on how to get my lawn back to green and lush. Fertilization recommendations, watering, etc.
Grass is in the sun 70% of the day. Approx. 2,500 Sq. Ft.

Green and lush - May

Thin and brown - August

Close-up of brown spots

[imafan26]

It takes a lot of water to keep it green. You need an inch a week of rain or water in the growing season. The easiest way to tell if your grass is getting enough water is to step on it. If it springs back after you step on it, that is good. If it takes a while to spring back it needs more water. If it is crunchy, it is starving. Grass should be fed fertilizer not just water. St Augustine is drought and shade tolerant but it is not a grass for high traffic. If you are mostly looking at the grass and not really on it much it is fine. If you have a lot of garden parties or kids playing in the yard, zoysia is a better choice.

The other thing that can cause brown spots in summer is insect damage. Stressed lawns will show it more. Grass should be cut higher in summer than in the winter months.

https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-6119.pdf
https://publications.tamu.edu/TURF_LANDS ... 0Lawns.pdf