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Your St. Augustine grass might look bad due to cold winter months, drought, pest invasion, or lawn disease. The first step is properly identifying the problem. Once you’ve figured out what’s making your grass look bad, you’ll need to employ the correct treatments. These treatments may include:

• Properly mow your lawn and keep the clippings on the lawn as organic matter.

• Use healthy irrigation techniques.

• Use the right amount of fertilizer.

• Keep up a good, regular maintenance routine.

• Use fungicides.

The easiest way to rough up soil to accept grass seed and provide the best opportunity for its growth is to make several passes over the area with a garden tiller and rake away the loosened vegetation and debris. However, in some cases, very hard ground may require using a shovel or pick to break up pieces into smaller chunks that the tiller can handle more easily.

There are a few time periods or conditions during which you should avoid aerating your lawn. For example, do not aerate when the ground is frozen or waterlogged, as it can damage the soil structure and grass roots. Aerating during the peak of summer heat or drought is also not recommended since it can stress your grass further. It's best to wait for cooler, more favorable conditions. Finally, newly seeded lawns should not be aerated until the grass is well-established, usually at least one year after seeding.

Watering the lawn after aeration is crucial for getting the most benefits out of it. Not watering the lawn enough will cause the efforts of aeration to be in vain. Light and frequent watering will prevent the soil and grass seeds from drying out, but too much watering can create a muddy mess and wash the seeds away. Watering twice a day is a good benchmark.